Best commercial Octoberfest?

[Ianflean]

Drink homebrew and new German Craft ales. There's quite a few of them about here.
Typical German beer is pretty tasteless to be fair.


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[eddieb33]

I saw that mix pack the other day, but already had my quota..
I'll have to try it, how were the others?

Not all that remarkable but everything in it is good. I assume you've had their PA and tumbler, which are both good. The Vienna lager is nice, but not that different from the Sam Adams lager. The Oktoberfest is the best thing in the pack

 

[littletommy]

Sam Adams and Paulaner, are very good, and, this year is the first time I've tried it.....leinenkugel.....I was pleasantly surprised.

 

[Picker]

The Sam Adams version is my favorite.

 

[Bowman]

Barktoberfest by Thirsty Dog is by far the best, in my opinion. Last year a friend and I did a blind taste test of seven different brands, and both found Barktoberfest to be the best tasting and most distinct. Not sure if you'll find it very easily outside of the Cleveland market though.

 

[Jeremy_84]

ODell has a really good one and left hand there's is really good as well. But today I tried the Alaskan pumpkin porter and loved it.


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[Flatspin]

I had a Leinenkugels imperial oktoberfest on tap a few days ago. It was very tasty and obviously far more of a malt bomb than traditional. It's part of their Big Eddy series, which are surprisingly very tasty.

 

[wobdee]

I had a Leinenkugels imperial oktoberfest on tap a few days ago. It was very tasty and obviously far more of a malt bomb than traditional. It's part of their Big Eddy series, which are surprisingly very tasty.

I've had this as well, its pretty good but almost too sweet for my taste.
Their regular Ofest is pretty good as well.

 

[podz]

Had a couple half litre bottles of HB Oktoberfest this evening. They never cease to amaze me.

 

[NewJersey]

I like hacker pschorr

 

[spartan21]

Sam Adams and Yuengling are a couple favorites

 

[gometz]

So not sure if anyone has brought this up: the Oktoberfest we get in America, even from Spaten, is very different from the real Festbier. Weihenstephaner and maybe Ayinger are what you would actually get in Germany. I've heard that the American version (which I will refer to as Octoberfest) is actually more true to the original. Over time the Munich breweries lightened their beer to appeal to more people.

That being said, my favorite Oktoberfest:
- Weihenstephaner. Had it at about 55*F because I was thirsty, it was still one of the best beers I've ever had.
- Augustiner. Never been able to find it in America, but yes, it is the best on the Wies'n.

My favorite Octoberfest:
- Spaten
- Sam Adams

I am still debating it, but I think I might brew up an Oktoberfest with some smoked malt (not up to Schlenkerla smokiness, about halfway). Though it's a bit too late for the time of the year. Maybe I should make a Baltic porter with a bit of smoked malt...

 

[Tryger73]

I have actually really enjoyed leinenkugels Oktoberfest this year. Then again if I could get a weihenstephan or ayinger I imagine that I would like those better!

 

[lowtones84]

Paulaner and Spaten are good. Hacker-Pschorr is alright. I had the Great Lakes Brewery version and was not impressed, surprisingly. Normally their stuff is good, but it was just cloyingly candy sweet.

 

[grizzly2378]

Well, since I started this thread I've had Sam Adams, Widmer and Ayinger. Of the three, Ayinger was my favorite. The other two were pretty good, but what I've really come to realize is that Octoberfests/Marzens just aren't really my thing. If offered any of the above, I'd gladly drink it, but I can't say I'll buy a six pack of any of them. I actually find myself tending more toward porters and stouts this time of year. To each their own!


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[JonM]

Ayinger, without question is my favorite.

I got a sixer of Abita the other day, though and it was really, really good.

 

[MaxStout]

Close tie between Ayinger and Paulaner. Spaten and Weihenstephaner also delicious.

 

[chrisroarshack]

Abita and Brew Kettle make a great (read malty) Oktoberfest. Def earned my love in place of Sam Adams, Great Lakes, and Brooklyn's examples.

 

[ArcaneXor]

I enjoy Hacker-Pschorr's and Ayingers. I prefer the amber Oktoberfest beers (Maerzens) over the pale Festbiers (which are essentially imperial Helles).

Of the U.S. examples, I enjoy Cigar City's and Swamp Head's. I used to like Sam Adams', but it's gone downhill over the past three years in my opinion.

 

[SimonSaysBrew]

Augustiner is the fest bier that the Munich locals drink. Their Lagerbier Helle is the best. IMHO.

 

[podz]

I enjoy Hacker-Pschorr's and Ayingers.

Hacker-Pschorr was the first German beer I ever drank.

 

[Talgrath]

Ayinger if we're talking nationally available. Hi Fi Brewery's Oktoberfest if I'm going local.

 

[Wolfbrau]

If you can get the Paulaner Marzen, the Paulaner Wiesn and Sam Adams Octoberfest you'll have a good idea of where the style(s) are. Marzen and Festbier/Wiesn are going to be separated in the BJCP styles soon, and rightfully so. Sam Adams is not strictly in the German style but is an outstanding example of an American interpretation. Try to get some Trader Joe's Vienna or Boulevard Bob's 47 and some Paulaner Original to contrast Vienna Lager and Munich Helles with the fest styles.

 

[podz]

Paulaner and Spaten are good. Hacker-Pschorr is alright. I had the Great Lakes Brewery version and was not impressed, surprisingly. Normally their stuff is good, but it was just cloyingly candy sweet.

Märzen is a sweet beer to begin with. That's probably the reason i only drink a few bottles of it per year. I like märzen, but I'm just not a big fan of sugar in general.

 

[osagedr]

Brewed 60 HL of my recipe at a local brewery back in July; should be released within the next two weeks. Weyermann pils as the base with a blend of another five crystal malts. H. Tradition for hops. Hoping it's well-received.

 

[lowtones84]

Märzen is a sweet beer to begin with. That's probably the reason i only drink a few bottles of it per year. I like märzen, but I'm just not a big fan of sugar in general.

I hear you. But I've never had a German beer in general that was as sweet as the Great Lakes Octoberfest. Admittedly, I am not that schooled in traditional marzen, festbier, or Oktoberfest, but nothing I've had suggested that amount of candy sweetness. Just had Hofbrau for the second time, might be my favorite.

 

[podz]

I hear you. But I've never had a German beer in general that was as sweet as the Great Lakes Octoberfest. Admittedly, I am not that schooled in traditional marzen, festbier, or Oktoberfest, but nothing I've had suggested that amount of candy sweetness. Just had Hofbrau for the second time, might be my favorite.

HB is a good drop, that's for sure. I wish Alko would carry some Weihenstephaner Festbier. They carry almost every other type of Weihenstephaner, just not that one...

 

[DontHoldItAway]

I've enjoyed Ninkasi's Oktoberfest (Eugene) with nice hops/malt combination and think it might be a little higher ABV than most - I agree that Sam Adams used to be my favorite though seems not to be as good the last severals years.


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[littletommy]

I had a Warsteiner Oktoberfest earlier today and thought "wow, this is really good", then I had a Sam Adams Octoberfest, which I really look forward to each fall, and it was awesome as usual......I had another Warsteiner a little later, and it just really doesn't have much flavor, certainly not anything like SA. Kinda disappointed.

 

[podz]

I had a Warsteiner Oktoberfest earlier today and thought "wow, this is really good", then I had a Sam Adams Octoberfest, which I really look forward to each fall, and it was awesome as usual......I had another Warsteiner a little later, and it just really doesn't have much flavor, certainly not anything like SA. Kinda disappointed.

Warsteiner is like right in the middle of the German equivalent of BMC class beer.