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The Top 31 Oktoberfest Beers to Try in 2024
Lederhosen not required.
Photography courtesy of 3 Sheeps Brewing Company
Do You Love Oktoberfest? ????????????
Updated on September 18, 2024
September 21, 2024, marks the beginning of the 189th Oktoberfest celebration! And you can bet that the annual festival that attracts millions of visitors to Munich, Germany, to imbibe a particular style of beer will feature toasts, aka prosts, and beer steins clinking galore. But just because you couldn’t make it across the pond this year doesn’t mean you can’t find a way to join the fun and drink some of the best Oktoberfest beers wherever you are in the world.
For our part, we wanted to recognize the holiday by digging into its history. Above all, we’ll clarify the difference between Oktoberfest, Märzen, and Festbiers. Lastly, we’ll give you a few updated recommendations for our favorite classic German and current American versions.
Known here in America for roasty, malty notes, Oktoberfests, Märzens, and Festbiers are perfect pints when the weather turns cold. Whether you’re camping out with a classic Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier from the original Munich brewery or enjoying a contemporary 3 Sheeps Brewing Roll Out the Barrel barrel-aged Märzen, we’ve found the best beers to ring in the Oktoberfest season.
But first, a little history lesson.
What Is Oktoberfest?
Photography courtesy of Hofbräu
Essentially a lesson in German royalty, Oktoberfest started with a wedding. Bavarian Crown Prince Louis (later King Louis I of Bavaria) married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen on Oct. 12th, 1810.
The nuptials included a raucous party open to the citizens of Munich on the fields in front of the city gates. Named Therensienwiese or Therese’s Fields, the Wiesn or outdoor meadow hosted days of drinking and horse races. Amid the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815), this party aimed to unite Germans during a tumultuous time.
Oh, and did we mention the royal family provided beer and food free of charge? Everyone had so much fun that the festival became a yearly celebration.
“History, tradition, hospitality—Oktoberfest is not only the biggest but, I think, also the best beer festival in the world,” says Christian Dahncke, head brewmaster at Paulaner, one of the six Munich breweries that actually has permission to brew and sell the original Munich Oktoberfest Bier. “It is a combination of old traditions … and a big beer festival, where each of the six Munich breweries tries to brew the best beer for this event.”
Hurdles like cholera and now the COVID-19 pandemic stymied some Oktoberfest celebrations. But for the most part, going back two centuries, people gather in Munich every year to sip overflowing steins in huge beer tents and eat roasted chicken.
Today, Germany’s largest folk festival and one of the most famous beer festivals in the world typically welcomes over six million visitors. And has spawned local celebrations at breweries and bars across the globe.
Why Does Oktoberfest Start in September?
Photography courtesy of Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
As we mentioned, Oktoberfest originally started in October. However, during the 1870s, the festival moved to the last two weeks of September for weather reasons. Turns out the end of September has better weather than the first two weeks of October!
What Is the Difference between Oktoberfests, Märzens, and Festbiers?
Photography courtesy of Brewery Silvaticus Ales and Lagers
The answer is a little complicated. In Germany, Oktoberfest means beers brewed specifically for the Oktoberfest event in Munich.
Historically, the beers served at Oktoberfest can only come from the large breweries inside Munich’s city limits, including Augustinerbräu Münche (Augustiner), Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner, and Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu (Spaten).
“Paulaner brewery is a real traditional Munich brewery and has always played a big part in the history of the city’s culture,” says Dahncke. “[So Oktoberfest] is an event dear to Paulaner’s heart.”
Since 1818, Paulaner has brewed its Oktoberfest Bier, but it actually didn’t gain popularity at the annual celebration until much later.
Actually, during the first sixty or so years, the darker Bavarian dunkel dominated. But by 1872, Spaten Brewery introduced the more amber-hued Märzen, which became the official beer of the fest. In the mid-1960s, Paulaner’s golden-colored Oktoberfest Bier, considered a Festbier, began to take over.
Today, Paulaner’s Oktoberfest Bier is the most-served beer at Oktoberfest in Munich. Although still slightly malty, these lighter-bodied Festbiers are super drinkable and perfect for the two-week-long celebration.
So, What Does the Term Oktoberfest Actually Mean?
