When I think of German beer, my mind immediately drifts to the stereotypical beer wench. After daydreaming for awhile, it then turns to the movie Beerfest. I’ve always imagined the von Wolfhausen family was comprised of hyperbolic, stereotypical German guys. After watching this video though, I have to reconsider that stance ]]>

When I think of German beer, my mind immediately drifts to the stereotypical beer wench. After daydreaming for awhile, it then turns to the movie Beerfest. I’ve always imagined the von Wolfhausen family was comprised of hyperbolic, stereotypical German guys. After watching this video though, I have to reconsider that stance because this guy could definitely have been one of the bothers.

 

Talk about a party foul. As far as I could tell, there were 10 steins on top and 12 down below. That’s more than 2.5 cases of beer that he just dumped all over the sidewalk. Based on my limited time spent in the gym though, I can’t blame him. My crude calculations put it at 49.25 pounds of beer alone. Tack on another 3-4 pounds per stein and you are looking at a ton (not literally) of unsecured weigh to hold in hammer curl position while you take a walk around the block.  As of now, the world record for carrying beer steins seems to be safe at 20.

I don’t want to blue ball you with the first line of the article, so here are a few beer wenches for your enjoyment. Some are clearly costumes, so you might want to forward this to that special lady in your life.

via Arbroath

Today marks the last day of Oktoberfest in Munich, so it seems like a fitting end to my week long adventure with Oktoberfest beers. I know what most of you are thinking, and yes, I realize it’s only October 3rd. Contrary to logic, the beer festival takes place almost entirely ]]>

Today marks the last day of Oktoberfest in Munich, so it seems like a fitting end to my week long adventure with Oktoberfest beers. I know what most of you are thinking, and yes, I realize it’s only October 3rd. Contrary to logic, the beer festival takes place almost entirely in September. The finale is always the first Sunday in October with the exception of years in which that Sunday falls on the 1st or 2nd, in which case it ends Monday. Through a combination of luck and planning, I ended up saving the best for my own finale.

It seemed fitting to save a German beer for last, but little did I know that Ayinger Oktoberfest would also be my favorite. The brew and I got off to a bad start when it initially appeared as though I had lost all pouring skills. These aren’t solo cups at a keg party folks; there is a certain technique to properly pouring a beer. As it turned out, the Ayinger just so happens to have a significantly larger amount of head than any of the other fest beers this week. While my picture may not do the color justice, that is an accurate depiction of the amount of foam produced. You can see why I may have questioned my skills.

Ayinger pours a fantastic gold color to match the many medals it has won. It has a very deep aroma so if you are big on taste via smell, you’ll like this one. It’s the most full bodied of the bunch and the rich flavor was a welcome change of pace. It’s also the first time the word “dry” came to mind this week. It’s slightly sweeter, much like the Great Lakes and has a significant amount of carbonation, but not to the turn-off point of the Hofbräu München. It’s well balanced enough that I have no qualms with it. In fact, I can’t really think of a single downside to this beer other than that it’s seasonal.

ABV: 5.6%, IBU: 21, Colin’s proprietorially arbitrary session scale: 16/24.

One thing to take note of is that Oktoberfest beers have a very short run in the stores. When I returned to my preferred proprietor on Friday, he was already out of the Bell’s and the Great Lakes for the year. Be sure to pick a few bottles up sooner than later so that you don’t miss the boat entirely. I tried some additional options at an Oktoberfest tap-takeover on Friday, so I can say that Harpoon, Two Brothers, Victory, and 3 Floyds all have suitable replacements.

One of my favorite breweries in America can be found just off Lake Erie in Cleveland, OH. My University of Michigan loyalty does not allow me to actually like the state of Ohio, but Great Lakes Brewing Co. makes that a very difficult stance to maintain. Their Oktoberfest beer is ]]>

One of my favorite breweries in America can be found just off Lake Erie in Cleveland, OH. My University of Michigan loyalty does not allow me to actually like the state of Ohio, but Great Lakes Brewing Co. makes that a very difficult stance to maintain. Their Oktoberfest beer is one of my favorites and was perfect for an entire afternoon of watching college football.

