Tuesday Top Ten: Favorite Oktoberfest Beers (Revised)

Once Labor Day hits, not only is it time to pack up your white pants and shorts (I don't give a fuck what Emily Post says), but it's time to start the switch from summer beers to fall beers.  Oktoberfest beers have been flooding liquor stores and grocery stores (and my belly) for a couple weeks now, and in about two weeks, I will once again be drinking liters of them in Munich while trying to convince frauleins to let me take a picture of them whilst they hold a giant pretzel in front of their respective bosoms (by the way, read that entire post I just linked because it is awesome in every respect).

Back in September 2011, a mere two weeks after the birth of Lollipop, I brought unto the world another bundle of joy:  a list of my ten favorite Oktoberfest beers.  It's time to update that list.

As I indicated in the previous post, the style of beer that is often labeled "Oktoberfest" or "Octoberfest" beer here in the States is technically märzen, which was developed in Bavaria centuries ago, when beer could only be brewed between late September and late April. The beer was brewed in March (Märzen), and then opened up in the late summer and, later, for Oktoberfest. It is stronger than normal beer, as it must withstand not only the summer months, but also hundreds of thousands of idiots like me.

Since I have consumed a bunch of new Oktoberfest beers since the last post (and have retried many of the ones on my previous list), I will break everything down into a star rating system that I have used on the wonderful beer app, Brew Gene.  Under each category, I will list the beers alphabetically and identify the ABV and location of their respective breweries.

3.5 stars

Altenmünster Oktoberfest (5.5%; Kempten, Germany)

Bell's Octoberfest (5.5%; Kalamazoo, MI)

Great Lakes Oktoberfest (6.5%; Cleveland, OH)

Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier (6.3%; Munich, Germany)

Spaten-Bräu Oktoberfest Ur Märzen (5.9%; Munich, Germany)

Wolters Fest-Bier (5.0%; Braunschweig, Germany)

4 stars

Augustinerbräu Oktoberfest Märzen (6.0%; Munich, Germany)

Boulevard Brewing Bob's '47 Oktoberfest (5.8%; Kansas City, MO)

Goose Island Oktoberfest (6.4%; Chicago, IL)

Gordon Biersch Märzen (5.7%; San Jose, CA)

Harpoon Octoberfest (5.3%; Boston, MA)

Left Hand Oktoberfest (6.6%; Longmont, CO)

Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest (5.1%; Chippewa Falls, WI)

New Glarus Staghorn Octoberfest (6.25%; New Glarus, WI)

Paulaner München Märzen (5.8%; Munich, Germany)

Point Oktoberfest (5.15%; Stevens Point, WI)

Revolution Oktoberfest (5.7%; Chicago, IL)

Shiner Oktoberfest (5.8%; Shiner, TX)

Two Brothers Atom Smasher (7.7%; Warrenville, IL) (which I'm enjoying as we speak)

Victory Festbier (5.6%; Downington, PA)

4.5 stars

Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest (5.8%; Munich, Germany)

This is still the best, in my opinion.  It doesn't have that bitter, almost sour, aftertaste that many of the German märzens have.  It goes down smooth, and it's great for watching football on a fall day, or drinking until the point of blindness in a giant tent on a different fall day.

Magic Hat Ourtoberfest (South Burlington, VT)

I still think this is the best American Oktoberfest beer that I've had.  Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Magic Hat makes it anymore.

Sam Adam's Octoberfest (5.3%; Boston, MA)

This is one of my favorite Sam Adams seasonal beers.  It's really easy to drink.  A great fall beer.

As always, I am open to recommendations.