We review Oktoberfest beers from the 2 largest American owned breweries

These are the last two beers we will be looking at for Oktoberfest. The candidates tonight come from the two largest solely American owned breweries, Boston Beer Company and Yuengling Brewery.


Samuel Adams Octoberfest is the baseline for American craft Oktoberfestbier. Others may have brewed it earlier, but Sam Adams made it popular. It is ubiquitous through out the United States this time of year. Go to your local supermarket or beer store and you should be able to find it on the shelves.  If an American beer drinker has drank a US craft brewed märzen or Oktoberfestbier then chances are pretty good it was Sam Adams. Let's take a closer look at this lager.

Samuel Adams Octoberfest poured a clear bronze color with a small, rapidly vanishing, tan head. Carbonation on this beer is about average. It is lighter than expected in the beginning of the drink but picks up some fullness in flavor on the saw the flavor comes out after. The roasted malt is noticeable upfront but it gives way to a toffee-like sweetness. The hop presence is relegated to the background but it does yeoman's work keeping everything on keel. It finishes with a mild roasted, bittersweet aftertaste that slowly fades away. It is well balanced but is lighter in alcohol than a traditional oktoberfestbier coming in at 5.3%ABV. Overall it is decent märzen-style beer. It is not overbearing or pushy, just a mild-mannered märzen that works well to introduce people to the style.

Here is the "party line" on Samuel Adams Octoberfest:

Brewed with five varieties of malted barley for a big, rich flavor. 

The first thing you notice when pouring a glass of this seasonal beer is the color. Samuel Adams® Octoberfest has a rich, deep reddish amber hue which itself is reflective of the season. Samuel Adams Octoberfest masterfully blends together five roasts of malt to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The malt is complimented by the elegant bitterness imparted by the Bavarian Noble hops. Samuel Adams Octoberfest provides a wonderful transition from the lighter beers of summer to the heartier brews of winter.

The final oktoberfestbier we are looking at tonight is by the oldest American brewery Yuengling. For Yuengling, brewing Oktoberfest has been a relatively new venture with it only readily available for the last two years outside of the brewery walls. This year in particular has seen there a much bigger push to get this on more shelves throughout the region.

It also poured a clear bronze color, though the head lasted longer, slowly dwindling down to small sheen across the top of the beer. The hop is more noticeable in this, leading on the drink and staying in the forefront all through the aftertaste. It strikes me as a beer that is out of balance. The other characteristics you would expect to find, the roasted malt, the caramel/ toffee taste are secondary or even tertiary actors in this beer. They don't really get a chance to shine until briefly showing up in the aftertaste but even then the scene is stolen by the hop who lingers around an otherwise clean finish. That said, don't mistake this for a hoppy beer because it is not. The hop just happens to be the most dominate feature in a relatively mild concoction. You can tell this beer is a Yuengling. They, like Sierra Nevada, have always had a certain quality that carries through all their brews, the Oktoberfest is no exception.  My take is this is a beer that needs to be tweaked a bit to find some balance in its flavors. It has potential but it is not there yet. If you are a Yuengling fan though, odds are you will probably enjoy this as it is. It comes in at a below average (for a märzen) 5.4% ABV.

Surprisingly there is no "party line" on Yuengling Oktoberfest.

Oktoberfest at Der Rheinlander

Lovely Portland, already turning cloudy.

Thanks to PDX Pipeline I won a pair of tickets to Oktoberfest at the Rheinlander in Portland, Oregon. Growing up in Wisconsin, where Polka is the state dance, and having 80% German in my blood, Oktoberfest is as common to me as Thanksgiving or Christmas. While Oktoberfest celebrates all things beer, I've come to find it a time to celebrate the end of summer, and enjoy the Autumn harvest. Eating, drinking, and dancing the polka is an added bonus.

The Rheinlander did not disappoint when it came to any of the above mentioned qualities this festival has become known for. On tap was two beers from Spaten, and one from Hofbrau. All three were filled with full bodied textures and hints of sweetness in the their finish.

To wash your beer down, they had a full menu of sausages, pretzels (with Swiss cheese fondue), German potato salad, and schnitzel. While slightly expensive (what can one expect, it's Oktoberfest, right?), the food was both high quality and delicious.

