Fall Beer Sightings (2022)

We definitely had a dropoff somewhere after early fall 2021 as most of the bottles still kicking around bottle shops/stores were best by 08.22 or before. I'm assuming it was an issue with Ben E. Keith since they distribute it here but they never got back to me when I inquired so who knows.

 

Related to this statement, over the years I have sent numerous e-mails to my local wholesale distributors asking questions about beer brand availability and not once have they responded to me. I suppose since I am an end customer and not one of their customers (i.e., a retailer) I am not deserving of a reply? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cheers!

 

I'm certain someone will correct me if I'm remembering wrong, but back when I first researched fest beers I thought it interesting that the Marzens were traditionally brewed in March for mid September (AKA: Octoberfest) consumption. So isn't it reasonable to think that unless the marzen is 5 months old it's not "ready"?

 

Originally, Märzen was brewed in march -- in great quantity -- to drink throughout the summer into fall, when brewing could begin again.

Spaten first brewed the Amber Märzen they sell now and since they didn't do anything with it until fall (didn't need to, and it was experimental at the time), they referred to it as a "true" (Ur) Märzen. This is where the whole misconception of Märzen being laid down over the summer months started -- in my theory.

After all... who wouldn't want beer in the summer?

 

Most of the Märzen I usually see from Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr every season (we don't see it year-round here) is bottled in April or May -- so I have to wonder if your batch isn't part of the year-round availability beer.

 

If you are interested in the complete history of Oktoberfest beers (Dunkel -> Amber Oktoberfest (or Märzen) -> Pale Oktoberfest (or Festbier) I would recommend you read:

https://www.morebeer.com/articles/Oktoberfest_Beer

In Germany they would stop brewing beer by the feast of St. George (April 23rd) by edict and then beers brewed prior to that date would be lagered in cellars/caves and consumed over the summer months into September. And then brewing would resume on St. Michael’s Day (September 29th) by edict.

While the above presents some historical context, once artificial refrigeration was invented (latter 1800’s) then breweries would not longer be restricted by the seasons and brewing year-round was possible.

Cheers!

 

I have not seen any in Casper.

 

I think that was where I got some of my information, but a refresher course is often a good thing; thanks for the posting!

 

Saw Masthead (Cleveland) Octoberfest today at local beer store.....owner said he will be getting a shit ton more / others in next week.....wheee!

 

Schlafly pumpkin ale… it’s gonna be 95 degrees tomorrow!

 

I wonder if Spaten brews their Ur-Märzen year-round. My local Wegmans has had it on their shelves for a while. The bottles are dated August, 2022. Or maybe September. The ones that I purchased las fall were dated May, 2022.

 

I normally don't start looking before August. I will get serious about it around the time that my local distributor gets in their annual shipment (I think a pallet) of Ayinger's Oktoberfest-Märzen.

 

I just checked Founders site and saw this:

"Ultimate Oktoberfest is here! 10% ABV."

Looks like your wish has been granted.

At 10% ABV that beer has to be either super malty or super sweet. And, as you mention, nothing like a traditional Oktoberfest. They _could_ balance it out with more hops. But then we end up with something more akin to an Imperial Maibock perhaps.

Regardless, I will pick up one or 2 to try. Just to see how it turned out.

 

I am with you regarding Penn. Including not liking that chocolate nut-roll whatever beer. I remember a Weizenbock that they used to make that I really enjoyed. Oooo... it looks like they still brew it! But it's in those bomber bottles. Darn. That's a bit too big for an 8.5% Weissbier.

I have had their Märzen but it was a long time ago (15+ years). At the time I thought that it was similar to their Oktoberfest; I had a hard time telling the difference. I believe that Penn has since changed their Oktoberfest to be more akin to a Festbier.

 

There was one US brewery that I thought made an Okto that could compete with the imports - One Guy Brewing/Berwick Brewing. At least that was the case when Guy was the brewer there (he was a pretty dad-gummed good brewer who loved German beer styles). Unfortunately he hasn't been with that operation for a number of years.

 

So far I’ve gotten warsteiner bb 03/10/23 and hofbrau L110V bottled 4/20/22. I did also see paulaner marzen bb 6/22 and spaten best by 10/22 I passed on those two.

 

I stopped at a couple local places by me and there wasn't a single fall beer in sight. The summer brews are there in full effect and with this heat wave in the NE, Goose Island's 312 is very welcomed!

 

Great -- HB Fest on the east coast. Means I'll see it around November.

 

....if at all. Did you ever get HB Maibock? I didn't, but I gave up when my local brewery released their maibock.

 

Was it a Festbier or an Amber Märzen?

We have a couple local breweries making great Festbier -- one even made an outstanding Vienna this summer, so I'm hoping they may be inching toward a Märzen.