I know…I’m late for an Oktoberfest post, but I still wanted to share with you some great brews you can enjoy during and beyond the season. Ahhh, Oktoberfest. You know how it goes down-- 16 days beginning in late September where all your friends try to convince you to roll out to an overcrowded beer festival where most people end up getting too wasted. Hey, I’m not knocking anyone, as long as they're responsible enough to have a designated driver to get them back home in one piece. Because I’m not a big fan of crowds, and surprisingly a lightweight, I tend to stay away from big fests and turn my attention to drinking at home or with a close group of friends.
First off, I have to be straight-- I’m not a big fan of Märzen beers, the style most closely associated with Oktoberfest. They tend to be a little too malty and sweet for my taste, although there are a couple of good ones I enjoy that are a little more balanced.
Some quick info on Oktoberfest: brewers in Germany would brew their beer beginning in March (Märzen) and let it ferment slowly until late September. People would then excitingly tap into these batches from roughly the third week of September through the first weekend of October to celebrate at the Wiesn--- the original Oktoberfest celebration at Theresienwiese in Munich, which started in 1810.
I went ahead and compiled a list of my top 12 German beers you can easily get at any major beer retailer or your better local liquor stores. I went a little wider than just Märzen-style beers for a more well rounded overview of some great German brews. Most of these you can find year round, and for not that much money. I may have missed some of your favs, so feel free to comment with your picks. Salud!
Here are my pick (in no particular order):
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Brewed by: Brauerei Aying
Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 6.7%
Taste: Dried fruit, toffee, brown sugar
Weihenstephaner Vitus
Brewed by: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Style: Weizen Bock
ABV: 7.7%
Taste: Banana, spice, caramel
Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier
Brewed by: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Style: German Hefeweizen
ABV: 5.4%
Taste: Wheat, yeasty, slight bubblegum
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen
Brewed by: Brauerei Heller
Style: Smoked Beer
ABV: 5.1%
Taste: Malty, smokey, woody
Warsteiner Verum
Brewed by: Warsteiner Brauerei
Style: Pilsener
ABV: 4.8%
Taste: Clean, crisp, malty, refreshing, classic Pilsener
Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse
Brewed by: Spaten-Franziskaner-Brau (InBev)
Style: German Hefeweizen
ABV: 5.0%
Taste: Banana, cloves, bubblegum
Paulaner Salvator
Brewed by: Paulaner Brauerei (Schorghuber)
Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 7.9%
Taste: Hearty, matly, filling...no wonder the Paulaner monks used this brew as a replacement for food during Lent.
Paulaner Oktoberfest
Brewed by: Paulaner Brauerei (Schorghuber)
Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
ABV: 6.0%
Taste: Dark malt, sweet
Köstritzer Schwarzbier
Brewed by: Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei (Bitburger)
Style: Schwarzbier (black beer)
ABV: 4.8%
Taste: Coffee, dark chocolate, roasted malt
Bitburger
Brewed by: Bitburger
Style: Classic Pilsener
ABV: 4.8%
Taste: Refreshing, crips, hoppy, clean (I think it tastes better from a can)
Spaten Oktoberfest
Brewed by: Spaten-Franziskaner-Brau (InBev)
Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
ABV: 5.9%
Taste: Roasted malt, slightly hoppy
Sam Adams OctoberFest
Brewed by: Boston Beer Company, Boston
Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
ABV: 5.3%
Taste: Roasted malt, caramel, slight toffee
