German / Imported Märzens

Send me one, I'll give you an opinion.

 

Look back a few pages, it's been discussed and Ron Pattinson gave some answers.

Posts #201 & #209.

Oh, and Spaten Oktoberfest Marzen is produced and sold year-round, but maybe only sold in the U.S.

 

I wasn't aware of that. I'll try to get a mixed pack when the 2020 comes out and do a comparison

That's the problem, I'd be willing to give it a try at $12 a pack, but they either can't or won't put beer on sale. They still have a decent selection of CBS 4 packs at $23 each.

 

I should learn to not be disappointed by now.
I saw the Wegmans beer manager.
Me: “did you see that your Ayinger Oktoberfest is last year's?”
Her: “yeah, I know. It's all the distributor had available.”
Me: “they didn't have any 2020”?
Her: “nah, don't worry though, it's still good.”
Me: “really?”
Her: ”oh yeah. It'll last a couple of years”
Me: “okay, thanks”

 

Oh no. So what the heck did you say?

I like the "it's all the distro had." He shouldn't even have had THAT. How did it not sell out last year?

Something very fishy going on there.

As said previously, be fun to open one and watch it gush -- right there in the store!

 

Hmm, well that's not good. Do you think they just haven't gotten this year's version yet? Or you think it won't be coming at all? With all this talk about old Oktoberfest beers this year I'm afraid to even pick any up. I wish I could find the new Bitburger around here.

Exactly, why would they even still have last year's for sale to retailers? Seems like they have little oversight.

 

I had a .5L bottle of this year’s Ayinger last night and it was really good. I agree with the comments that the last couple years it was not up to par, so I was happy that it was back to the quality I expect from the brewery.

 

An out-of-town location of one of my favorite stores posted on FB today that they have received Hacker-Pschorr's Oktoberfest (and Bell's), so they're in the marketplace here in Michigan (and maybe your's too).

 

Just the ” okay, thanks” and walked away. I mean, what was there to say to that?

I don't think our distributor will be getting the 2020. There are 40 bottles of the shelf, I don't think they'd stock that many if they expected a new batch.

We have Bell's here. What's your opinion of it, I've never had it.

 

I'd gladly grab some at a discount.

 

I’m making note of this:

August 4th and we’re already 8 pages deep into an Oktoberfest discussion...that’s now sparked a discussion about Christmas beers.

Ha, he would probably say, “See, it’s still good! Look how lively it is!”

 

Question wasn’t directed at me, but personally, I love it.

 

Bill, those beers will be good for many years. I have saved my homebrewed Quad for up to 4/5 years and those beer were still tasty at that point.

Entirely up to you whether you want to pay $24 but beer quality should not be an issue here. In fact if you are willing to spend the money I would encourage you to cellar these beers a few more years before drinking them.

In contrast, Oktoberfest beers are best consumed fresh (e.g., a couple/three months old).

Cheers!

 

Here's a link to a post in a 2018 thread where I compared some O-fest beers. https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/2018-oktoberfest-releases.581631/page-10#post-6157489 Looks like I enjoyed the three imports the most, but Bell's was the best of the three American beers. It's a good one.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who can't remember my perceptions from 2 (or more) years ago.

 

Before I found it, I was thinking that thread was from last year, thus I wasn't even able to remember the results from one year ago! Too much beer is killing my brain cells.

 

A local, big-chain, grocery had 4 Paulaner Okto 12-packs on their shelf last week -- today they had one H-P Okto 12-pack where the Paulaner had been. You can't tell me people don't wait for this stuff to return every year.

 

I walked into Binny's yesterday and there were pallets of various German Oktoberfests right at the entrance. I got a single bottle of Paulaner in a pick-6, simply spectacular.