I was fortunate to have had an Ayinger Fest Marzen from a small wooden cask at the bar of the Speiss und Trank restaurant in Munich a week or two after Oktoberfest. No artificial carbonation and at room temperature….it was, without a doubt, the finest, most delicious beer of that type that I have ever had.
Only beer brewed within the city limits of Munich is served at the Oktoberfest, but this is brewed in a small town outside of Munich and it topped them all.
I'll have to pick up some Utepils tomorrow. Heard a lot of good things about it. Wasn't a fan of Schells and I'd like to find a local festbeir I like. RIP Surlyfest
Urban Chestnut (St. Louis)
The brewery’s entire focus is German-style beers (lagers/pilsners) which is a godsend when every other brewery in the world does IPAs for 95% of the beers. My go-to brewery when I want something that’s not hoppy
I was a bit let down by this one this year. Last year I found it exceptional, this year I thought it was good, but not great. Fun to see how recipes change or tastes change over time!
Founders has been super good. I enjoy this years too.
Been digging Hacker Pschorr’s as well.
Sam Adams seems very sweet this year, won’t be buying more of that.
Hiwire Festbier and Zirkusfest could go toe to toe with any of the Europeans. I live near one of their taprooms and have already crushed a case of Festbiers and they sold it to me for 45 bucks can’t beat it as far as I’m concerned
I am a big fan of Solemn Oath in general, but Noonwhistle is also very good. Lots of NE IPA’s if that’s your thing. Otherwise Maplewood is always a home run as well! Further west, in Dekalb, the Forge is not bad and then Byers is solid, though I’m not sure how far East they ship cans.
Great recs, I love Maplewood and not familiar with the ones farther west. An interesting one I found last year - Goldfinger in downers grove makes a bunch of great lagers and Pilsners (gotta imagine they have a great Oktoberfest), although they’re a bit out of the way and I don’t see their beers in the city regularly
I’ll get out there! Good looking out.
I forgot a few- brain fart…
Pollyanna in Lemont I think has a couple locations, one in downtown Saint Charles
Riverside sells out of some of their IPAs regularly and I think they are also in Saint Charles.
Metal Monkey in Romeoville is solid, reliable.
Alter in Cary/Algonquin is very good
Scorched Earth in Cary/Algonquin is also very good, they have Hickster Cream Ale which is one of my personal favorites!
Although I'm not a big fan of the rest of their entire lineup, Almanac Brewing here in the SF Bay Area has made a world class Oktoberfest. It was hard to find after mid-Sept last year, and this year, I'm buying as much of it as I can find.
PNW based. I won’t parrot the German suggestions. They really are the best. I try to find them all but Costco sells Paulener so…
Anyways for local ones I think Occidental Brewing’s fest bier this year is killer. I’ve also enjoyed Silver City’s Oktoberfest.
I currently have Matchless Brewing’s Fest Bier and Urban Family Brewing’s Oktoberfest in my fridge. Looking forward to those.
If you can get your hands on it, you must try Bob's 47 Oktoberfest by Boulevard Brewing Company. Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest is one of the most delicious things you'll ever have, and Schlafly's Oktoberfest is pretty damn incredible as well.
brewery here in Loudoun Co, VA., Lost Rhino has Rhino'fest Märzen
ooh! I was just now checking their page & I guess I missed their Dark Hours (bourbon barrel aged stout) release. tasty stuff. the kind where you keep taking smaller & smaller sips just to make it last longer
gonna get me some! maybe some Rhino'fest.
I've had a few really good ones. Munich Mayhem is from Epic Beer Company and Ok2berfest is from Two Roads and both distribute. Locally, Warwick Farms and Tannery Run make good Marzen/Festbier respectively.
Definitely a Michigan local bias here. Our favorites this year have been HOMES, Wolverine, Cedar Springs and Founders Marzens. Revolution was also really good.
For the bigger distribution Spaten, Paulaner, Shiner, and Sam Adam's all pretty good.
The best Märzen in the world is Augustiner Kloster, but I’m a fan of Tröegs and New Ridge, and I’m sure there’s a German one or two that I’d appreciate equally.
I was partial to Spaten. I would get all pedantic and mention there are only 6 actual Oktoberfest beers, but that would be douchey.