According to European Union regulations, only beers brewed by the six breweries above can use the label “Oktoberfest” (much like real champagne, which can only technically come from the Champagne region of France). All other breweries must call their seasonal lagers Oktoberfest-style beer. But that hasn’t stopped American brewers from using terms like Oktoberfest, Märzen, and Festbier pretty much interchangeably. To further confuse things, American breweries often brew beers with punny variations, such as Oaktoberfest and Octoberfest, etc.
Today, in the States, Oktoberfest is often used as a catchall that encompasses Märzens and Festbiers. The Märzens here in America typically feature Munich and Caramel malts for beers that tend to be redder, maltier, and slightly sweeter.
Basically, the Oktoberfest-style beers brewed in America are actually nothing like the Festbiers made for the real Oktoberfest in Germany. Instead, they align more closely with the original styles served in the 1870s.
If it helps, the Brewers Association actually separates Oktoberfests into two styles: German-Style Oktoberfest/Wiesn and American-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest.
Of course, some brewers in the United States adhere more closely to the paler, modern German Oktoberfest styles. But for the most part, if you’re drinking an Oktoberfest in America, it’s probably a copper-hued, toasty Märzen lager.
Wait, I’m Still Confused. Can You Recap Everything For Me?
Photography courtesy of Metropolitan Brewing
Heck yeah! Basically…
Oktoberfest (Oktoberfestbier) – Any beer formally brewed by one of the six big Munich brewers and served on the Oktoberfest grounds. Over the years, these beers have evolved from dunkels to Märzens to Festbiers. Today, they’re light gold in color and easy-bodied.
Märzens – German amber lagers typically anywhere from chestnut to russet in color. Smooth, toasty, bready, slightly spiced with a bit of a Noble hop bite, Märzens hit around 5-6% ABV with a dry finish. First brewed by Spaten in Germany, in America, this is the most common style of what we’ve come to call Oktoberfest or Oktoberfest-style beers.
Festbiers – A strong golden German lager similar to a helles, just maltier. The floralness and spiciness of Noble hops are more prevalent in this style. And they’re slightly meatier at 6-6.5% ABV. First pioneered by Paulaner, Festbiers today in Germany are THE official beer of Oktoberfest.
Oktoberfest-style – Normally falling under the style of Märzen, these beers are brewed outside the city limits of Munich. Again, buying an Oktoberfest-style beer in America will most likely be an amber Märzen. Technically, only beers brewed by one of the six original breweries in Munich can officially be called Oktoberfest (Oktoberfestbier).
For our purposes, as much as possible, we want to recognize all the above styles. Oktoberfest is a celebration of tradition, and we want to respect that. But there are plenty of modern American versions that deserve recommendation as well. But don’t worry; we’ve parsed through the field to bring you our top picks for the best Oktoberfest beers to drink at home during this year’s festival.
Here Are the Top 31 Oktoberfest Beers We’re Drinking to Celebrate
The German Classics You Can Find in the U.S.
Photography courtesy of Hofbräu
The best way to experience historic, original Oktoberfest beer is to visit Munich, Germany, during the last two weeks of September. Of course, not everyone can travel. So, since most of us are stuck here in the States for the celebrations, these are the versions of Oktoberfest that you can try from the original six Munich breweries here in America. Prost!
Please note that at the time of publication, we could not find Augustiner-Bräu Oktoberfestbier available in the U.S. Similarly, because Anheuser-Busch InBev now owns the rights to brew Löwenbräu in North America at the Labatt Brewing Company in London, Ontario, Canada, we have not included Augustiner or Löwenbräu in our list.
Oktoberfest Bier – Paulaner
Munich, Germany
Photography courtesy of @paulaner | Paulaner
Festbier – According to Paulaner, its Oktoberfest Bier is “a glass full of October sunshine, strong and golden.”
We couldn’t agree more.
For Paulaner’s Oktoberfest Bier, Dahncke uses local ingredients, including an exceptional Pilsner malt from regional Bavaria and a small amount of dark barley malt for color, maltiness, and body.
And 100 percent Bavarian hops including Herkules and Hallertauer Tradition.
But the true secret, according to Dahncke, is the bottom-fermenting yeast, which builds a higher alcoholic content with a full malty body.
