No, it’s different every year. Often they partner with a German brewery. This year they didn’t.
It is not difficult to tell that Sierra Nevada (SN) did not partner with a German brewery this year. The beer is too sweet, lacks good continental malt aroma and taste, and for lack of a better description, a fizzy bitterness. At least, that is my perception of what is coming out of Mills River. Last year’s Octoberfest was outstanding. It made me reconsider SN’s ability to make high quality lager. Their lagers are not bad. It is just that they are very pedestrian.
Or maybe they have a different idea of what it should be that doesn’t meet your expectations. And that’s Ok…its only beer.
One thing in defense of Sierra Nevada, this year’s can label calls the beer Amber Marzen. That’s a big clue what to expect.
Frankly, I’m not planning to even try it based on the pictures, that description, and people’s tasting notes. I prefer other beer.
Interesting. That smacks of “Amber Bock” and “Zeigenbock” that you might see. I admit that I like a smooth, dark lager but I do not like overly sweet finishes. It can be dark and smooth but I would prefer a dry finish. It’s funny because years ago I would look forward to seeing various US breweries getting their Oktoberfests out this time of year. I would absolutely buy Sam Adams along with any others I would find. I probably haven’t done that in 20+ years because at some point I would find German versions that were so much better. I also used to make my own version where I probably used some Aromatic, Melanoidin, possibly even CaraMunich and it was clear that I was modeling my own version after some US versions. But over time I simplified the recipe to the one I mentioned above and I like that approach much better.
I don’t understand why they would need to partner with a German brewery. It seems to me that brewers of their caliber (I believe, but could be wrong) would be able to get very close to a true Marzen on their own.
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Thread is awesome! I think some people like different things and some American brewers make really good Marzen while others make really bad Marzen. Sounds like any other style…
It was a little darker, sweeter, and a bit too “malty” for my taste. Not that I would turn it down, if I were at a pool party!
My preference is a nice festbier. More of a Munich Helles on steroids beer.
That’s just marketing. They know how to brew and can make any style they want.
I think Sierra Nevada has changed direction. They dropped Summerfest, moved Oktoberfest to a Marzen, and have gone hog wild for Hazy IPAs. I think they are just moving toward a mainstream American consumer.
Why does any brewery partner with any other brewery to make a beer?
You can say the same thing about AB. They absolutely can make wonderful beer! I had some of their pilot brews at the GABF.
Years ago AB marketed a sampler pack case of beer, by Michelob. It had four 6-packs, a Marzen, Porter, Pale Ale, don’t recall the 4th flavor in the case. I seem to remember it was a Honey Lager? But it was not a bad sampling at all.
Here’s a pic from maybe 5 years ago…
I’m a lifelong Chicagoan so I know Old Style but never knew they made an Oktoberfest. I bought a 4-pack of them. HO LEE COW was this beer bad. Super sweet and clunky finish. I fine (bad!) example of what we’re talking about here. Just turrible.
It’s funny, here in Montana one of the breweries here’s owner and head brewer is from Bavaria and was trained there. Yet, his “Oktoberfest” is totally out of style…as you can see, it’s “dark brown”.
https://www.bayernbrewery.com/oktoberfest
Even so, as it is malty and roasty, it’s still pretty tasty for whatever it is. He makes a hefe that is the best American version I have ever tasted.
One of these types of beers I really like is Full Sail’s Session Fest Beer. As someone mentioned earlier, it’s a fine like between Marzen/Oktoberfest/festbier/Czech amber.
I think Oktoberfest is one of the easiest styles to brew at home. I like mine to be 1.060 OG, 1/3 each of pils, vienna, and light munich, and hopped to around 30 IBUs with nothing but Continental noble hops. Probably not to style either, but it’s to my taste.
Here is the best example I have found in the US, and brewed in Texas.
Altstadt Okt Oktoberfest.
It is a Munich style beer, brewed with Pils, Munich, and Vienna malts. It is extremely well balanced, not sweet at all, with a nice restrained malt character. The hops are very subtle here. Very smooth, almost crisp, like a typical Festbier.
From the Samuel Adams website, the malt varieties in their Octoberfest (The label also calls it a traditional marzen):
Malt Varieties
Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Munich-10, Samuel Adams OctoberFest malt, and Caramel 60
guys, please keep in mind it’s just barely september.
Yeah, which means it’s almost time for Christmas beers. The pumpkin beer is already past its prime…
But we have not seen the Double Hazy Pumpkin Shandy yet! Soon to be at a store near you.
They didn’t last yesr either.
How does the partnership work? What input do the German breweries have in making the beer? And why do they do this?
Obviously, they decided not to work with them the last two years.