It's that time of year again. Oktoberfest means seasonal brews, and if you know me, you know I'm a sucker for seasonal beers. I like trying new flavors, new takes on my favorite food.
Oktoberfest is no exception, certainly. But I've noticed something. All Oktoberfest beers pretty much taste the same, they only vary in the degree of how good they are.
This thought scares me.
After all, that's what non-beer drinkers say about any beer, and what clueless food critics and beer drinkers say to justify why they drink crap. So, I recognize the possible ignorance of my statement.
In general, an Oktoberfest brew is a lager that is designed to be full-bodied and easy to consume in quantity. It's a traditional (in the European sense) fall harvest festival beer. "We brought in the crops that we nurtured all summer. Our village will have food to get us through the coming winter…now let's party!"
That aside, I have found a couple that I like. For "ease of availability," you can't beat Saranac's Oktoberfest. It's easy to get, and easy to drink.
The one I have to give full props to, however, is the Oktoberfest from my favorite local brewery (see my previous post), Blue Mountain Brewery. This one is easy to drink, goes down smooth, and for me, is easy to get.
Go find YOUR favorite Oktoberfest – and hurry!
Prost!
Now reading: the first volume of James Robinson's Starman
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Ah, Oktoberfest... The time of year I can get really good beer and NOT have to worry about getting a migraine from too much hops! I love Oktoberfest beers, both because they don't give me headaches, and also because I really like the slightly sweet taste of malty beers more than I like the bitterness of hoppy beers.
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried the Saranac Oktoberfest, how is it on the malt/hop scale? I've found Saranac to be too far over on the hop side in almost all their beers.
My favorite Oktoberfest is Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen. Really nice, slightly sweet, VERY smooth and easily drinkable. Just a touch of hops, and very tasty. Better than any other marzen I've tried, and I usually try a few different ones every fall.
Skip the Beck's Oktoberfest. It's not bad, but just not a very good marzen. I bought a case on sale thinking it was worth trying and having on hand. Should have bought a 6 pack first. If it was any other time of year I wouldn't think twice about it, it's decent but nothing special. But I was hoping for a nice easy drinking beer for the fall, and this isn't all that different from any number of other beers available year round. On the plus side, somehow Beck's managed to not get their typical skunky taste even though it's in a green bottle.
R