“[Oktoberfest Bier] has a smooth, aromatic, malty taste, as well as a slightly delicate bitterness that makes the difference,” says Dahncke.
Currently the most-served beer at Munich’s official Oktoberfest, Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier is your best chance to down a stein of history and heritage without paying for a plane ticket.
“You’ll first notice the malty aroma, followed by a pleasant fresh and hop flower aroma,” says Dahncke. “After the first sip, you will get the perfect balance from the strong note of malt in combination with some bready and toffee notes, but the bitterness will always remain in the back.”
Brewed only once a year for the fall celebration, this is authentic Oktoberfest beer at its best.
Bonus: Paulaner also makes an excellent Oktoberfest Märzen, a style first brewed over 200 years ago during the original Oktoberfest. History in a bottle!
Pro Tip: Find this beer in Untappd’s best-selling Oktoberfest box here!
Original Oktoberfest Amber Märzen – Hacker-Pschorr
Munich, Germany
Beer mockup courtesy of Hacker-Pschorr
Märzen – Brewed in reverence to the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, known as Reinheitsgebot, the Original Oktoberfest Amber Märzen from Hacker-Pschorr is a perennial favorite. Amber in color and stunningly smooth, this märzen stands for everything the style represents—a perfect marriage of sweetness and maltiness.
Oktoberfestbier – Hofbrau
Munich, Germany
Beer mockup courtesy of Hofbräu
Festbier – A true Festbier, Oktoberfestbier clocks in at 6.3% ABV, making it a bit bigger than its traditional counterparts. Still, this beer is intimately quaffable. Pouring a shiny gold thanks to light barley and Munich malts, Hofbrau’s version feels soft on the palate. The slightly sweet finish gets you ready to go in instantly for another sip. This is the beer you want alongside some of that traditional Oktoberfest roast chicken.
Pro Tip: Find this beer in Untappd’s best-selling Oktoberfest box here!
Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen – Spaten
Munich, Germany
Beer mockup courtesy of Spaten
Märzen – Created in 1872, Spaten Oktoberfest is considered the world’s first Märzen. Towing a lustrous line between amber and gold, this version boasts deep, toasty notes complemented by a crisp citrus lemon bite. Simply put, this version from Spaten is not to be missed. Luckily, it’s pretty readily available here in the U.S. Just be careful not to confuse this Märzen with Spaten’s golden Oktoberfestbier, only available in Germany. The Mayor of Munich kicks off the official Oktoberfest celebration by tapping a keg of Spaten Oktoberfestbier. So, unless you travel to Munich, you won’t be able to try Oktoberfestbier, but Spaten Oktoberfest is an amazing alternative.
Pro Tip: Find this beer in Untappd’s best-selling Oktoberfest box here!
Weihenstephaner Festbier – Weihenstephan
Bayern, Germany
Festbier – Although technically not one of the big six Munich breweries, Weihenstephan still makes “a beer that truly represents the Bavarian way of celebrating.” Pouring a deep gold, Weihenstephaner Festbier is a full-bodied, rich seasonal lager that you can only find during Festbier season.
And we’ve got it right here for you.
The Modern American Versions We Love
Photography courtesy of Grimm Artisanal Ales
Here are a few American craft brewers’ versions that put their modern spin on the German classic. Mostly, these versions will adhere to the more recognizable Märzen style that, as we’ve mentioned, has become popular here in the States.
Festooning – Grimm Artisanal Ales
Brooklyn, NY
Märzen – Grimm doesn’t mess around when Oktoberfest season comes. Festooning follows a traditional step-mashing process with a malt bill of German Vienna and Munich II malts. The amber lager gives you everything you want in a traditional Märzen: fresh toasted bread with honey, caramel sundae, and all that malty goodness you want when it’s cold and crisp outside.
Festbier – Human Robot
Philadelphia, PA
Photography courtesy of Magic Muncie | Hop Culture & Untappd
Festbier – One of the “Best Beers We Drank in 2023,” we featured Human Robot’s Festbier in our best-selling Oktoberfest box last year, and we’re doing it again this year. Our Social Media Manager, Magic Muncie, who got a bunch of these beers sent to him to shoot for the ‘Gram, kindly drove some down to Hop Culture Senior Content Editor, Grace Weitz (he only lives about an hour and a half north of her).
