Good People Drink Good Beer
• BEER REVIEWS
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"There is an ancient Celtic axiom that says 'Good People drink Good Beer.' Which is true, then as now. Just look around you in any public bar-room, and you will quickly see: Bad People drink Bad Beer. Think about it." - Hunter S. Thompson
Tonight my dad and I had our own mini-tasting, featuring Oktoberfest brews!! I know, we’re a little late with this style. But we had a few left over in the fridge that we needed to drink, and my dad suggested we make it a little more exciting by staging our own tasting! We had offerings from Sam Adam’s Brewery (Boston Beer Co.- Boston, MA), Stegmaier (Lion Brewery- a local offering! Wilkes-Barre, PA), Shiner (Spoetzl Brewery- Shiner, TX), and Point (Stevens Point Brewery- Stevens Point, WI).
I really enjoyed all the Oktoberfest’s; each of them had great color and flavor. Sam Adam’s and Stegmaier are a little bolder in flavor than both Shiner and Point. Point was definitely the malty-est of all four, which isn’t really my favorite type of flavor. Shiner held it’s head better than any of the other brews. I think my two favorites had to be Shiner and Sam Adam’s - one a little milder, the other a little richer.
If you have a few bottles of the same style of beer, try having your own little tasting! It makes drinking them a little bit more fun! (Not like drinking isn’t fun already hahaha…)
Prost!
Erin
America’s oldest brewery is now trying their hand on a classic brew style for the first time: Oktoberfest! It seems fitting with all the german heritage around the state of PA. This article really doesn’t give much info on the brew itself, but I had the chance to try it at its first and official debut September 16th, 2011 at the PA Oktoberfest in Wilkes-Barre, PA. (This article is a little off; it debuted already in my area, ceremonial keg tapping and all!, and will debut in Bethlehem this weekend.)
Dick Yuengling himself was on hand to tap the ceremonial first keg, and I already had a stein of it in my hand! Word is this brew will only be offered in kegs AKA on draught, but I don’t have any real confirmation of this. I’ve heard a few mixed reviews about their Oktoberfest, but I personally was a big fan of it!! It has a great dark amber color that’s clear, not cloudy. It has a slight caramel tone to its smell, and it has a medium body that’s crisp. Its flavor is slightly sweet with some caramel and malt characteristics, and there isn’t very much hop flavor — something many beer drinkers feel that it’s missing. It’s smooth and easy to drink with a clean aftertaste. Many people have said it seems they were trying for bigger and richer flavor with this brew, which I believe is true, but they missed the mark a little bit. I was still a big fan of its crisp flavor and can’t wait to see it on tap at my local bar, but try it for yourself if you have the chance!
