Fall Beer Sightings (2023)

That might have been the first one that I saw show up last year so I'll be alert to see if its the first one that shows up this month.

 

There's a store near me in southern Vermont that must have bought all of the Pumking that their distributor had last year, because they've been blowing it out at $3 a 4 pack since January. There's still a lot left.

 

Dammitt, man - I just picked up my 12 pack of SN summerfest a couple weeks ago. Can a brotha get through that first before we start talking about Marzens and Weisn's and such (I love them, just not before Labor day at the earliest!)

 

I have seen (and purchased) this year's Hofbrau's Oktoberfestbier (date code ending in W) and Paulaner's Oktoberfest Marzen. That was on July 01. The distributor (I am in PA) just got these in. I got the 1st 6er out of the respective box for each. And a minikeg of the Hofbrau for the Holiday weekend.

I didn't ask if any full sized kegs arrived.

 

Woo-Hoo! Congrats on finding Spaten, Steve!

 

Here is a link BA's German Date Codes Thread (assuming that I inserted it correctly):

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/date-codes-for-imported-usa-german-beer.658248/


Is the Tucher listed in that thread?
What is the code that you see?

 

Christ, summer just started on July 5 here. How about giving us a chance to enjoy what's here before shoving the next thing at us?

 

Some "new" Spaten came in that appears to have been bottled in late fall from last year but that's been about it near me.

We've been baking alive in 97°+ temps since mid-June and will be for the next 3 months in Texas so "Oktoberfest season" is functionally the exact same as early July to me at this point.

 

See post #14 above -- probably the same October batch my local got.

Did you see Spaten last year?

 

https://www.beeradvocate.com/commun...ed-usa-german-beer.658248/page-5#post-7740489

Poster is mixing his numbers a little, but you can translate what he's saying.

 

Yeah, a bit confusing there with the example, as you say. It seems to be L YDDDTT (Y= Last Digit of Year, DDD = Julian Day value and TT = Tank Number which can likely be ignored unless someone has a fave tank @ Tucher )

 

We did but it arrived well after some of the other imports (Ayinger/Hofbrau/Hacker-Pschorr). Kind of surprised to see it this early.

 

Something wasn't quite right with import and distro last year -- I think the importer is trying to make up for losing out.

My local distro received his allotment in mid or late October last year and refused delivery. He knew it was too late to be able to sell in this area. I wish he'd given it a chance.

 

We'll be seeing 3 Sheeps, Central Waters, Good City, and the Weihenstephaner Festbier next week in NW Wisconsin. I think I'll be getting my first Leinie's delivery on the 18th.

 

For many years Leinie's was always the first Okto I ever saw at local retailers, but that seemed to stop during the pandemic.

I'll keep my eyes open this year.

 

FWIW all -- the Spaten Okto is drinking as good as ever.

Sorry. At least the heat and humidity have dropped around here. For now.

 

I saw a half pallet of it in a Wegman's in northern Virginia about 6 weeks ago. I just figured it was last year's since it was so early so I didn't check the date. Maybe it was the delivery that your store refused.

 

How 'fresh' is the Spaten you are drinking? I've said it before and I'll say it again - MAJOR disservice to that beer having it placed in green bottles. Either switch to brown bottles (a la Hofbrau) or place it in cans!

 

Went to Total Wine last night and they had a bunch of last years Oktos on the shelf! What a disgrace - at least mark it down by 50%