We’re huge Human Robot fans; the brewery is definitely on our list of must-visits if we ever make it to Philly one of these days. Instead of traveling coast to coast, getting out hands on Human Robot’s eponymous Festbier was the next best thing.
Look, over the last couple of years, we’ve tasted a lot of Festbiers for this annual piece. Candidly, along with Märzens, it’s one of our favorite fall styles.
Human Robot’s is unparalleled, which is probably why it ranks as Untappd’s fifth-highest-rated Festbier of all time!
Human Robot puts its Festbier through an intense process, including a double decoction mash along with a slow, cold fermentation.
You can taste the dedication. We get a lovely light buttery RITZ Cracker backbone from the German pilsner and Munich malt (plus the decoction step just has this incredible way of smoothly bringing out the rustic edges of malt, if that makes sense). The first sip gives way to a honied sweetness and finally a bite of Herbrucker bitterness.
This beer just has its s**t together but in such a humble way. It’s not outshining anyone, it’s not asking for the spotlight, it’s just quietly, tightly buttoned up to a T. It’s excellent lager craftsmanship at its finest.
Thanks for sharing, Magic!
Pro Tip: Find this beer in Untappd’s best-selling Oktoberfest box here!
Lager Town – Half Acre Beer Co.
Chicago, IL
Photography courtesy of Half Acre Beer Co.
Märzen – The return of Lager Town! Every year, Half Acre invites friends, family, second cousins twice removed, your post person, dentist, doctor, tax filer, and everyone in between to enjoy one of its perennial favorites.
Half Acre tweaked things a little this year to reflect the rate of consumption…which is high. Now available in 12oz six packs and with slightly updated artwork, Lager Town still keeps all the rich, maltiness you’ve come to expect in this classic, cult-like Märzen.
Spider Dance – Wayfinder Beer
Portland, OR
Photography courtesy of Orion Landau | Wayfinder Beer
Festbier – A collab with Grand Fir Brewing, Spider Dance just scuttles and bounces all over your tastebuds. Which is probably why this Festbier earns a super high 4.02 rating on Untappd. We dropped this beer into Untappd’s Oktoberfest box this year and see it becoming an immediate favorite. Expect notes of baking dough, honey in tea, and a bouquet of flowers. “Balanced and poundable,” writes Wayfinder in the beer’s Untappd description. “Makes your day better.” Definitely worked for us, and we know it will for you, too.
Pro Tip: Find this beer in Untappd’s best-selling Oktoberfest box here!
Munsterfest – 3 Floyds Brewing
Munster, IN
Photography courtesy of 3 Floyds Brewing
Märzen – A tribute to German brewing, Munsterfest uses only German malted barley, Bavarian noble hops, and traditional lager yeast. You’d expect 3 Floyds to go a little crazy and over-the-top with their version of a Märzen, but really, everything stays pretty classic here. Well, except for the artwork, which in itself blows our minds. Amber, toasty, and roasty, Munsterfest won’t melt your brain, but it will certainly keep you smiling all through the fall.
Festbier – Notch Brewing
Salem, MA
Festbier – There is a reason why Notch’s Festbier lands on Untappd’s list of all-time top-rated Festbiers. You’re in rarified lager air when drinking a Notch beer. And their Festbier is no different, brewed to mimic the exact style of beer officially served in the Oktoberfest tents at Munich each year.
Oktoberfest – von Trapp Brewing
Stowe, VT
Photography courtesy of von Trapp Brewing
Märzen – At this idyllic brewery in Stowe, VT, the hills are always alive with the fresh taste of helles. But, when fall rolls around at the brewery owned by the same family portrayed in The Sound of Music, calls for Oktoberfest can be heard from the peaks’ tippy tops.
Featuring a blend of light and dark Munich malts, von Trapp’s Oktoberfest contrasts that malty almost s’mores-like backbone with the floral, peppery Hallertau and Tettnang hops.
As the brewery writes in the beer’s Untappd description, “Say ‘Prost’ with this crisp and celebratory lager.”
Pro Tip: Find this beer in Untappd’s best-selling Oktoberfest box here!
G’Suffa! – Schilling Beer Co.
Littleton, NH
Photography courtesy of Zac Porter | Schilling Beer Co.
