Midwest Oktoberfest Beers (2022)

Solid as always. Although my favorite so far this year in St Paul as been Bad Weather's Festbier. Can't go wrong with either!

 

Good to know, but kegs from the smaller breweries are nearly impossible to come by.

Summit was number 4 on my list, the first three were too tough to locate.
Although, I am very happy to hear the positive feedback on Summit!

Thanks/cheers

 

Goldfinger Festbier

This bread has a slight toast on it, and oh so smooth. Getting some to enjoy at the hovel as well.

 

I had to follow that up with the traditionally brewed Märzen.

"...brewed according to the old tradition of extended lagering (cold conditioning). We brewed this beer in March and lagered it for six months. The result: a wonderful expression of malt complexity derived from our double decoction that presents the tongue with an initial caramel and bready sweetness, followed by a balanced herbal and floral hop character to help dry the palate."

Spot on description. It is definitely sweeter than the Festbier, but in no way a sweet beer, or a sweet flavor, frankly. Just a balanced sandwich in a glass.

 

Chicago city folks...Goldfinger Oktoberfest Marzen on draft at the Hopleaf!

 

I've been doing Keto for the last month or so so I haven't revisited it but it is on my short list for beers to drink when I end this in a couple of weeks. I've been drinking that beer for many, many years and I always thought it was good but often boozy, rich and sweet. This year's seems to be the best version I can remember. Now, you're not going to confuse it for a German Okto but for an American style one it is good. I woudn't hesitate to buy a keg if the people drinking enjoy that kind of beer. I had maybe a dozen or so different Oktoberfests before I started this Keto and really that is the only one I really enjoyed that wasn't from Germany this year.

 

Haven't had that but that doesn't surprise me. Bad Weather is highly underrated as a lager brewer.

 

Thanks for your take on the Oktoberfest!
I upgraded to a 2 pour tower on my kegerator, so I’m going w/ the Summit Okto & Surly Helles to start.

I’ll grab a Venture pils barrel if we run out of Helles during the upcoming hunting season at the cabin.

Thanks again/cheers!

 

Man there are a lot of good beers around here. Talk about spoiled.


I hate to say it, but Dovetail Festbier, while clean and tasty, something I can't quite identify keeps me from liking it as much as yesterday's yesterday's Goldfinger, or the German Hacker Pschorr and Spaten I had on draft. It is not fair, I understand. I always prefer draft beer over bottles, then cans last, so those others are not a real prost-to-prost comparison. I just can't get them out of my head.

That said, this can is suddenly empty.

 

What were everyone's favorites of the season?

Hofbraühaus was better than I remembered it, and was my top pick this year. Best ones new-to-me were Tyranena, Civil Life, and Shared. Goldfinger and Bitburger were the ones that got away.

Here's my final tally, including 30 new/unique Märzen and Festbier ratings out of 3 dozen+ sampled.

Top 5 includes previously-rated favorites sampled this season. My love of Festbier is pretty clear from the top 5.

Top 5 of 2022:
4.30 Hofbraühaus Oktoberfestbier
4.30 Weihenstephaner Festbier
4.28 Tyranena Town & Country Festbier
4.28 Dovetail Festbier (Märzen/Festbier hybrid)
4.25 Roaring Table Festbier

Märzens
4.23 Märzen - Roaring Table Brewing Company
4.18 Oktoberfest - The Civil Life Brewing Company
4.04 Take Me To Your Liter - Hailstorm Brewing Co.
4.02 Oktoberfest - 2nd Shift Brewing
4.02 Oktoberfest - Märzen - Kinslahger Brewing Company
3.94 Pucktoberfest - Light The Lamp Brewery
3.91 Chugtoberfest - Marz Community Brewing
3.86 Oktoberfest - Ravinia Brewing Company
3.85 Oktoberfest - 3 Sheeps Brewing
3.83 P3 Oktoberfest - Phase Three Brewing
3.79 Art History - Oktoberfest
3.78 Oktoberfest - Temperance Beer Co.
3.77 Oktoberfest - Toppling Goliath Brewing Company
3.75 Fest - Une Année
3.66 Fest Bier - 4 Hands Brewing Co.
3.49 1810 - Arrowhead Ales Brewing Company

Festbiers
4.28 Lake Mills Town & Country Festbier - Tyranena Brewing Company
4.18 Ludwig - Shared Brewing
4.09 Oktoberfest Festbier - Pipeworks Brewing Company
4.07 Festbier - Fair State Brewing Cooperative
4.02 Warsteiner Premium Oktoberfest - Warsteiner Brauerei
4.02 Oktoberfest - Analytical Brewing
4.01 Oktoberfest Beer - Miskatonic Brewing Company
4.00 Oktoberfarce - Black Horizon Brewing Company
3.99 Festbier - Noon Whistle Brewing
3.96 Festbier - Kinslahger Brewing Company
3.62 RoboFest - Lion Bridge Brewing Company
3.37 Tucher Festbier - Brauerei Tucher Brau
3.18 Fezzbier - Duneyrr Artisan Fermenta Project
2.93 Oktoberfest - Ten Ninety Brewing Company

Thanks to BA for the sort-by-style option.

 

Well done! And thanks for sharing your results. Was the Tyranena only available at the brewery on draft? I don't see many of their beers around area shelves these days but not sure this was even packaged.

 

I totally agree. However, one has to keep in mind that Hacker Pschorr and Spaten are Märzens, while Dovetail is a Festbier. Two different styles, so one has to judge them separately. If you're like me and you like a beer that's more malt-forward, you'll gravitate towards the Märzens.

Yes, it is quite easy to suddenly find your can of Dovetail Festbier empty.

 

Thanks! It made it to a few festivals, I tried it at the Great Taste. Here's hoping they package it next year, but i'm guessing it will be WI only.

 

Dovetail Festbier is a hybrid of Märzen and Festbier styles, according to brewer Hagen Dost. I think the confusion comes from the name, and expectations of a lighter Festbier. It doesn't really fit neatly into either category. This article goes fairly in depth about it.