One thing that sets Great Lakes Brewing apart is their dedication to being socially and environmentally responsible. I am sure other breweries act responsibly, but this is the first instance in which I can remember it being at the forefront of their marketing. It was apparent from the second I saw the bottle and the label read “Oh, and enjoy this German lager in our energy efficient Beer Garden, complete with a retractable roof, straw bale wall and radiant heat fireplace and floor.” At first it just sounded like circumlocution for, “We have a really awesome patio you should check out.” After a little more research, though, I discovered though that they take pride in what they call the Triple Bottom Line, which is, “to engage in economic, social and environmental practices that achieve a sustainable, yet profitable, business.” It’s refreshing to see a business pride itself on more than just a good product. When it’s all said and done though, we’re here for the beer, and it’s a great one.

Marzen pours a brilliant orange/amber color with unremarkable head. The aroma isn’t all that strong, but you can tell from first whiff that it’s a malty Oktoberfest beer. It tastes smooth and crisp, with very little bitterness (20 IBU). This one is a little sweeter than any of the earlier beers, but I certainly wouldn’t call it sweet. It’s medium bodied, refreshing, and at 6.5% ABV it will get the job done. To be honest, I wish I had another 6-pack right now. They have a fairly solid distribution through the midwest and East coast, so check their beer finder to see if it’s available near you!

The first thing that popped into my head after trying Spaten’s Oktoberfest was Terry Crews yelling, “Remember this shit at Christmas!” in the degenerately acclaimed movie The Expendables. Unfortunately, this seasonal offering won’t be around in another month, let alone at Christmas, so I’ll just have to drink ]]>

The first thing that popped into my head after trying Spaten’s Oktoberfest was Terry Crews yelling, “Remember this shit at Christmas!” in the degenerately acclaimed movie The Expendables. Unfortunately, this seasonal offering won’t be around in another month, let alone at Christmas, so I’ll just have to drink a few more right now.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think this is the greatest beer ever poured, nor has it secured a place among my favorite beers. On the fifth evening of my beer-a-day “research” campaign though, it really stood out compared to the others. Had I given you a sample of all five beers thus far and told you that only one was an Oktoberfest, I can almost guarantee you would pick this one. Something about it just screams “Prost!” That may be due to the fact that Spaten has been doing it longer than any other brewery.

Per the brewery themselves, “Spaten Oktoberfest Beer, created in 1872, is the world’s first Oktoberfest beer, brewed for the greatest folk festival in the world.” Thankfully, they decided that they should share it with more than just those lucky few who make the journey over to the festival itself. It’s pours somewhere between copper and brown and has a good amount of head. This was the first time I didn’t feel as though I was racing the clock to snap my picture. It tastes more malty than the previous offerings but shares the same caramel flavor. The carbonation is prevelant but not to the point of distraction like the Hofbräu München. It’s medium bodied and very drinkable, coming in at 12/24 on my proprietary session scale.

Vital stats: 5.9% alcohol and 23 IBU. You can find Spaten just about anywhere, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble if you want to give it a shot. I’m definitely glad it happened to make my 7-beer cut.

Today’s Oktoberfest beer offering comes from one of my favorite breweries, Bell’s. Not only do I love their beer, I love their recent history with Chicago. When beer distribution laws eventually change, I believe they will be seen as one of the major influences.

My ]]>

Today’s Oktoberfest beer offering comes from one of my favorite breweries, Bell’s. Not only do I love their beer, I love their recent history with Chicago. When beer distribution laws eventually change, I believe they will be seen as one of the major influences.

My drinking career started in the great state of Michigan, where Bell’s flowed faster than the Flint River. Oberon was my first ever taste of craft beer, and Bell’s has had a spot in my heart ever since. In 2005, I moved to the opposite side of Lake Michigan and set up shop in Chicago. I was thankful at the time to find Oberon, among others, were readily available. Then, in fall 2006, Bell’s pulled out of the Chicago market after a dispute with their distributor. The distribution rights to Bell’s were being sold to another company that founder Larry Bell didn’t feel would be acting in the best interest of the brewery. Because current laws make it nearly impossible for a brewery to part ways with their distributor, if Bell’s were ever to re-enter the Chicago market, they would have been sued by their former distributor

The next year, Bell’s arrived again on the Western shores of Lake Michigan with two new beers, this time just under the masthead of Kalamazoo Brewing (the former name of the brewery). Everyone knew whose beers they were, but there was nothing that the distributor could do. It was the greatest instance of the little guy pulling one over on the big guy in recent beer history. Thankfully the distributor recently pulled out of Illinois entirely, and Bell’s has returned in full force, setting the table for me to have easy access to their Octoberfest beer.