Festbier – Landing sixth on Untappd’s All-Time Top-Rated Festbier list, Schilling’s G’Suffa! reminds us of revelry or, as they like to say in Munich, “Oans, zwo, drei, g’suffa!” Schilling’s annual Festbier release just puts a smile on our faces.
Pouring clear-as-a-bell gold, the Festbier includes Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner and Vienna malts for that chewy grain goodness, followed by Bavarian Saphir and Amira from HVG Hops for that light potpourri counterbalance.
The lager-heavy brewery sounds G’Suffa for natural carbonation for a beer that’s equal parts malty, floral, and all good times.
Copper Legend + Munich-style Fest Bier – Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
Framingham, MA
Photography courtesy of Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers
Festbier – Here’s what Jack’s Abby says about their Munich-style Fest Bier: “When it’s time to fest, count us in!” Golden and delicious, Munich-style Fest Bier proudly provides a divergence from many of the other Märzen-style lagers of the season. Jack’s Abby keeps this Festbier unfiltered, so you just get a perfectly perfumed, slightly sweet, crispy boi.
Pro Tip: Find this beer in Untappd’s best-selling Oktoberfest box here!
BUY MUNICH-STYLE FEST BIER HERE
Festbier – Green Bench Brewing Company
St. Petersburg, FL
Photography courtesy of @greenbenchbrewing | Green Bench Brewing Co.
Festbier – Speaking of Green Bench, Festbier is the brewery’s own interpretation of the lesser-known German golden lager now served as the official beer of Munich’s Oktoberfest fete.
Brewed with imported German Pilsner, Vienna, and Munich malts, Green Bench’s Festbier produces a strong malty backbone tempered by a clean hop bite.
Green Bench Co-Founder and Head Brewer Khris Johnson uses a traditional double decoction process and natural carbonation to truly mimic an authentic German-inspired interpretation of this celebratory harvest beer.
Immer Wieder – Marlowe Artisanal Ales
Mamaroneck, NY
Photography courtesy of Marlowe Artisanal Ales
Märzen – Translating to “time and time again,” Immer Wieder from one of our favorite breweries in Upstate New York is an unfiltered, non-fined, naturally carbonated Märzen-style lager.
Respectfully brewed in the art of Oktoberfest tradition, Immer Wieder is a beer that Marlowe really took time to perfect. Years actually. That shows how much this incredible brewery cares about paying homage to a beer whose history spans centuries.
“This is the best batch of this style of lager we’ve had the pleasure of brewing,” writes the brewery in an Instagram post. “Biscuity and bready in all the right ways, this amber-hued lager is meant to be drunk by the mug as the summer heat wanes and the leaves start to think about turning their brilliant hues.”
Oktoberfest Ur-Marzen + Festbier – Goldfinger Brewing Company
Downers Grove, IL
Photography courtesy of @goldfingerbeer
Märzen – To make Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen, Goldfinger stays as faithful to traditional Märzen brewing as possible. Which means that yes, they brew this beer in March. And yes, they tie up one of their lagering tanks to cold condition for six months until September. At which point, Goldfinger’s German lager is nice and ready for Oktoberfest. But this also means that Goldfinger only brews a certain amount, and once it’s gone, it’s gone! Get one of Untappd’s all-time top-rated Märzens while you can.
Märzen + Festbier – No surprise that Goldfinger’s Festbier also ranks in the top ten of Untappd’s highest-rated Festbiers of all time. It crushes just as hard, with a 4.14 rating on the app and a 5.4% ABV. A bit paler and lighter in body, Goldfinger’s version drinks with an elegant balance of sweet honey and floral hoppiness, finishing crisp and dry.
Oktoberfest – Enegren Brewing Company
Moorpark, CA
Photography courtesy of Enegren Brewing Company
Märzen – Unsurprisingly, one of our favorite lager breweries in Southern California makes a mean Oktoberfest.
A traditional Bavarian Märzen-style lager, Enegren’s Oktoberfest includes imported German Munich, Vienna, and Pilsner malts, which give this garnet-hued beauty a robust palate of crunchy toast, caramelized nuts, and brown butter.
