2020 Oktoberfests

Got a sixer of the Weihenstephaner yesterday and oh my. It is killer.

EDIT: My main problem with going through Oktoberfests has been that my LBS doesn't do singles rn so I've been going through a 4/6 a week of Oktoberfests. Luckily, I have a crowler this week that allows me to diversify.

 

I gotta pick up some Weihenstephaner today.

Had Schilling's Konstantin last night - absolutely killer.

 

Enjoyed some Zero Gravity Oktoberfest last night. It was phenomenal. Subtly sweet, bready, and malty but still light-bodied and crisp. I haven't had nearly as many of these beers as other posters in this thread (Copper Legend, Weihenstephaner, and Sierra Nevada so far, besides the ZG). Zero Gravity has been the best and it's not close.

Also, off-topic but in response to a conversation a few posts above, my pregnant wife has disliked all the non-alcoholic options I've brought home for her to try, including all the Athletic beers. But she loved the Lagunitas Hoppy Refresher I picked up yesterday. I also really enjoyed it - because it's not trying to be a 'beer,' it forgoes the attempt at retaining body and essentially works like a citra hop flavored seltzer. I could see this being a mainstay in our fridge even when both of us are drinking real beer again. It's just a great tasting beverage.

 

Have only seen a keg of Konstantin go on draft in this area. No cans yet. Waiting patiently.

 

Interesting, you liked the Zero Gravity even more than Weihenstephan’s?

Is that taking into account Weihenstephan’s is a different style? (Sierra Nevada is a different style than Zero Gravity’s as well)

I liked Zero Gravity’s more than Copper Legend and Sierra Nevada’s. In fact Zero Gravity might be my favorite domestic this year, and while good it still doesn’t hold a candle to Paulaner’s Marzen for me.

Sierra Nevada’s I really dig as a beer, but not as an Oktoberfest.

 

Yeah, I think the difference in styles in Oktoberfest beers can throw off these comparisons. I prefer Oktoberfests to have a fairly hefty malt presence and a touch of brown-bread sweetness. Weihenstaphan's offering is a good beer, but it isn't what I want an Oktoberfest to be. To me it drinks more like a helles than a marzen. Note I'm not saying they did theirs badly, only that I think I prefer the richer style. That's the style I encountered when I first started enjoying Oktoberfests ten years ago, and I still much prefer it.

The gold standard for me, when I lived in the Midwest, was Great Lakes Brewing's Oktoberfest, along with New Glarus's Staghorn. It would be interesting to try those two old favorites and the ZG - which I really loved - face to face.

 

One of the worst ones I’ve tried, had one today. No bueno.

 

Not sure your area, but. Grabbed a 4 pk in Seabrook the other day.

really nice, very malty and sweet. Calls itself an Austrian marzen I think. Is that the typical profile?

Maybe my favorite US marzen I’ve had so far

however,$13 a 4pk vs $8-10 for the German import 6ers will lead me back to the Germans time and again, not just because of price, but the quality of them is awesome

 

I'm back in Virginia so not in MA at the moment. I probably would have been able to grab it already if I was back up there. I'm with you on the Germans vs American craft breweries point though. I applaud people for supporting local, but I think it's important to support quality as well. The Germans still brew immaculate lagers and they're getting less and less shelf space.

 

Picked up a 4 pack of Ayinger marzen today and Hot damn I’m blown away. Wouldn’t have been my first choice, but all the German marzens at my store were 12 packs, so I grabbed ayinger and I’m so glad I did.

Definitely a lighter marzen, smooth with hints of sweet bread. Unimpeachable marzen.

 

Agree with every word of this post after trying the Schilling version today.

 

Yes, the pale Oktoberfests are simply a beefed up Helles. The amber style is essentially a beefed up Vienna lager.

So if you don’t care for a Helles, you won’t care for the pale Oktoberfests either.

For what it’s worth, the pale Oktoberfest is what they serve at the tents in Munich. Back in the 90s they switched from amber to pale to make it more drinkable. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find an amber Oktoberfest in Munich these days. They’re all exported to the US as that is what we’ve come to expect due to early versions by companies like Sam Adams.

Märzen is simply a strength designation in both Germany and Austria, not a style. This is based on original gravity. In Germany it’s slightly higher than in Austria, which will usually impact the final ABV. In Germany you’ll see them land in the 5.8 to 6.3% range, in Austria you’ll get something akin to Schilling’s, which is 5%.

That being said, you can have a beer called a German “Märzen” come in around 5%, see Schlenkerla’s at 5.1%. This is because Schlenkerla’s Rauchbier is less attenuated, which gives it more heft, body, and sweetness. The original gravity fits the range for a German Märzen though.

Schlenkerla’s is also a good example of a beer that is called “Märzen” that isn’t an Oktoberfest, it’s a Rauchbier.

Regarding what to expect from an Austrian Märzen, it can be an amber or pale lager, but I believe it’s typically pale in Austria (someone who’s been there please feel free to correct me).

Ironically the highest rated “Oktoberfest” on this site is Augustiner’s Märzen. Which is neither an Oktoberfest, nor is it German (it’s the Austrian Augustiner, not the German one most people know).

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1787/6583/

This one is a pale lager that clocks in at 4.6% ABV.

You get kegs of Schilling in Virginia, or was this when you were back in MA?

 

Speaking of Schlenkerla’s Märzen, I picked up a four pack today, but unfortunately the sticker with the date wasn’t on it.

Has anyone else in MA seen these out in the wild, and if so what was the canning date?

 

Felt pretty safe at Magoun’s...

Note the Rothaus “Märzen”.

 

I like Octoberfest beer but they are almost the same hard to find a Favorite.

 

I tried the Weihenstephaner, Zero Gravity, and Paulaner Ofest Märzen side by side today ... Liked the Weihenstephaner best, with a nice bready character. Probably liked it best as that's what I've been used to in München.... Liked ZG better than Paulaner, as it was a touch sweeter and toastier, to me.. . Hope to try more soon. Will be in VT starting next Sunday, so more ZG and some Queen City.... plus whatever else I come across.... Prosit!!

 

Now that's talking beer. Prost.

 

Who doesn’t like a helles?! Jk, to each their own for sure. Also, thanks for the history lesson. I don’t think I knew a lot of that info.

On a different note, another day another Oktoberfest purchase. This time it was zero gravity marzen, very drinkable if not a little sweeter than I prefer. But delicious.

 

Great info, thank you. I do in fact enjoy a good helles. Just not when I thought I was going to be drinking (what I learned to think of as) an Oktoberfest. When I'm in the mood for a helles, I reach for House Lager. I think I prefer it to the Weihenstephaner Festbier, though I'm sure my evaluation of the latter was biased by my disappointment that it wasn't what I was expecting.