Fall Beer Sightings (2022)

Sounds like why Spaten has always been my favorite.

Out of scientific curiosity -- are Paulaner or Hacker-Pschorr available on draft anywhere near you to compare?

I don't think I've had either of those on draft for years.

 

Should be anytime now at one of my local haunts. I typically have those every year both in bottle and draft. Those are also perennial favorites.

No harshness at all from that trio (Spaten, H-P, Paulaner (amber). Smooth as silk. A big ol’ melanoidin hit that only the best Oktoberfests can deliver.

I’ve been fairly disappointed with the American amber Oktoberfest installments this year too. American brewers have made GREAT strides over the years duplicating what the best in Germany can offer. But the amber Oktoberfest style seems to escape many. I attribute it to only brewing this style once/year.

 

Finally sighted Paulaner Oktoberfestbier, in both the 1 L and 500 ml cans. 'bout time.
Of course I picked some up.

I endeavored to finish my annual Oktoberfest stock-up, so I picked up a bunch. Next weekend is our local Oktoberfest, which I plan to be at. So no time for bottle/can shopping then. The 'fest is advertising Weihenstephan and Hofbrau beers (on draft) this year, though they have had small quantities of Spaten some times.


What else did I see and/or pickup.....let me think ....


Ayinger Oktoberfest-Märzen - I picked up my case of 500 ml bottles. And the local Wegmans had a shelf full of 500 ml bottles

Toppling Goliath Oktoberfest - picked up a 4-pack plus a 'taster'. Never had this before.

Great Lakes Oktoberfest - I typically get at least a 6-pack every year, mostly for later in the fall as an amber bock

Victory Oktoberfest - an annual pickup.

Iron Hill Oktoberfest - another annual purchase. I used to get this on draft at one of Iron Hill's establishments. Though I preferred their Rauchtoberfest more.

Left Hand Oktoberfest - first came across this last year

Desperate Times Oktoberfest - Out of Carlisle, PA. Never heard of them b4 today. They had someone at the distributor handing out samples.

Bitburger Festbier - in a 6 pack of its own

Samuel Adams Festbier - also in a 6 pack of its own.

Harpoon Octoberfest - a tradition dating back to the 00s. Or 90s. I only get 1 (or 2). This was the 2nd US made Oktoberfest that I had. Sam Adams was the1st.


I also added on to some that I had already purchased. I won't bore folks with those.


Others that I remember seeing and that I don't recall mentioning in this thread:

Brooklyn Oktoberfest
Cape May Oktoberfest
Du Claw's Mad Bishop Oktoberfest
Erdinger Oktoberfest
Lancaster Brewing Company Oktoberfest
Von Trapp Oktoberfest
Warsteiner Oktoberfest


I also picked up one pumpkin beer (I am not a big pumpkin beer fan):

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale - in 6 packs. I haven't had this in several years; I thought that it used to come in 4 packs.

Other pumpkin beers that I remember seeing:

Southern Tier Pumking
Southern Tier Warlock
Lancaster Brewing Company Baked Pumpkin Ale

 

The one distributor here who normally has cases of it hasn't gotten any Spaten Okto as of yet. And he despairs getting any at this point. 2 other distributors got in what appeared to be a case or 2 each. Wegmans hasn't carried any since they sold off there old ones in early August.

So, while not being absent, Spaten Okto seems to be in short supply here this year.

 

Yep. The amber Oktoberfest style does seem to escape many American brewers. In addition to what you mention, mayhaps Sam Adams Oktoberfest shares some of the "blame". It sure seemed to be the 1st popular US Oktoberfest and maybe brewers tried to emulate that. But I think that what you mention is probably more correct.

Though as I mentioned somewhere else (maybe earlier in this thread), there was at least one US brewer that it did not escape - Guy Hageman (sp?). He was the founder and head brewer of One Guy/Berwick Brewing in PA. His Oktoberfest could be put up against any German one and fare pretty well. Well...maybe that's nostalgia speaking. But his Oktoberfest was in the same vein if not the same ballkpark as the German ones.

 

Dunno, this all doesn't bode well for Spaten's presence in the U.S. The local distro here isn't filling orders for the Premium or Optimator, either.

Then again, @Bitterbill is reporting fresh stock out west, so it's a bit of a mystery.