“The Germans have figured out how to use chemistry and awesome amounts of equipment to take two ingredients and pull the most amount of flavors out of them and let you drink that beer all day long out of these giant mugs and not be dead,” Enegren Co-Founder and Head Brewer Chris Enegren once told us. “And it’s awesome because it’s like if you want to go play golf or work on your car, hang out in your backyard, still want a good beer?”
That’s Enegren’s Oktoberfest. Have one. Have two. Have a great day.
Wondrous Weissbier – Wondrous Brewing Company
Emeryville, CA
Photography courtesy of Wondrous Brewing Company
Weissbier – We’re deviating a little bit here, but it’s only because when we saw Wondrous drop this beer on IG, we hightailed it over to the Emeryville-based brewery (it’s a mere twenty-minute drive from my house without traffic).
The unfiltered Bavarian-style wheat beer stays pure Reinheitsgebot with just sixty percent pale German Wheat malt, thirty percent Pilsner malt, hops, and a classic Hefe yeast. Wondrous Brewing Founder Wynn Whisenhunt deploys a step mash to coax out all the beautiful layers of malt here, including a ferulic acid rest to “bump up the clove and nutmeg character,” according to the brewery.
This is hefeweizen to a yeast T. You’ll get those notes of caramelized banana, frothy bubble gum, and sweet vanilla. Everything finishes pretty dry just to entice you to take another sip. Yeah, we dare you to take just one sip of this beer!
Fest Bier – Chuckanut Brewery
Bellingham, WA
Photography courtesy of Chuckanut Brewery
Festbier – Hop Culture and Untappd Social Media Manager Magic Muncie and Hop Culture Senior Content Editor Grace Weitz had the chance to try Chuckanut for the first time at this year’s Firestone Walker Invitational. And we loved them…so much that they made our list of the top beers we drank at the fest.
Chuckanut’s Fest Bier is serious business. Pouring a lovely golden hue, the Washington-based brewery’s Festbier is the perfect beer for a mug. Equal parts slightly sweet, smooth, and balanced, Chuckanut’s Fest Bier just feels right for the season.
Oktoberfest + Oktoberfest Gold – BarrieHaus Beer Co.
Tampa, FL
Photography courtesy of BarrieHaus Beer Co.
Märzen – The brewery’s cult-like Oktoberfest hits you first with notes of dark fruit and the crispy toasted edges of a biscuit. A line of bitterness cuts through everything for that perfect counterpoint. Speaking of counterpoint…
Festbier – BarrieHaus’ Oktoberfest Gold ranks a 4.01 on Untappd, slightly higher than the brewery’s Märzen. Expect notes of toasted caramel and dank pine.
Märzen – Barrique Brewing and Blending
Nashville, TN
Photography courtesy of @barriquebrewing
Märzen – Barrique Brewing and Blending takes tradition to heart with its Märzen. The Nashville-based brewery starts with floor-malted Bohemian dark malt and pilsner malt from the German maltster Weyermann, double decocting for a 5.8% ABV Märzen with lovely layers of robust maltiness. This is the perfect fall beer, and it is easy to see why it makes it into the top ten beers on Untappd’s All-Time Top-Rated Märzens.
Festbier + Festweizen – Dovetail Brewery
Chicago, IL
Photography courtesy of Dovetail Brewery
Festbier – No one in the Midwest brews better pilsners, Festbiers, and German-style lagers than the all-lager Dovetail Brewery. After all, these folks focus full-time on executing these finicky, bottom-yeast-feeding, and cold-temperature-loving beers. Like Goldfinger, Dovetail brews this beer in the spring, letting it mature over the summer before they tap it for their fall Oktoberfestiversary.
“Perfect for those increasingly longer nights, even the color of the beer compliments the changing leaves,” writes the brewery. “Crisp and delightful. Let’s party!”
Hefeweizen – We had to just throw this one in for S&G because we saw Dovetail drop Festweizen on Instagram, and we were so intrigued. So, technically, we haven’t tried this beer yet, but we sure want to give it a go. Give us a shout if you’ve actually had this beer because it looks freakin’ fantastic. According to Dovetail, their brewery is built to be a “Hefeweizen heaven” (their words, not ours!). The festival Bavarian wheat beer apparently coaxed out everything you want in a hefe—banana, clove, caramel, toasted bread, and roasted dates. Dovetail says it’s their interpretation of a Pumpkin Spice Latte. We’re on board!
