September is here and that means the countdown to Oktoberfest is here. We all know this is when the markets are flooded with Oktoberfest beer from the U.S. to Germany. This year the start of Oktoberfest kicks off September 20th and ends on the first Sunday of October (the 5th). But this year we will skip the 10 best and strictly stick to American style fest beers. So before we doles get to know a little bit about this German festival we all love.
HISTORY OF OKTOBERFEST
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest Volksfest (German for “folk festival”). It combines a beer festival with a funfair and takes place each year on the Theresienwiese in Munich from mid-September to the first Sunday in October. If German Unity Day (3 October) follows that Sunday, the festival continues until the holiday. The event attracts about seven million visitors. The grounds feature amusement rides, games, food stalls and traditional Bavarian dishes. Munich staged the first festival on 12 October 1810 to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen.
WHAT MAKES A OKTOBERFEST BEER AND WHAT DOES NOT
Oktoberfest beers are lagers, with the official Oktoberfest beers brewed by one of six Munich breweries. These beers must adhere to the Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law) and have an ABV between 5.8% and 6.3%. In the U.S., Oktoberfest beers are often Märzen-style, while in Germany, the style is typically a golden lager, also known as a Festbier or Wiesn.
10 U.S. FEST BEERS TO CHECK OUT
There is no particular order to check out the beers and we didn’t rank them from last to first. This is just the 10 must check out beers in the U.S. to check out.
Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Collaboration
Clocking in at 6% abv this Oktoberfest is a collaboration with Störtebeker, an award-winning German brewer internationally recognized for quality and innovation. This modern Festbier leans into a rich, smooth malt backbone with notes of fresh-baked bread and honey. Traditional German hops provide balanced bitterness and herbal-spicy aroma, rounding out the crisp, clean finish.
Firestone Walker Oktoberfest
Clocking in at 5.2% abv A seasonal Firestone Walker classic, Oaktoberfest Oak Aged Lager is matured in oak barrels to deliver smooth, rich, and biscuity flavors similar to those in Germany.
Victory Brewing Co. Festbier
Clocking in at 5.6% abv Victory Festbier is subtle sweet with a delicate malt nose, full-bodied and infinitely smooth due to all imported German malts and the decoction brewing process. Seductively malty, with a kiss of the hops for balance.
Founders Brewing Co. Oktoberfest
Clocking in at 6% this beer is smooth, sweet and malty! Founders Oktoberfest, using imported German malts and hops with a beautiful lager yeast for the finish. Pours a gorgeous copper hue with a rich, malty and slightly sweet backbone. Akin to the beer poured in the early days of Oktoberfest and, yes, it adheres to the Reinheitsgebot.
Left Hand Brewing Co. Oktoberfest
Clocking I at 6.6% abv this Oktoberfest style beer has rich copper hues that will shine from your stein! A märzen balanced from malt-driven notes of bread crust, biscuit and toasted pretzel with just the right amount of noble hop character, culminating in a dry & spicy finish. Deliciously repeatable, this take on the classic style is the perfect way to toast the season of crisp air, changing leaves and festival feasts.
Odell Brewing Co. Oktoberfest
Clocking in at 6% abv yeah there’s plenty to celebrate when fall arrives in Colorado. The warm days grow shorter, the cool shadows grow longer, and the aspens put on their golden, grand finale. Brewed with biscuity sweet Munich malts and spicy, herbal noble hops, Oktoberfest is a reminder to stop and enjoy the show.
Cigar City Lederhosen, Lederhosen, Lederhosen
Clocking in at 5.5% abv This brewery exclusive Oktoberfest beer is a Marzen style lager pours a clear copper body with notes that will make you think your in Germany holding a stein slamming beers and eating pretzels all while wearing a lederhosen.
Revolution Brewing Oktoberfest
Clocking in at 5.7% this traditional Märzen will have you in anticipation of those days filled with sausage, pretzels, and a table full of friends. Brewed using traditional German ingredients and methods. Smooth, toasty flavor and the inviting aromas of hearth-baked bread, finishing with just enough Noble hop character to keep you coming back for another round. One of our most popular food-pairing beers, or worthy of a hearty “prost!” on its own.
AleSmith Brewing AleSchmidt Oktoberfest
Clocking in at 5.5% abv This classic German-style amber lager has been brewed in Germany and Austria for hundreds of years, though it was made famous for being served at Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration since 1872. Modern versions exported to the United States are often labeled Oktoberfest and the name has become synonymous in the minds of most brewers and consumers with the traditional Märzen style, though modern iterations of the style in Europe are considerably lighter. AleSmith’s take on this classic is characterized by a clean, elegant, and toasty malt character.
Great Lakes Brewing Oktoberfest
Clocking in at 6.5% abv Great Lakes using strictly Mt Hood hops to give this beer a spicy floral aroma with a taste profile of a soft malty and biscuity taste. Great Lakes Oktoberfest pours that traditional Marzan copper body and nice off white head to Prost with others.
BEER PORN MAGAZINE 