I know, that was far too many words, and none of them were actually about the beer. If you just want a straight up review you can head to RateBeer or some other collection of arbitrary drivel.

Bell’s Octoberfest pours orange, giving you that fall feeling before you even take your first sip. Take a minute to smell it because it is one of those instances where you pick up something different every time. Sometimes the fruitiness comes though and other times the hops really stand out. I don’t know if my nose is occasionally lazy or if that’s just how the beer operates. Typically when I see orange, pumpkin comes to mind, but that flavor is nowhere to be found. Caramel and a little bit of spice are the most noticeable tastes from this medium bodied beer. The flavor doesn’t linger all that long and there is very little aftertaste, so you may find that the beer is disappearing more quickly than normal. Thankfully it gets a 16/24 on my session scale, so you can drink this one all day long.

You can find Bell’s in 14 states, mostly Midwest and Southeast. They, as any good microbrewery does, have a beer finder on their website if you want to go pick up a 6-pack and give it a shot for yourself. You won’t be sorry.

Great read about Bell’s exit here.
More about their re-entry here.

Previous “7 days of Oktoberfest beers”

Sam Adams
Boulevard Bob’s ’47
Hofbräu München

Two Oktoberfest beers down, five more little slices of heaven to go. While almost all of this week’s beers will be from US microbreweries, it seemed appropriate to include a product of Germany. It is their festival after all. Who better to represent Zee Germans than Hofbräu München?

Two Oktoberfest beers down, five more little slices of heaven to go. While almost all of this week’s beers will be from US microbreweries, it seemed appropriate to include a product of Germany. It is their festival after all. Who better to represent Zee Germans than Hofbräu München?

One key thing to know about German beer, and what sets it apart from others, is their stringent purity laws. Back when men were men, German beers were only allowed to contain water, barley, and hops (you really don’t want to know what’s in some beer today). This was partially to ensure consumers were getting what they thought they were, but as we know, cash is king. Brewers also wanted to fight off competition from other countries by not allowing them to market their product as “bier.” Those regulations are no longer in place, but many breweries still abide by them, and Hofbräu happens to be one of them.

I’m fairly familiar with Hofbräu’s beers. They have “Hofbräuhauses” in various places around the world, and one of them just so happens to be in Chicago. Right in the middle of a row full of frat bars lies überstein, with its full line of draught beers right off the boat from Germany. Whenever I’m in need of a change of pace, I know I can count on them to kick things up a notch. Most of the beers are heavier, contain more alcohol, and are flat out delicious. Shamefully though, until today I had never had their Oktoberfest offering.

The first thing I noticed is carbonation. It doesn’t feel like I’m drinking Sprite or anything, though it does have a citrus taste, but it’s certainly more prevalent than the prior two. It gives the beer a light, crisp feel even though it’s medium bodied. The hops come through more than the Sam Adams and the Boulevard, but the bitterness matches well with the crisp, clean taste. Overall it’s not one of my favorites, but if you want a real German beer, you can likely find this one nearby. I can’t say as though I’d recommend it, but as I’ve said before, beer taste is incredibly subjective. This gets a 8/24 on the session scale, mostly due to the carbonation.

I hope you enjoyed your Sam Adams OctoberFest yesterday because we are moving on already. The real Oktoberfest comes to a close next Monday so we don’t have time to hang around and drink one beer like we’re married to it. Today, we are talking about Boulevard Bob’s ]]>

I hope you enjoyed your Sam Adams OctoberFest yesterday because we are moving on already. The real Oktoberfest comes to a close next Monday so we don’t have time to hang around and drink one beer like we’re married to it. Today, we are talking about Boulevard Bob’s ’47 Oktoberfest. If you can’t get down with a guy named Boulevard Bob, you might as well just turn in your beer card right now.

