Best 2017 Oktoberfest, So Far

I thought Dark Horse had a great O'fest this year...dark and malty and did I taste a little cocoa in there? I know,I know WTH is cocoa doing in an O'fest?

 

My top three have been Hofbrau, Paulaner Wiesn, and SN. Unsurprisingly, the Germans do it best.

 

Fresh stock of Maibock? I don't think their Maibock is year-round, pretty sure it's their spring seasonal.

 

Funky Buddha Octoberfest Marzen, followed by Khoffner Helles Bock (Octoberfest only ok.) Local German-American club has their Octoberfest this weekend, will hit that on Saturday.

 

Was about to post the same thing. Anything "fresh" from HB these days should be in brown bottles.

 

I just got back from five nights at the Fest--they call it Weisn over there. Here is my ranking of the beers from the six Munich breweries from best to least desirable.

1). Augustiner
2). Hacker Pschor
3). Spaten
4). HB
5). Paulaner
6). Lowenbrau

 

They call Weizen Weiße, but they call the pale Festbier Wies'n (apostrophe seems optional) -- it's named for the Theresienwiese fest grounds.

 

Thanks for the tip. Another shifty /shady distributor move then. I go to this store every week and saw the maibock just stack up a few sixers deep this week and it was new to the floor. I'll let it sit.

 

I'm sure the distro will be quick to point out that the Maibock has a shelf-life of 365 days, but he'll probably stop listening and his eyes will glaze over when you start talking about skunkiness from the green bottles and oxidation from age.

Then again, if they have a good sale, it might be worth grabbing a six-pack to see how it tastes. I've seen the Maibock on shelves around here too, but they're from the initial drop back in the Spring and the price hasn't been reduced at all.

 

Loved Red Cypress Fest Bier. Coppertail Oktoberfest was good, Central 28 Hulabloo was fantastic. Duck Rabbit Märzen was solid. However, Two Brothers Atom Smasher was by far my favorite.

 

Left Hand

 

Barrier's Mars Zen is a great local NY area Oktoberfest. Its a dark amber like a lot of American versions but it drinks much much closer to the lighter German festbiers. Picked up a growler last week and searching for any remnants around town. @zid

 

I found some of the 2017 HB Oktoberfestbier on sale this week, so I'm editing my assessment of the Wies'n I've tried this year:
German Wies'n Fest:
1. Weihenstephaner
2. Paulaner
3. Hofbräu

There's something very nice about the Paulaner Wies'n malt and dryness that bumps it above the HB for me. The Weihenstephaner holds the No. 1 slot because it's so perfectly German malty and smooth.

That said, I wouldn't turn down any of them if offered.

 

Does this thread end midnight October 31st?

 

Oktoberfest end on Oct. 3 this year, a Tuesday.

 

Understood -- but that doesn't guide the purchase and consumption here in the U.S. Many retailers have told me that they see big sales of Okto beers through October, then it all comes to a halt in November. Thus my comment about the "thread."

FWIW -- Goose Island Winter is already on shelves around here, and it's 70° and the cicadas are still singing!

 

It's Ayinger every year, dog. Champ fa evah.

 

I was more getting at it ending on a Tuesday rather than the traditional first Sunday. Oct 3 is Reunification day, a national holiday, so most everyone is off work, and the Monday is taken as a bridge day by many. Two more days to make money.

 

It's all about the profit isn't it?

 

Show me a long running beer event that runs at a loss.