Really enjoying this year’s Ofest. Nice and malty, just the right amount of sweetness, lots of flavor. This is opposed to previous years where I found it lacked flavor and mouthfeel. Anyone else really enjoying this years?
It’s possible they didn’t change the recipe at all… just my taste buds changing from year to year…
I had SA Oktoberfest on tap in late Aug and thought the opposite. Quite bland compared to the other commercial varieties I’ve tasted this year. Maybe the bottled version is better.
Pretty sure it’s the same beer. I’ve had both.
Pretty sure it’s the same beer. I’ve had both.[/quote]
Then I definitely won’t be buying a sixer any time soon. 
I have found an occasional commercial beer that I like better in the bottle. For example, Great Lakes Burning River is hands down my favorite Am. Pale Ale in the bottle. On tap, it’s not as special. Perhaps it benefits from bottle conditioning.
[quote=“kcbeersnob”]
I have found an occasional commercial beer that I like better in the bottle. For example, Great Lakes Burning River is hands down my favorite Am. Pale Ale in the bottle. On tap, it’s not as special. Perhaps it benefits from bottle conditioning.[/quote]
If you’re not enjoying beer on top vs bottle, I would say it’s the treatment it receives at the bar.
Great Lakes has a tasty Oktoberfest offering out right now.
I’ve shyed away from the SA offering so far. The commercial touting the recipe having 5 or 6 malts, seems excessive for a beer that could be phenomenal with just base malt. Fraid I’d be drinking a 6er of melanoidin, know what I mean?
I’ve been rockin’ the Bombers. $2.60 for 22oz of a real nice oktoberfest. I’m on my fourth since its release.
Yeah, the beer might be thought of as “melanoidin intensive”. Not sure, though… it definitely has a nice balanced sweetness.
I drank a few Paulaner O’fests saturday and then switched to Sam Adams O’fest and it was a significantly sweeter beer. I’m not a huge fan.
It’s easy to think of O’fests as ‘sweet’ beers. I for some reason always lump them in with Bocks in my beer style mind folder.
However, they’re not supposed to be nearly as sweet as bocks. They’re sposed to be quaffable. Sure, they lean to the malty side, but the hop bitterness should balance and help make it a good quaff.
The other thing that’s different from bocks, and helps with the drinkability, is that the body is lighter than bocks.
Unsure why I always got Ofests and Bocks lumped together in my head, but I’m trying to rectify that.
I recently read, that in Germany at the ‘real’ Ofest celebration, the “ofest” beer is alot lighter in color than what we Americans think of as Ofest beer.
[quote=“alanzo”]
If you’re not enjoying beer on top vs bottle, I would say it’s the treatment it receives at the bar.[/quote]
May be true more often than not, but it’s not true in the the example I’ve given–at least to my palate. I’ve had Burning River at the brewery and still like the bottled version better. Presumably bottle conditioning for a bit develops the characteristics that appeal to me.
[quote=“Scott Miller”]Great Lakes has a tasty Oktoberfest offering out right now.
[/quote]
I had scheduled a 3 hour layover in Cleveland last week specifically so I could hang out at the bar and try their Oktoberfest for the first time (and whatever else they have on tap). But I missed my flight and had to hang out at the Gordon Biersch in Raleigh instead. Huge disappointment!
[quote=“beermebeavis”]
I recently read, that in Germany at the ‘real’ Ofest celebration, the “ofest” beer is alot lighter in color than what we Americans think of as Ofest beer.[/quote]
This is very true. I find it hilarious that the deep amber Spaten Oktoberfest is only/mostly available in the USA. In Germany, Oktoberfest style beer has become a slightly stronger helles. Very much like Weihenstephaner Oktoberfest if you can get that. I know it’s being distributed to the states.
Maybe the “Marzen” style is a better descriptor for what I know and love to be Oktoberfests.
Tried Hofbrauhaus Oktoberfest for the first time the other day. Pretty good. It’s the first time I ever found any of their beers in Ottawa so I was quite excited. Pretty sure that was Hitler’s favorite brewery.
Hofbrau is a “modern,” golden colored O’fest. Not my favorite. Their Dunkel is solid.
This is the first time having SA Oktoberfest since I started homebrewing and either my taste buds have changed (doubt) or SA messed up their recipe this year. SA Oktoberfest used to be one of my favorite easy to get beers.
This year’s batch seems he it has too much Crystal 120 (I think that’s the ingredient) in it. Again I may be more sensitive since I started homebrewing and can pick-up ingredients, but I never recall tasting so much caramel/burnt sugar in it. To me it tastes like a Wee Heavy (in terms of sweetness) Oktoberfest hybrid.
My friends agree that this year tastes different.
Has anyone tried Sam Adams Bonfire?
Honestly I couldnt even finish the pint. What a disappointment.
Honestly, after Schell’s and Boulevard’s Oktoberfest, SA seems to be a little watered down. I now also have 2 local Oktoberfest beers that I much prefer over SA and Costco has the Boulevard pretty cheap. Needless to say, I have little interest in SA Oktoberfest this year.
[quote=“gregscsu”]Has anyone tried Sam Adams Bonfire?
Honestly I couldnt even finish the pint. What a disappointment.[/quote]
Bad as a rauchbier or just don’t like rauchbiers? Those are an acquired taste that many won’t acquire. I really like rauchbiers with smoked meals. It’s tough to beat a smoked porter on an ice cold and snowy day. :cheers:
[quote=“s2y”]Honestly, after Schell’s and Boulevard’s Oktoberfest, SA seems to be a little watered down. I now also have 2 local Oktoberfest beers that I much prefer over SA and Costco has the Boulevard pretty cheap. Needless to say, I have little interest in SA Oktoberfest this year.
[quote=“gregscsu”]Has anyone tried Sam Adams Bonfire?
Honestly I couldnt even finish the pint. What a disappointment.[/quote]
Bad as a rauchbier or just don’t like rauchbiers? Those are an acquired taste that many won’t acquire. I really like rauchbiers with smoked meals. It’s tough to beat a smoked porter on an ice cold and snowy day. :cheers: [/quote]
It wasn’t a particularly good rauchbier, but could have been a lot worse. I wouldn’t seek it out again but i finished my three bottles.