What Oktoberfest would be complete without games and music? My friend, Sarah, participated in the litre stein challenge - hold your mug at arms length without bending or moving it. While she put up a valiant effort (and was the last girl standing), the dudes prevailed in this contest.

Lastly, we have the band, Poloma, who are from Chicago.  They kept the crowd entertained with traditional music (Roll out the Barrel, Happy Wanderer, etc.), keeping us on our toes with ziggy zaggy chants, toasts, and song lists for us to sing along with them.

While Der Rheinlander is different than the huge Oaks Park Oktoberfest (which has several tents with bands, wiener dog races, and vendors selling wares), it's intimate setting, entertaining band, and tasty food has won me over. I'd also like to note that proceeds to the Rheinlander's cover charge benefited the Northwest Down Syndrome Association.

Not able to make your own Oktoberfest? My suggestion is to buy a six pack of Widmer Brothers Okto add some polka, eat a sausage, and you will have a taste of the full Oktoberfest experience.

Prost!



Questions? Comments? Please write below, or contact the author at: sjames@beerfellows.com 

Oktoberfest beer from a regional perspective - Virginia & Maryland

We have looked at the benchmark German style Oktoberfests, we looked at a local, and now we are going to take a closer look at a few regional Oktoberfests. Regional in this case means Virginia and Maryland. 

Legend Brewery, out of Richmond, is a Virginia institution, brewing beer since 1994. Drink enough beer in Virginia and sooner rather than later you will have a Legend.

Legend Oktoberfest poured a clear, bronze color, with minimal head. On the drink it had a very pleasant hop and rich slight sweet toffee taste mixed together. Carbonation is a bit above average. It is lighter on the palette than expected, but interesting to note, the aftertaste is reminiscent of a much heavy beer. On the finish it leaves a cloying bittersweet taste in the mouth. I felt I needed to spit after a few drinks. For me this beer is an easy, well-balanced Oktoberfest to drink, but it requires food to clean out your mouth afterwards. This beer is not a solo companion, it needs some wurst and pretzels, otherwise you may find it sticks around too long afterwards. It comes in at a slightly low, for an Oktoberfest, 5.4% ABV.

Here is the "party line" on Legend Oktoberfest:

Legend Oktoberfest is a celebration of malt harmony! This copper hued lager is brewed on a base of Vienna malt and owes its rich flavor profile to generous helpings of Munich and Caramel varieties. This beer is on the sweet side of balance, but the soft complex maltiness is countered by a touch of German Spalt hop bitterness for a clean finish. Legend “Fest” complements hearty cool weather food like stews, sausage dishes, and smoked meats.

DuClaw Brewing started in 1996 and has established itself throughout the eastern Maryland region. They brew a diverse array of brew and are well received. Similar to Legend, you can't drink Maryland craft beer without having a DuClaw sooner or later.

DuClaw's Mad Bishop poured a clear amber color, with minimal head. It lacks the toffee, caramel notes of other marzens, replacing them with a hoppy, roasted maltiness. The hop flavor flowed through the drink and into the aftertaste eventually giving way to a light residual barley flatness in the mouth. It is bittersweet but not overwhelming, a smooth crisp drinker overall. It is a decent beer but a bit too grainy. If that is something you enjoy out of your beer then this is marzen will be right down your alley. It comes in at 5.8% ABV.

Here is the "party line" on DuClaw Mad Bishop:

So begins the SERMON

Haunting the congregation with its distinct copper color and rich toasted malt flavor, this true German-style Octoberfest lager is smooth in body and uses German hops in the brewing process to balance out the distinctive, toasted malt sweetness. The clean smoothness is created by the long conditioning (lagering) process of 8 weeks, which is something they don’t talk about in Sunday school.

Beer Links for Oktoberfest!

Beer and pretzels, two things that
are even better together!
(Original found here.)

Oktoberfest is in full swing and Autumn is here. The next two months are my favorites in the year. Let’s take a look at a few headlines.

In the News!

Photos: Oktoberfest – world’s biggest beer festival going strong (Denver Post)

Has Oktoberfest Become A Tourist Trap (Photos) (Huffington Post)
Over 6 million people on 64 acres at tourist prices? I think the safe answer is yes, it's a tourist trap. I still want to go.

