Oktoberfest

Left Hand Oktoberfest Seasonal Returns

Summer is winding down, and fest beers are arriving. Left Hand Oktoberfest marks the transition into cooler days.

If the brewery is continuing their brewing trend, Left Hand started work on this malty lager this past spring. It takes two months to Continue Reading →

Shelves: Lagunitas Tuberfest

Lagunitas Tuberfest is now available. Part of the brewery’s “One-Hitter” series.

One thing you bank on with the Lagunitas One-Hitter Series – it’s random. Your year will go from hoppy, to sour, to something fest-y like Lagunitas Tuberfest.

Sierra Nevada takes the Continue Reading →

Posted in Left Hand Brewing, Seasonal Return

Left Hand Oktoberfest Seasonal Returns

Summer is winding down, and fest beers are arriving. Left Hand Oktoberfest marks the transition into cooler days.

If the brewery is continuing their brewing trend, Left Hand started work on this malty lager this past spring. It takes two months to perfect.

In the past thanks to the pains of brewery expansions, Oktoberfest wasn’t found in every market. Fans will be happy to know it’s in all the brewery’s markets these days. Fest follows this summer’s Good JuJu in the seasonal lineup.

Pouring a brilliant copper in color, the märzen lager entices the imbiber with notes of warm biscuit reminiscent of home and fall tradition. Oktoberfest begins with the toasty sweetness of the malt up front while the noble pedigree hops allow for a dry crisp finish at 6.6% ABV.

Left Hand Oktoberfest is available in 12-ounce bottles and draft, seasonally.

Style: Oktoberfest
Hops: Magnum and Spalter Select
Malts: Munich and Pilsner

Availability: 12oz bottles, Draft
Distribution:

6.6% ABV

Fun Fact: Head Brewer Guenzel’s silhouette is blended in the left side of lion’s mane, a signature feature of many of Left Hand’s beer labels.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, New Releases

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest 2017

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest 2017

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Lagunitas, Don't Miss This

Shelves: Lagunitas Tuberfest

Lagunitas Tuberfest is now available. Part of the brewery’s “One-Hitter” series.

One thing you bank on with the Lagunitas One-Hitter Series – it’s random. Your year will go from hoppy, to sour, to something fest-y like Lagunitas Tuberfest.

Sierra Nevada takes the traditional route by collaborating for a second year with centuries old German breweries. Lagunitas went traditional too. At least until you get to the hop bill. This malt forward lager sets itself apart from other oktoberfest-style beers, thanks to the the ever-so-hot Idaho 7 hops. So many breweries are using them right now for some pretty amazing IPAs.

Why be like everyone else right?

What you’ll taste. Lagunitas Tuberfest is a head-on collision of a malty fest beer you’re chugging as fall rolls around, with the unique Idaho 7 hop. The result in your glass is perfectly put by the brewery… Zing-y. Plus a little bit boozy. 7.5% ABV if you’re asking. This is one fall lager that won’t be blending into the shelve anytime soon.

Lagunitas Tuberfest is available for a limited time in 12 ounce bottles and draft.

Style: Oktoberfest
Hops: Idaho 7

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: September, 2016

7.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Jekyll Brewing, New Releases

Jekyll Brewing Seven Bridges bottled for the first time

It’s oktoberfest season once again. Jekyll Brewing Seven Bridges is releasing now, the first time it has ever been bottled.

Two years ago, the Alpharetta, Geogia based brewery debuted the lager on draft, only to find a high demand for it. As the brewery has been growing over the past few years, the brewing team squeezed some room to bottle Seven Bridges finally.

“This is a challenging style for a brewer, as this beer requires more brew and tank time than others, and special attention needs to be paid to fluctuations in temperature levels and yeast management throughout the brew process…” – Josh Rachel, Jekyll Brewing co-owner & brewmaster.

Jekyll Brewing Seven Bridges features Munich malts, as well as Tettnanger hops following the old world recipes fairly closely. The name, however, is very southern.

