Rise and stein for Oktoberfest​-​style beers

Though it​ ​doesn’t​ ​feel​ ​like​ ​it​​ ​in​ ​Hawaii​, given our recent​ ​string​ ​of​ ​hot, humid​​ ​days,​ it is fall, and in the beer world that means ​it is the season for Oktoberfest​-​style beers.​ ​These​ ​actually​ ​begin​ ​showing​ ​up​ ​in​ ​the isles​ ​in​ ​August, a ​welcome​ ​change​ ​from​ ​the lighter​ ​lager​ ​styles​ ​we’ve​ ​been​ ​enjoying​ ​all​ ​summer.

The​ ​official​ ​Oktoberfest​ ​celebration​ ​in​ ​Munich, the​ ​biggest​ ​beer​-​drinking​ ​festival​ ​in​ ​the​ ​world,​ ​traditionally takes​ ​place​ ​in​ September; this​ ​year festivities run​ ​from​​ ​Sept. 16​ ​to Oct. 3. Fest​ival ​beers​ (“festbier” in German) ​are​ ​not​ ​all​ ​alike​, ​and​ ​the​ ​style​ ​has​ ​changed​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​over​ ​the​ ​past​ ​couple​ ​of​ ​decades.​ ​In fact, many​ ​of​ ​the​ ​beers​ ​served​ ​in Munich are​ ​quite​ ​different​ ​from​ what ​we drink​​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S. If you’ve​ ​never​ ​had​ ​a​ fest​bier, it’s​​ ​time​ ​to​ ​try​ ​one.​ ​

Many​​ ​Oktoberfest​ ​beers​ ​brewed​ ​in​ ​the​ ​U.S.​ are based​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Marzen​ ​style.​ ​A slightly​ ​malty​ ​lager​ ​with​ ​wonderful​ ​notes​ ​of​ ​toasted​ ​bread with​ ​a​ ​hint​ ​of​ ​toffee​ ​and​ ​caramel​, it has​ ​a fuller​ ​flavor​ ​than​ ​the​ ​typically​ ​lighter​ ​German​ ​helles​ ​lager.​ ​

Samuel​ ​Adams’​ ​Oktoberfest​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the best​ -known​ ​and​ ​most​ ​popular​ ​American​ ​interpretations​ ​of​ ​this​ ​style.​ ​It is​ ​malt​-​forward with​ ​a​ ​touch of​ ​sweetness, and its warmer flavors make it ideal for ​fall​ ​weather​ ​in a place like​ ​Boston.​ ​Personally,​ ​I​ ​find​ ​it​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​too​ ​heavy​ ​to​ ​enjoy more​ ​than​ ​one​ ​at​ ​a​ ​time,​ ​so​ ​I​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​gravitate​ ​toward ​other​ ​selections.

Another​​ ​choice in the traditional​​ style is the ​Oktober Fest​​-​​Marzen ​from​ ​the​ ​classic​ ​Bavarian​ ​brewery​ ​Ayinger. A​ ​bit​ ​drier​ and less sweet ​than​ ​the Sam​ ​Adams​, it​​ ​features a​ ​fantastic​ ​toasted-​grain​ ​profile​ ​reminiscent​ ​of​ ​freshly​ ​baked​ ​sweet ​bread, and its clean​ ​finish​ ​makes​ ​it​ ​easy​ ​to​ ​drink. This​ ​beer​ ​is available for​ ​just a ​few​ ​months,​ so ​it’s​ ​one​ ​that​ ​I​ ​always​ ​pick​ ​up.

What’s​ ​interesting​ ​is​ ​that​ while the Oktober Fest​-​​Marzen is​ ​brewed​ ​in​ ​Germany,​ ​it’s​ quite distinct​ ​from other​ ​fest​​bier​ in Munich​​. The six ​breweries​ setting up serving tents there ​have​ ​slowly​ ​— by that, I mean over​ ​the​ ​past​ ​couple​ ​of decades —​ ​lightened​ ​their​ fest​bier,​ ​making​ ​them​ ​more​ ​drinkable​.​ ​Beer there​ ​is​ ​consumed​ ​by​ ​the​ ​liter,​ ​so​ ​the​ ​lighter​ ​and​ ​more​ ​easy​-​drinking,​ ​the​ ​more​ ​people​ ​can consume.

Hofbrau’s​ ​Oktoberfest​bier​ ​is​ ​one​ ​of​ ​the​ ​official​ ​beers​ ​served, ​much​ ​lighter in​ ​color​ ​and​ ​malt​ ​flavor​ ​than​ the offerings from ​Ayinger​ ​or​ ​Sam​ ​Adams. Its​ ​bright​ ​golden​ ​hue​ ​and​ ​pillowy​ ​white​ ​head​ ​of foam might lead you​ ​to mistake​ ​this for​ ​a​ ​classic​ ​German​ ​helles​ ​lager.​ ​It​ ​still​ ​has​ ​a​ ​touch​ ​of​ ​malt​ ​aroma,​ ​like​ ​freshly​ ​baked​ ​white​ ​bread,​ ​but ​little​ ​sweetness.​ ​Light but still full of flavor,​ ​with​ ​a​ ​crisp​ ​and​ ​refreshing​ ​finish​,​ ​it’s easy to​ ​understand​ ​how​ ​Oktoberfest​-goers​ ​can​ ​drink​ ​multiple​ ​mugs​ ​of​ ​this​ ​beer.​ ​It’s also​ ​perfect​ ​for​ ​Hawaii’s​ ​climate this​ ​time​ ​of​ ​the​ ​year.

In that same vein, consider trying Weihenstephaner​ ​Festbier,​ ​Uinta​ ​Fest​ ​Helles​ ​and​ ​Sierra​ ​Nevada​ ​Oktoberfest​, ​all​​ ​great examples​ ​of​ ​lighter,​ ​less​ ​sweet​ fest​​bier​​.​ ​Whatever you select, these beers​ ​are​ ​a​ ​great​ ​change​ ​of​ ​pace​ ​from​ ​your​ ​normal​ ​routine,​ ​so​ ​try​ ​a few​​ ​while​ ​they​ ​are​ ​available.

Tim Golden, a certified cicerone, shares his obsession with all things craft beer monthly. See his blog, “Beer in Hawaii,” at beerinhawaii.com.