Raise a glass (or beer mug) to the Oktoberfest tradition (NBC News)
Can’t make it to the big one? Here are some American alternatives.

Oktoberfest Alternatives: German Beer Destinations Beyond Munich (Conde Nast Traveler)
Want to get away from the big one? Here are some other Deutsch alternatives!

Daughter won’t get beer, so man calls 911 (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Oh stupid beer crime, I do miss you.

10 Most Expensive NFL Stadium Beers (The Street)
Drink before you go in the stadium...it will save you money.

Drunkenomics 101: Playing a Beer Market (Wired)
Not much in the way of beer, but it could make for an entertaining evening.

When it Comes to Beer, Variety Rules in USA (Voice of America)
This right here is why America is currently the best beer country in the world. Not only are we brewing more styles, we are even bringing them back from the dead.

Crooked Stave Barrel Cellar ordered to stop selling draft beer (Westword.com)
I'll be a bit put out if I can't get a few bottles for some reason when I go to Denver in a few weeks.

New Beer Bar Makes Stolovayas Trendy Again (The Moscow Times)
I just want to know what beer they have!

National Drink Beer Day: Cheers to free (and reduced) beer across America (Video) (examiner.com)
I don't need an excuse to drink beer but if one is available then why not use it!

Budweiser Will Launch 3 Limited Edition ‘Zip Code’ Beers Next Month (Business Insider)
I think this will be the perfect opportunity for a big ol' beer roundtable with the JGF crew.

In Site News!

Oktoberfest month drives on so we will have some more Oktoberfest reviews and commentary coming your way so stay tuned. 

Thanks for stopping by!

American Craft Oktoberfestbier doubleheader!

Last time we took a look at the current reality of "true" Oktoberfestbier and the "legend" of Oktoberfestbier. It is the legend that has heavily influence the American craft scene in regards to their views of märzen. Let's dive into a few examples to see the interpretation. 

Left Hand Brewing Oktoberfest

Brewed by Left Hand Brewing out of Longmont, Colorado, their Oktoberfest poured a clear, dark, amber color with minimal head. It has fair carbonation and on the drink it is hoppy and bitter with little of the toffee malt flavor you would expect. In fact on the first taste I was slightly taken aback on how bitter this actually was. The bitterness yields as you continue to drink but it never fully backs down, staying ever present even through the aftertaste. The toffee flavors and a slight sweetness start to emerge from the background as the beer warms but they aren't able to balance the märzen as they should. This is a beer out of balance with too much bitterness overriding everything else. If you prefer a bitter tasting beer then this is worth checking out. Overall I'm glad I tried this but it is doubtful I will come back to it. Left Hand Oktoberfest comes in at 6.6% ABV.

Here is the "party line" from Left Hand Brewing:

"This is no festivus for the restuvus - on the contrary - we start brewing in the Spring and it takes a full two months to reach lagered perfection.Biscuity, malty goodness dominates upfront while the noble pedigree hops lend a properly spicy, dry finish. Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi. Time to roast your chicken and upend your stein before the air gets crisp, the leaves flame and fall and the skies fade to black. Auf geht's!"

Stegmaier Oktoberfest

Brewed by the Lion Brewery out of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Stegmaier Oktoberfest poured a clear, golden amber color with a small white head that slowly collapsed into a film across the top of the beer. On the drink this beer reveals that it is slim, with little body. It is light in ways that a märzen shouldn't be. All the characteristics are present, the hoppiness, the toffee flavors, the sweetness, but it seems they have been diluted and aren't as pronounced as you would expect them to be. It finishes very quickly, with little aftertaste. Long story short this is a gateway beer for märzen style brews, as an entry point for novices this will work well, but more experienced beer drinkers this will quickly pass by. It comes in at a surprising well masked 6% ABV.

Here is the "party line" on Stegmaier Oktoberfest:

"In recognition of our German heritage, we proudly present you with our Stegmaier Oktoberfest Beer. Traditionally known as Marzen, it boasts a brilliant reddish-brown color and full-body for the true beer drinker. In Using a blend of Munich, Vienna, and Aromatic malts, Stegmaier Oktoberfest possesses a light-toasted character with a touch of sweetness. The addition of German hops adds a perfect balance of flavor, which is sure to be enjoyed by the most sophisticated palate. We hope you enjoy. Prost!"