 

Drinking a Weihenstephaner Festbier this afternoon. A very well-made lager from one of the best in its field.

It's really on the more mellow end of Festbiers -- closer to many Helles (FWIW -- I think Weihenstephaner Helles is on the lighter spectrum of the style, too) to my palate. But it's still as drinkable as hell (no pun, really).

To quote the only phrase my father ever knew from German, "Das schmecht nach mehr!" That tastes like more!

@herrburgess

 

Yes, it is a mystery. I found Optimator at a store at a Maryland beach of all places (that was about a month ago and yes, I did buy it) But not around here. The Premium is on shelves. But only that, really.

 

As my father still says "That one tastes like another!"

 

After reading some comments wondering if Ayinger changed things with their 2022 Oktoberfest, I decided to crack open one of my recently purchased 2022sa nd see if that was the case.


Summary (so you don't have to read the details if u don't want to): I could not detect a noticeable difference (or change) in the 2022. Maybe a slightly lighter body but that's about it. Still a smashing good Okto in my opinion.




It looks pretty much the same as before. Deep but clear copper that adds a slightly golden hue when held up to a light.

[the last 2021 that I had was cloudy, the 2022 is not. But I have seen that happen with Ayingers as they age (unfortunately) so it is actually expected]

It smells pretty much the same as the most recent 2021 that I had. But the grassy hops can be clearly detected. According to my notes anyways.

It tastes pretty much the same as the aforementioned 2021. With the grassy hops and light, restrained bitterness being more obvious.

The biggest difference in in the mouthfeel. Really the body. The body is lighter than I expect it to be. I'd call the body medium-light; I expect a medium+ body. But ... the more I think about it, the more I think that this is actually correct for the body. I used to think that was a good warmer fall day kind of Okto, especially when I used to get it on draft.

The body makes this ridiculously drinkable. If I am not careful, I'll finish this before I get to episode 4 of House of Dragon.


So ... the verdict is that there really isn't a detectable difference. Maybe a slightly lighter body but thats about it.


Now ... on to House of the Dragon.



Sidenote: This one started to gush. So maybe age isn't as much a factor in that as thought.

 

Had both Ayinger and H-P on draft yesterday. They were both delicious, with H-P being the better in my opinion. While slightly less so than in bottles, I'm still getting this interesting (bordering on odd) bready (almost meaty, weird huh?) flavor in the Ayinger I don't get with the other amber Okto imports.

So far for the amber Oktoberfests on draft this is my rating, in order:

Spaten
H-P
Ayinger

Over here my local Wegmans has cases of Spaten Oktoberfest.

 

Too bad shipping is so outrageous these days.

Did you check the dates?

 

I picked up some singles from the same store last week, I believe it was bottled in May.

 

I was at my local Retail Beer Distributor and noticed they had two cases of Spaten Oktoberfest. Those beers had a best by date of 10.2022.

Prost!

 

That's what my local Wegmans had on their shelves this past July and early August.
The ones that I purchased at my local retail distributor in late August were dated 05/2023.

 

I think the 05/2023 is what I have too. Seems to be what they're shipping over here.

 

Much of the talk in this thread is for Festbiers/Märzens/Oktoberfests, and rightfully so, but the quintessential autumn beer for me is Great Lakes Nosferatu. Picked up a can last week and tastes to me as good as ever. Nice balance of roasted malt heft with an ample dash of hoppy bitterness. Not likely to dazzle anyone these days but to me it perfectly complements a cool autumn evening. Kudos to GL for continuing to brew/distribute this beer as it's not a style which seems to be currently en vogue.

 

To be painfully honest, I never really looked twice at this beer because I was trending away from high ABV styles when I first saw it... and all this time I actually thought it was an Imperial Stout.

 

Yeah, it's 8% so a bit on the higher side of the ABV spectrum. Certainly not something everyone will be interested in which I completely understand. I only picked up a single and may keep it at that, as tempting it may be otherwise. I forgot to mention it's a beautiful pour too!

 

Union Brewing in Baltimore does a red IPA for fall too, called foxy. I got it last year when I was down there for a wedding. Also a beautiful beer to pour, and look at as well.

Big props to them as well, heck they had a shwarzbier as a year round beer forever. Unfortunately, I just leaned from a friend that it is going seasonal…