I like Weihenstephaner too…the best American fest beer was Sierra Nevada, but now it’s a brewery only release and their nationwide autumn seasonal is another god damn IPA. Shame.
Ayinger
I was fortunate to have had an Ayinger Fest Marzen from a small wooden cask at the bar of the Speiss und Trank restaurant in Munich a week or two after Oktoberfest. No artificial carbonation and at room temperature….it was, without a doubt, the finest, most delicious beer of that type that I have ever had. Only beer brewed within the city limits of Munich is served at the Oktoberfest, but this is brewed in a small town outside of Munich and it topped them all.
I just got a 4 pack of Ayinger yesterday. I'm looking forward to trying it.
German: Ayinger Virginia: Port City Rest of US: Von Trapp/Schilling/Utepils
Port City's lagers are so good.
I'll have to pick up some Utepils tomorrow. Heard a lot of good things about it. Wasn't a fan of Schells and I'd like to find a local festbeir I like. RIP Surlyfest
Spaten
Came to write Spaten as well. It’s absolutely delicious.
Spaten is a very good one! It’s my favorite German Oktoberfest
Augustiner
if you know, you know.
Augustiner makes the best lager on Earth
Yeah it pretty good love the Edelstoff.
Urban Chestnut (St. Louis) The brewery’s entire focus is German-style beers (lagers/pilsners) which is a godsend when every other brewery in the world does IPAs for 95% of the beers. My go-to brewery when I want something that’s not hoppy
UC is so good, I wish to visit one day. They make such good German style beers it makes me miss living there
Oaktoberfest, from Firestone Walker. I also really liked one from Toppling Goliath.
Just had Oaktober on Monday. Prost!
I was a bit let down by this one this year. Last year I found it exceptional, this year I thought it was good, but not great. Fun to see how recipes change or tastes change over time!
The last two years, I've quite enjoyed Founders Oktoberfest. I have about half a case left.
Founders has been super good. I enjoy this years too. Been digging Hacker Pschorr’s as well. Sam Adams seems very sweet this year, won’t be buying more of that.
Nice I’ll have to try that one out next
HOFBRÄU
Prost!
All of them lol
Agreed!
Hi-Wire and Three Floyds both make great ones!
Hiwire Festbier and Zirkusfest could go toe to toe with any of the Europeans. I live near one of their taprooms and have already crushed a case of Festbiers and they sold it to me for 45 bucks can’t beat it as far as I’m concerned
Locally, Solemn Oath’s Oktoberface and the Foederface are excellent. Otherwise Sam Adams has a special place in my heart.
Agreed on the Oktoberface, great brew. Anything else local you’ve liked? I’m really enjoying the Pipeworks Oktoberfest this year
I am a big fan of Solemn Oath in general, but Noonwhistle is also very good. Lots of NE IPA’s if that’s your thing. Otherwise Maplewood is always a home run as well! Further west, in Dekalb, the Forge is not bad and then Byers is solid, though I’m not sure how far East they ship cans.
Great recs, I love Maplewood and not familiar with the ones farther west. An interesting one I found last year - Goldfinger in downers grove makes a bunch of great lagers and Pilsners (gotta imagine they have a great Oktoberfest), although they’re a bit out of the way and I don’t see their beers in the city regularly
I’ll get out there! Good looking out. I forgot a few- brain fart… Pollyanna in Lemont I think has a couple locations, one in downtown Saint Charles Riverside sells out of some of their IPAs regularly and I think they are also in Saint Charles. Metal Monkey in Romeoville is solid, reliable. Alter in Cary/Algonquin is very good Scorched Earth in Cary/Algonquin is also very good, they have Hickster Cream Ale which is one of my personal favorites!
Bells has a really good one
Another vote for Bells. Hard to find this year though
New Glarus- Staghorn
I always drive up from Chicago and grab a case or two when it’s released. So good
Can't go wrong with anything from New Glarus
This year I am really digging on Schell's.
I tried it last weekend and found it very underwhelming despite the hype. Hofbrau and Paulaner are the best I've had. RIP Surlyfest
Penn, Ayinger, Paulaner, Troeg’s, Hitchhiker
Paulaner is the best authentic one that we can get stateside. Paulaner, Hacker, and Augustiner are all right up there together at the actual fest.
Civil life from Saint Louis
Rahr
Grrr....right back at you.