We kick off Oktoberfest month; a dose of reality and a taste of a legend

September has arrived and with it the greatest beer festival in the world. I speak of course of Oktoberfest. For sixteen wonderful fall days, people will drink, eat, and be merry. So in celebration of that we are taking September to take a closer look at not only the festival, but also the beer that named after it. To start off we are going to take a look at two German brews, one that reflects the reality of today and one that informs the legend. 

First we will look at the reality. Staatliches Hofbräu-München has been brewing beer for the Bavarian state for a long time. They are one of the select breweries allowed to produce for the Oktoberfest and label their beer accordingly. The irony is our first beer doesn't look anything like what you would expect an Oktoberfestbier to look like. So what gives? When you look at the parameters that define Oktoberfestbier this beer actually is. It is brewed according to the Reinheitsgebot, around high 5, low 6 percent alcohol, and the brewery is within the city limits of Munich. That's it. That is all it takes for a beer to be an Oktoberfestbier. Turns out Oktoberfestbier is a bit of a misnomer. For over 200 years the beers served have varied from dunkel, to bock, to märzen, and since 1990 all beers brewed and served at Oktoberfest have been golden colored helles brews. The festival has evolved with the times and so has the beer. Basically, Oktoberfestbier is dictated by whatever the popular taste is at the time. We will get more into this craziness later in the month but for now lets dive into the beer.

Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier is one of the beers you will find in the tents at Oktoberfest. It is a Helles style beer, but due to the rules it is an Oktoberfestbier. This is the current reality. The beer poured a clear dark golden color, with a small white head. It has a pleasant malty aroma. The hops are up front giving way to a smooth, malty, slightly sweet taste. It finishes bitter but the aftertaste vanishes quickly. It is a very drinkable beer with a nice body on it. Make no mistake, this is a festival lager, a beer to carry you throughout the day, while you eat some sausages, enjoy a pretzel and generally have a good time. It is an average brew that is an easy drinker. It comes in at a sneaky 6.3% ABV.

Here is the "party line" on Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier:

The Munich Beer Festival, or Oktoberfest, is an event of superlatives - it's the largest popular festival in the world, staging in the beer metropolis of Munich. Millions of visitors from all over the world flock along every year to enjoy its very special atmosphere.
For this occasion, Hofbräu brews a rich, full-bodied beer which goes down ideally with traditional Bavarian cuisine. With its deliciously bitter taste and alcoholic content of 6.3% volume, Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier is as special as the Beer Festival itself.

Now for the legend. Our other candidate is Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen. This beer is about as authentic an old world, old school Oktoberfestbier as you will find. As mentioned above, you are 22 years to late to find this in the Oktoberfest tents. For American craft brewers this is the style (maybe even the actual beer) that has informed their Oktoberfestbiers to this day.

It poured a rich, clear, amber color with a light tan head that shrank down to a thin layer across the top of the beer. On the drink you get a pleasantly malty, hoppy mix. It has some sweetness to it, and a nice rounded body with decent carbonation. It coats the mouth and on the aftertaste you get a mild bittersweet roasty and toffee nut flavor that sticks around for several minutes. This too is a sausage beer, but it clamors for some rye bread and spicy brown mustard also. As you keep drinking this beer reveals itself as a very smooth and easy drinker. This is a well crafted beer and worth tracking down. It comes in at 5.8% ABV.

Here is the "party line" on Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen:

The Oktoberfest, the world’s greatest folk festival, attracts millions of visitors every year and of course, there’s a special beer here too. But, whether it’s in a bottle or in a Wiesn beer mug, the Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen is available the whole year round. Its clear amber colour, malty taste, with hints of toffee, and its zesty bitterness will instantly turn your own four walls into an Oktoberfest tent.

Over the course of the next month we'll take a closer look at Oktoberfest itself, but beer-wise we will be focusing our efforts on how the American craft brew scene has defined Oktoberfestbier and continues to stretch the boundaries of it.