Boulevard can be found cranking out specialty beers from their brewery in Kansas City, Mo. They advertise that they are the “largest specialty brewer in the Midwest,” and I haven’t found any evidence to contradict that claim. Oktoberfest is one of 5 seasonal beers in addition to 7 year-round beers they produce, and that doesn’t even account for the 14 different beers in the experimental ”Smokestack Series.”  I haven’t had the chance to try any of the Smokestack, but if the Oktoberfest is any indication, I hope to soon.

As I was ogling the cooler at my favorite beer store, the label at the top of the this bottle caught my eye. It read, “A tribute to our friend Bob Werkowitch, master brewer and graduate of the US Brewers’ Academy, class of 1947.” I couldn’t tell if that meant Bob was one of Boulevard’s master brewers, or just a friend of theirs who also happened to be a master brewer. I sat there hoping it was the former, because that would mean they are giving tribute to themselves on the bottle. As it turns out, Bob was a mentor to John McDonald, who is the founder of Boulevard. Way back in ’47 Bob created an incredible Oktoberfest beer and then passed the recipe along to McDonald. It’s a nice tribute to Bob, who passed away in 1996, but to be honest, I’m here for the beer.

The beer has a clear amber-copper color, and as you can tell from the picture, there is a decent amount of head. It also leaves a solid, what the cool kids call, lace around the glass as the beer begins disappearing into your gut. At first I thought my over-pouring may have been responsible for the minimal aroma, but as it got down into the base of the tulip, which happened fairly quickly I might add, I realized that it’s just not all that aromatic of a beer. The taste, however, made up for that. It’s medium bodied, malty, and slightly spicy. I’m not talking rye whiskey spicy, but more so than your average beer. The bitterness also tastes lower than advertised (which is low to begin with), but it does show up in the aftertaste. I’d give it a session score of 12/24, the same as Sam Adam’s offering yesterday.

http://www.boulevard.com

Info on Bob via TourDeBrew

While the Germans are halfway through the incredible celebration of beer known as Oktoberfest, we are left to sit in jealousy of their party prowess. I’ve been to two different “Oktoberfest” events in Chicago thus far, and neither of them even slightly resembled the hard partying disaster that typically results ]]>

While the Germans are halfway through the incredible celebration of beer known as Oktoberfest, we are left to sit in jealousy of their party prowess. I’ve been to two different “Oktoberfest” events in Chicago thus far, and neither of them even slightly resembled the hard partying disaster that typically results in a weeks worth of pictures for me to scroll through at work. In fact, the one this weekend had nothing German about it other than one stand with brats and a few kegs of Beck’s. It’s not all disappointment though. Every year, breweries release their own Oktoberfest beer. If you can’t make it all the way to Germany (Guyism…I’m looking at you for next year), you can at least drink as if you’re there.

To kick things off, it makes sense to address the most readily available option. Since 2001, Samuel Adams has brewing an OctoberFest beer. The first thing you’ll notice is that they refuse to go with the German spelling. I don’t know if it’s the arrogance of being the largest American brewery or if they just didn’t get the memo that it’s spelled with a “k,” but something is amiss. In any case, they do make a pretty decent beer, regardless of my nitpicking.

Sammy lists its color as deep red amber, but the red-green deficiency in my right eye just wants to call it copper. If you read my early “Every Guy’s Guides,” then you know I’m not big on detailing the sublties of taste, because everyone tastes something different. One review I read for the sake of argument described it as “Touches of sweet bread dough and that underlying, earthy, dampen sweetness I’d say is akin to freshly turned soil, but in reality is impossible to describe with any clarity.” Pretty helpful right? If I had to use buzzwords though I’d say it’s slightly nutty with taste of caramel. It’s a fairly maltly beer while still being light. I’d put it right around 12 on the scale you’ll learn about in a minute. If you hate bitter beer, this is a great choice for you because it’s incredible low on the IBU scale, coming in with only a 15 (out of 100). My guess was 23 for whatever that’s worth to you. It’s an all around decent beer, but nothing mind blowing. If you want to get a little bit of the Oktoberfest spirit in you without being too adventurous, this is a solid option.