Seven Bridges refers to the purportedly haunted CCC Road (Seven Bridges Road) in Rome, Georgia. Legend has it that if one travels East to West, he or she will count seven bridges on the way in. However, going west to east, there are only six…

Jekyll Brewing Seven Bridges is a 12 ounce bottle and draft offering, from mid-August until October.

Style: Oktoberfest
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal.
Distribution: GA, TN, SC

Latest Return: August, 2016

5.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Don't Miss This

Spotlight: Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest 2016, with Mahrs Brau

In 2015, Sierra Nevada bottled their Oktoberfest for the first time. While the brewery has released editions of this style in the past, the bottled release was a collaboration with Brauhaus Riegele from Augsburg, Germany. Each year, Sierra will collaborate with a different German brewery.

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest 2016 is a collaboration brew with Bamberg, Germany’s Mahrs Brau. While Sierra Nevada has 35 years of commercial brewing under their belt, Mahrs Brau boasts a few more. The family-owned brewery was founded in 1670.

“We’re excited to be working together with Mahrs Bräu,” said Ken Grossman, “We have so much in common with them in the way we approach brewing, and the way we run our businesses. We’re both independent, family-owned breweries with a respect for tradition, yet we’re not handcuffed by it. We’re not afraid to innovate and to change things up. We both care deeply about the environment, and work to make our respective beers with a mindful eye on how that impacts the world around us.”

This year’s edition (if we recall correctly) is lighter in both body and color when compared to last year’s edition. Flavor is very malt forward, with a touch of straw and sweet malt. A very crisp, and very clean beer. Sierra Nevada’s attention to absolute quality meets hundreds of years of Mahrs Brau craft.

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest 2016 is hitting shelves in 12 ounce bottles and draft nationally. Reminder, this year is different from last year’s release.

Style: Oktoberfest
Hops: German Magnum, Palisade, Saphir, Crystal, German Record
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Steffi Pilsner, Munich, Vienna

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft
Release: August, 2016

6% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

Wild Heaven Autumn Defense is coming to cans this season

Wild Heaven Autumn Defense returns again in late August. This year, the brewery will can this fall beer for the first time.

The recipe has changed a little bit since it’s first release. It wasn’t until 2015 that Wild Heaven Autumn Defense became true festbier. It sold so well last fall, Wild Heaven knew it had to be canned in 2016. Note: we mentioned earlier this was a lager. It’s actually an ale, that tastes like the popular Oktoberfest style.

Above is the can design for Autumn Defense, courtesy of the brewery’s co-founder, Nick Purdy.

Wild Heaven Autumn Defense will be available on draft and in 12 ounce cans in late August/early September. The brewery is planning an Oktoberfest party on September 24th.

As of the time of this article, Wild Heaven has canned Emergency Drinking Beer, White Blackbird Saison, and most recently – Wise Blood IPA.

Style: Oktoberfest
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Seasonal.
Can Debut: Late August, 2016

5.5% ABV 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Heavy Seas

Heavy Seas Treasure Fest Oktoberfest debuts this fall

Heavy Seas Treasure Fest, a new Oktoberfest style beer, debuts this July.

Despite the late summer debut date, Heavy Seas Treasure Fest is still designed for fall. The Baltimore based brewery describes this new seasonal as an American spin on the classic German style. That means using traditional imported German malts, and weaving in a blend of German and American hops in the boil and dry-hop.

“…. I’m thrilled to be able to provide a Heavy Seas twist by dry-hopping our interpretation with floral American hops.  It should be no surprise to those familiar with our beers that we’ve boosted the malt bill and abv, to just under 6%, to help keep the robust hopping in balance.  If you like Oktoberfest-style beers and enjoy American IPA’s, this beer just might be the love child hybrid you’ve been waiting for.”  Heavy Seas Brewmaster, Christopher Leonard.

Heavy Seas Treasure Fest is a draft and 12 ounce bottle offering, seasonally.

Style: Oktoberfest
Hops: Perle, Hallertau Mittlefrue, Cascade, Palisade, Chinook
Malts: Pale, Vienna, Munich, Caramel Vienna, Biscuit, Caramel Munich

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft
Debut: Late July, 2016

6% ABV, 40 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay