2019 Oktoberfests

Has anyone seen the Von Trapp Ofest in CT (Specifically central CT)?? I haven't.

 

Considering many have shown some love for Zero Gravity's Oktoberfest, I heard yesterday that they didn't send many cases to MA.

So if you see it, buy some!

 

If you are so fortunate, try our Loophole Brewing Festbier, in the Munich Festbier style. Available draft only at a few events and bars. We'll be pouring it at the Student Prince Octoberfest in Springfield October 4/5

 

I got it from total wine in West Hartford a couple weeks ago.

 

I got married this past weekend and we went on a honeymoon around Northern NE (we're both Massholes born & raised, we met in Boston back in '08. The wedding was in MA....we only moved to NJ recently so it absolutely made sense to re-discover the NE roots)

Anyway, we were doing the whole tourist leaf-peeping thing...you know, those folks we all love to hate. Visitng restaurants, breweries, bars, hiking and doing a little bird watching. It was great. We drove through Littleton, NH and I just stumbled upon Schilling. What a gorgeous brewery they have up there, overlooking the river. Probably in the top 5 most beautiful breweries I've ever been to. They told me Konstantin (marzen) isn't going to see distro, so I grabbed a pack. Curious to see how it tastes.

 

A few places do have it in MA, Fort Point Market being one of them.
Def not wide distro though.

 

Bartender lied/was misinformed, then. Oh well. Still glad I picked it up, really great märzen!

 

I think Ball Square has it, and maybe Redstone too.

 

What style category would you put it in?

Amber Oktoberfest or Vienna?

 

I picked up a pack at Ball Sq. The can says "Austrian-Style Marzen". I'm not sure what "Austrian-Style" means but it definitely on the amber end of the spectrum. Dry with a distinct toastiness.

It looked like Ball Sq had fresh packs of Schilling's Alexandr 10 also. Cheers!

 

Just had Andechs Oktoberfest on tap at the grange in Providence. So good I got two. It's pale and clocks in at 4.7%.

 

Schilling Austrian style marzen Konstantin
Solid and less malty than I was expecting, zero gravity still #1 on my list this season

 

There was discussion about this style in a separate thread.

It’s the best selling style in Vienna.

Essentially an “Austrian Style Marzen” is an amber Oktoberfest but lower alcohol, ~5% as opposed to 6.

Same style as the number 1 rated Oktoberfest on this site, Augustiner’s Marzen (the Austrian Augustiner, not the Munich one.

Unless there’s a beer I’ve never heard of fr them, sounds like you had their Spezial Hell, which is 5.8%.

Their Vollbier Hell is 4.8, but it doesn’t sound like it was that one.

 

Hmm. It appears you're correct based on the untappd check ins at the grange, but I coulda sworn it said Oktoberfest and 4.7%. I even double checked the menu when we were leaving.

Regardless, it was quite nice.

 

Shout out to Schilling for an awesome Oktoberfest weekend. Friday’s Bottles and Bluegrass was well run with a ton of interesting options. Hiked Saturday so missed a lot of the guest taps by the time I made it over, but did get some Fox Farm and River Roost. Highlight of the night was the Schilling-Almanac Festbier collab. Super smooth and very tasty. Sad I only got one pour. Can’t wait until next year!

 

Really enjoyed Lamplighter’s Marzen yesterday at the brewery.

 

Yup it’s a solid beer.

According to their website they don’t brew an official Oktoberfest (they technically can’t label a beer as such either not being within the Munich city limits).

But you’ll see their Spezial Hell on tap in the fall during Oktoberfest season here in MA.

Not sure if Andechs brews that year round or not since it’s just their Export strength Helles.

They have all these beers on tap through October (or until they kick I think).

 

Finally made it to Magoun's yesterday for some football and Festbiers.

Hoffbrau was surprisingly my favorite this year - just tasted really fresher than the others. Others sampled in order, ranked: Weihenstephaner, Warzburger, and Ayinger (WtF has happened to this beer?).

Need to go back soon to catch the ones I missed. Felt good to have a nice Masskrug in hand (not all of them, just the W'phaner)