Oktoberfest season has arrived and along with it some long-awaited variety to the San Diego beer scene. I’ve written in past articles about my fondness for Oktoberfest, its history and my own personal history with the annual festival that traditionally begins mid-September and runs through the first Sunday of October.
So this time around, I thought it would be a good idea to write about the beers themselves and what’s being served around town.
According to Randy Mosher’s excellent book “Tasting Beer,” we can simplify the Oktoberfest beers into two categories: Märzen and Festbier. Or darker and lighter. Beer purists and enthusiasts may want to jump in here, but let’s agree to start with these two as a way to appreciate the beers our local brewers are producing right now for our enjoyment.
The Märzen style may be the one most craft beer drinkers recognize this time of year. It’s amber in color, although that shading can differ. The aroma will offer “malt, malt and malt, with an emphasis on caramel and cookie character,” Mosher writes.
Märzens are “well-rounded and highly quaffable but a shadow of the traditional beers” made for the first Oktoberfest celebrations, writes Roger Protz in “The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Beer.”
Karl Strauss annually releases its Oktoberfest Märzen, a deep golden beer, smooth with toasted malts and subtle herbal and floral notes from the Hallertau Perle hops. Alesmith’s AleSchmidt is a copper-colored version that won a gold medal at the 2021 Craft Brewers Cup.
Mother Earth Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest beer features German pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts. The orange-hued brew has a honey and toasted-bread sweetness balanced out by Noble hops. They have also released El Hefe, a hefeweizen and Hella Good, Helles Lager to round out their German-style offerings for the season.
On the lighter side of the color spectrum, Festbiers are deep yellow to gold in color with bright clarity. While much lighter in color and less toasty than the Märzens, don’t let the lightness fool you. Festbiers weigh in around or slightly above 6% abv, stronger than the darker counterpart.
Societe Brewing offers a Festbier with a citrusy, lemony zest. Barley and Sword has brewed its version of Wiesnbier, a 5.8% Festbier with all-German, all-traditional ingredients. Blue Fire Brewing has a Festbier and the exceptionally hard to find Rauchbier (a smoked malt variation) ready to pour in classic steins.
For those watching calories or alcohol intake, Athletic Brewing offers its 70-calorie, 0.05% abv Fest Beer. It features Vienna and Munich malts and has the body and malt sweetness that fits the style. It has a little of that NA beer aftertaste that always makes me raise an eyebrow, but I enjoyed it enough to bring a six-pack home.
In other seasonal beer news, the San Diego Brewers Guild’s Capital of Craft Beer Festival returned to the Broadway Pier. This event is always special because the brewers clearly bring beers they want to showcase to each other as much as to the public. With 75 local beers served, live music and a stunning venue, the event was better than ever.
“The Capital of Craft Beer Festival is exactly what the title is! Where all of San Diego’s best breweries show up and have a great time,” says Esthela Davila, president of the San Diego Brewers Guild.
“Being back at the Broadway Pier was exciting and we are hoping to bring it back next year as well. Amazing beer, amazing views, and amazing people!” Davila added.
Big congratulations to Vista’s Weir Beer for winning the coveted Golden Hop People’s Choice Award. Keeping its Let’s Get Weird vibe alive, Hayden Weir brought his Haterade blue raspberry seltzer to the festival (along with an excellent IPA).
I like this beer!
There were many to pick from during the festival, and my notes became a little jumbled halfway through the event. But, there was no doubt about San Diego Brewing Company’s San Diegrown Wet Hop IPA made with local hops.
Tropical, citrusy and with that delicious greenness of a fresh wet hop beer. This beer is made in collaboration with Urban Surf 4 Kids and Eli’s Horse Thief Hop Farms. On tap now. And if you’re looking to fill that German-style beer hankering, they also have a Märzen, San Diego Gold Kolsch and Battles for Bavaria Hefeweizen.
Cheers!
Jeff Spanier is the co-host of I Like Beer the Podcast. Follow Spanier’s adventures on Instagram @ilikebeerthepodcast and @ilikebeerthepodcast2757 on YouTube.
