Another year has passed, and it will be another year without the granddaddy of all beer festivals, Oktoberfest. Each September, I immediately think of Oktoberfest beers and how they signal a change in the seasons, yes even here in Hawaii. We may not be able to gather in large groups and drink astonishing quantities of beautiful golden liquid, but we still can grab some of these beers to enjoy at home.
In Germany, only a handful of breweries located inside the Munich city limits can actually name their beers Oktoberfest biers. These six breweries (Augustiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbrāu, Lōwenbrāu, Paulaner, and Spaten) are the only ones allowed to serve beers during the Oktoberfest celebrations. Many other German breweries make fest or marzen beers; they just can’t use the Oktoberfest name. Also, Oktoberfest ends on the first Sunday of October, so most of the festival is actually held in September.
Let’s first start with a few traditional German fest beers. Spaten Oktoberfest is the beer that gets tapped first every year by the Mayor of Munich to start the celebration. It is an absolute classic and it is also pretty darn delicious. Amber in color, slightly sweet on the finish with just a hint of hop character to keep things very drinkable, which it has to be since it is served in liter mugs (33.8 ounces).
Paulaner Oktoberfest Mārzen is another one of the elusive six. This one is lighter in color and just a tad less sweet than Spaten. There are less toasted bread notes and more hints of honey and caramel. Lots of flavor, yet very easy to drink and it goes down very smooth.
Finally, Ayinger Oktober-Fest Marzen, an absolutely amazing beer, is brewed in a small town south of Munich (outside of the city limits, hence the hyphen in the name). This light amber beer is packed with flavor but still really easy to drink. Up front there are loads of bread crust, caramel and toasted walnuts that never get too sweet.
Also keep an eye out for these other German standouts: Schonramer Festbier, Weihenstephaner Fest and Erdinger Oktoberfest Weissbier.
There are also a ton of U.S. craft versions available as well including Sam Adams Octoberfest, Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest Amber Marzen, Golden Road Oktoberfest and Breckenridge Oktoberfest. Don’t miss Firestone Walker’s Oaktoberfest, which has a unique twist on the style by gently aging in French oak barrels for a short amount of time. This adds a delicate wood note to the beer while still being incredibly drinkable and light. There is an ever so slight hint of bready sweetness that is followed by just a hint of spice from the hops. It’s a fun lighter option compared to some of the more traditionally sweet and amber versions.
And of course, let’s not forget about the locally brewed marzens and Oktoberfest beers.
Lokahi Oktoberfest, Maui Festbier, Hana Koa Hammerschlager, Lanikai Marzen with Ohia Honey and Big Island Brewhaus Oktoberfiesta to name a few. These are all available on draft only and I highly encourage everyone to head over to the breweries to show support and grab a pint or three of these wonderfully fresh brews. Now more than ever, they need your support.
Tim Golden, a certified cicerone, is part owner of Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room in Kakaako. Check out beerinhawaii.com and follow him on Instagram (@beerinhawaii). Tim’s column appears every third Wednesday in Crave.