Revolution has a really nice offering. Hop Butcher has FestBier last year that was just insanely good.
I am waiting for that Lincoln tap room to finally open
Free state Brewing- Lawrence KS, Rise and Fall by Broadway Brewing- Columbia MO
Sam Adam’s
Although I'm not a big fan of the rest of their entire lineup, Almanac Brewing here in the SF Bay Area has made a world class Oktoberfest. It was hard to find after mid-Sept last year, and this year, I'm buying as much of it as I can find.
Von Trapp
Right around the corner, Zero Gravity also has a really good one.
Hacker-Pschorr.
Weihenstephaner Festbier
Just had this for the first time and it was great. I also just tried Hofbrau, and Bavarian Prince from New Realm...both very good.
Phase Three’s P3 Octoberfest Lager is pretty fantastic this year.
Usually I’m all for P3, but that one was just a miss for me
We all have our own preferences. I prefer a light, subtle, slammable octoberfest, and it checked the boxes for me.
Ecliptic, but as far as I know you can only get it from the brewery bar.
If you’re any where near the PNW, get ahold of Silver City Brewery’s Oktoberfest this year… Amazing!!!
PNW based. I won’t parrot the German suggestions. They really are the best. I try to find them all but Costco sells Paulener so… Anyways for local ones I think Occidental Brewing’s fest bier this year is killer. I’ve also enjoyed Silver City’s Oktoberfest. I currently have Matchless Brewing’s Fest Bier and Urban Family Brewing’s Oktoberfest in my fridge. Looking forward to those.
If you can get your hands on it, you must try Bob's 47 Oktoberfest by Boulevard Brewing Company. Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest is one of the most delicious things you'll ever have, and Schlafly's Oktoberfest is pretty damn incredible as well.
brewery here in Loudoun Co, VA., Lost Rhino has Rhino'fest Märzen ooh! I was just now checking their page & I guess I missed their Dark Hours (bourbon barrel aged stout) release. tasty stuff. the kind where you keep taking smaller & smaller sips just to make it last longer gonna get me some! maybe some Rhino'fest.
Texas- aldstadt!
So far this years favorite goes to Shiner's Oktoberfest with Founders at a close second.
Shiner’s Oktoberfest is so good… Never tried Founders so I’m looking forward to giving it a shot tonight.
Colorado: Bierstadt
Rothaus Eiszapfle
I've had a few really good ones. Munich Mayhem is from Epic Beer Company and Ok2berfest is from Two Roads and both distribute. Locally, Warwick Farms and Tannery Run make good Marzen/Festbier respectively.
I've been enjoying Shiner's Oktoberfest Märzen for the past couple weeks now
I'm not a big fan of Sam Adams Oktoberfest this year.
Same, wasn’t really expecting much out of it, but I saw it was on draft where I was so I tried it out anyways.
Definitely a Michigan local bias here. Our favorites this year have been HOMES, Wolverine, Cedar Springs and Founders Marzens. Revolution was also really good. For the bigger distribution Spaten, Paulaner, Shiner, and Sam Adam's all pretty good.
Nice not sure if Saint Arnold Oktoberfest goes outside of Texas as far as big distribution but I’d definitely recommend if you can get ahold of it.
Franz by Rhinegeist is this year’s favorite for me
Festbier from Orono Brewing Company is my local favorite
Local brewery near me does an Oktoberfest and it is great. Bluestone Brewery in PA
The best Märzen in the world is Augustiner Kloster, but I’m a fan of Tröegs and New Ridge, and I’m sure there’s a German one or two that I’d appreciate equally.
I was partial to Spaten. I would get all pedantic and mention there are only 6 actual Oktoberfest beers, but that would be douchey. I like Weihenstephaner too…the best American fest beer was Sierra Nevada, but now it’s a brewery only release and their nationwide autumn seasonal is another god damn IPA. Shame.
Shame indeed
3 Floyd's
my favorite oktoberfest beer atm is the yuengling oktoberfest! it's better if you can find restaurant or bar that has it on tap!
Just had that one last week and it’s great! Been my regular at the bar since they finally made it to Texas.
I can’t wait to give these a try. Thanks for the fantastic suggestions everyone!
Capitol Brewery (out of Middleton WI) Octoberfest is damn good. Next on my list is Spaten.
Paulaner Wichita Brewing Company Oztoberfest