Oaktoberfest – Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Paso Robles, CA
Photography courtesy of @firestonewalker | Firestone Walker Brewing Company
From its unique approach to hop harvest that led to an ingenious IPA combining old- and new-world hops to its experimental hop series, this iconic twenty-six-year-old brewery continues to innovate.
Oaktoberfest is the brewery’s oak-inspired festbier.
“Oaktoberfest is our riff on the Festbier style—we call it a ‘Paso Festbier’ as a nod to our hometown,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson in a press release. “While the recipe is traditional, we lager the beer in French oak barrels to give it an extra smooth mouthfeel with a hint of oak character.”
Although it’s been around for over fifteen years, we can’t say we’ve seen another version quite like this one.
Probably because, in 2021, the brewery brought a little bit of California to this traditional German lager, lagering a portion of the beer in French oak barrels from some of Napa Valley’s top wineries.
“It’s German raw materials meets California wine barrels,” said Brynildson in the press release. “We’ve really honed the recipe and process, and it just seems to get better every year.”
Other than that, the inside of the beer is mostly German, featuring Weyermann Vienna malt, Weyermann Pilsner malt, noble German hops, and Weihenstephan lager yeast.
Expect this classic with a slight twist to be wonderfully malty with a luxurious texture and complexion thanks to the oak aging.
Barrel-Aged P3 Oktoberfest – Phase Three Brewing
Lake Zurich, IL
Photography courtesy of @phasethreebrew
Märzen – An imperial version of Phase Three’s P3 Oktoberfest (which is totally worthy of this list, too!), Barrel-Aged P3 Oktoberfest naps in Rabbit Hole bourbon casks for an entire year, hitting a high-octane 15% ABV. Märzens are known for being relatively middling in alcohol content (6-6.5% ABV), so it makes sense that a barrel-aged version at over double the strength knocked heads to get to the number one spot, on Untappd’s All-Time Top-Rated Märzen list.
You get all the maltiness and roastiness you love from a Märzen but a bit of barrel and char character from the casks. You can’t drink many of these, but that’s not the point when you drink a Märzen this stunning.
Roll Out the Barrel Bourbon Barrel Aged Oktoberfest (2024) + Oktoberfest – 3 Sheeps Brewing Company
Sheboygan, WI
Photography courtesy of 3 Sheeps Brewing Company
Märzen – Sliding into the top ten of Untappd’s All-Time Top-Rated Märzens, 3 Sheeps Brewing’s Roll Out the Barrel Bourbon Barrel Aged Oktoberfest takes the brewery’s traditional Oktoberfest and ages it in bourbon barrels.
Much like Phase Three’s BBA Oktoberfest, we don’t see too many of these, so we’ve got to try ‘em when we do.
Look, is this traditional? Hell nah. Is the 12.5% ABV barrel-aged Märzen something special? Hell yea.
Oktoberfest – Brauerei Gutmann (2024) – Sierra Nevada Brewing Company x Brauerei Gutmann
Chico, CA x Titting, Bayern, Germany
Photography courtesy of Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Festbier – Sierra Nevada does something a little different for its Oktoberfest every year, collabing with a different German brewery to make something truly one-of-a-kind. We followed last year’s collab with much delight.
Sierra Nevada teamed up this year with the iconic Brauerei Gutmann, a family-owned Bavarian brewery started in 1707.
“Fans of this beer may not realize there is a deeper story of collaboration and friendship behind it. It’s a delicious take on the Festbier style, and there is a direct and authentic Bavarian influence in it through our collaboration efforts with Brauerei Gutmann,” said Brian Grossman in a press release, Chief Brewer and second-generation owner at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. “A lot of effort and meticulous care goes into crafting all our beers, and especially so with Oktoberfest because of the collaboration process, and the back-and-forth discussion of the recipe and brewing techniques. At the core, we’re brewers; we love brewing beer and doing it with precision and authenticity. It’s even more fun when we get to do it with friends who share our passion for great beer.”
For this true partnership, Sierra Nevada includes a bit of wheat malt in the first as a nod to Gutmann’s signature wheat beers. Pouring a lovely copper, Festbier finishes with a chewy crispness and strong notes of toasted biscuit, graham cracker, and fresh baguette.
