Gingery

From Shiner’s website -

Recently immigrated Germans and Czechs who have settled in the new town of Shiner bring many of their traditions and tastes with them to the New World. Still yearning for their classic Bavarian brews, they form the Shiner Brewing Association. In a makeshift brewery, the beginning of Shiner Beer makes its debut as Shiner Premium.

Shiner’s has a new Summer beer that I had to try. When I saw that it contained Ginger I had to know if it was good or horrible. The last time I tried a Ginger product, it was a ginger mint that bore a hole through my tongue to the point I wanted to spit it back at the girl who gave it to me.

This beer pours with very little foam and looks light and a deep golden brown. The first smell is citrus-y with a slight hint of ginger. I see this is going to be interesting. It looks unassuming and good. The first taste it bracing, it is a mixture of grapefruit and ginger. It mellows out on the middle of the tongue and goes down smoothly. On subsequent tastes, the ginger/grapefruit gets better. The first bottle I was a little apprehensive, but the following ones make it taste better. This is a hard one to peg, but I came to the conclusion that I like the taste. It may not be to your liking, but if you like grapefruit and ginger, this would up your alley. I personally love grapefruit and think it the best hangover breakfast beverage. So that might have swayed me. This beer weights in at 4.01 % by volume. It’s doesn’t have that much alcohol and that might deter you from getting it. I did look for the percentage on the bottle and box, but they don’t out it on there. Maybe more alcohol would make it taste worse. I would say this one is a miss because you have to be in the right mind to enjoy this one. So again, if you love ginger and grapefruit go for this beer and if not you can pass this one up. I did enjoy this beer, but it is not for everyone.

Propaganda:

Shiner Ruby Redbird is brewed with genuine Texas Rio Red Grapefruit, the signature sweet citrus of the Rio Grande Valley, and ginger. This lager beer

SRR

features grapefruit tartness and finishes with a ‘lil kick of ginger. With Texas Ruby Red Grapefruit and Ginger, Shiner Ruby Redbird is a crisp and refreshing summer beer.

October-tasty

The Saranac brewery has been around since 1888, so they have some history around making beer. I have often seen this beer in the grocery stores and specialty shops, so I’m not new to it. But this is the first that I have tried their Octoberfest.

To start the aroma is nice, with the slight sweet smell of a mazen.  The first taste is light and well-rounded.  It is a crisp and fast taste.  Your tongue savours the flavor after its down your throat.  The finishing taste and smell go along with the smoothness of the first taste.  It is a nice easy-going flavor and beer taste with this Octoberfest.  You taste the marzen flavor but you could enjoy this all through the winter.  Congrats Saranac on a well-balanced beer that you can enjoy long after this season and in to Spring.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

To make the Oktoberfest tents suitable for older celebrants, the music is limited to 85 decibels until 6pm.  This is was developed in 2005 and is known as quiet Oktoberfest.

Propaganda:

Octoberfest

Availability: 6 Packs, Draught, 12 Beers A Falling 2010

Brewers Notes:

Saranac Octoberfest is a med-bodied, copper colored lager. It’s rich, malty taste is subtly balanced by Saaz and Tettnang hops. The beer is aged slowly in the tradition of the Octoberfest beers of Munich.
Beer Style: German Lager
Malt Selections: German Pilsner Malt, Crystal Malt
Hop Selections: Saaz & Tettnang
Color: Copper
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Roasted Meats, Stews
Alcohol By Volume: 5.4%
Original Gravity: 13

Very Tasty

I don’t even know to pronounce this beer, but I think it’s an authentic beer.  And the website is straight up in German, no icon to click to get an English version.  This is another brewery that has been around for many years.  Almost 600 years, the brewery was founded in 1417 in Munich Germany.  That’s a lot of time to brew beer.

HP’s Oktoberfest’s aroma is slightly sweet while having a light air to it.  The first taste is very nice and smooth.  You will taste the sweet smell from the aroma, but is not too sweet.  The first taste is light and crisp.  It will be at the back of your throat before you know it.  It does taste like a Marzen and the color follows suit also with a nice brownish nutty color.  The finishing taste is still crisp and light.  You taste the malts and slight hops on the way down.  It is a unique blend that is distinct.  It weigh in at 5.5% alcohol content by volume, which is light, but if you’re in the real Oktoberfest I guess your drinkers will be drinking a lot.  I thoroughly enjoyed this beer.  It is a pleasure to taste.  I didn’t know what to expect from this beer and I was surprised at the lightness of it and crisp finish, but it is refreshing.  It is worth a try;  I’m sure most connoisseurs will agree about the flavor and finish.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

Typical fare to eat at the Oktoberfest include:

Hendl (chicken)

Schweinsbraten (roast pork)

Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick)

Würstl (sausages)

Brezn (Pretzel)

Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes)

Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage)

Weisswurst (a white sausage).

Propaganda:

Hacker-Pschorr auf der Wiesn

Das Oktoberfest wird von den Besuchern aus Italien auch gern “festa della birra” (Bierfest) genannt und das nicht ohne Grund: auf dem größten Volksfest der Welt dominieren die großen Bierzelte das Bild und sie sind auch Ziel von Millionen Besuchern aus der ganzen Welt.

Die Brauerei Hacker-Pschorr beliefert von den großen Festzelten das “Hacker-Festzelt” und die “Bräurosl” mit dem süffigen Oktoberfest-Märzenund zahlreichen anderen Produkten aus dem Sortiment der Brauerei.

Becks Oktoberfest

The Oktoberfest made by Beck’s and you can check out their Flash site here – Beck’s Oktoberfest.  Beck’s beer has been around for a long time since 1873.  I have tried Beck’s and Becks’ dark.  It’s been a long time and I truly have forgotten how they tasted.  I think I wasn’t too fond of them.  Maybe I could be mistaken, it could’ve been St. Pauli girl.  Oh well, another old brewery with lots of history.

Beginning off, the aroma is nice with a hint of sweetness, almost fruity.  The first taste is very surprising and quite pleasant.  There is a richness to the taste and is well-rounded.  It is full and smooth.  The color is a nice rich amber, which you expect from a marzen.  The finishing taste is slightly stronger and finishes well in the throat and nose. I would venture to state that this is one beer that should be in your top ten Oktoberfest beers.  The only thing I can say bad about this beer is that it only weights in at 5.0% alcohol by volume.  I see that they have this beer everywhere and it is not too pricey.  If you are so inclined you should pick a six-pack up.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

Tirolerhut

If you attended or planning on attending Oktoberfest, you will see a lot of people wear a Tirolerhüte, which is a

traditional Bavarian hat.  You can buy a real one or a cheaper felt one.

Propaganda:

Visit their Flash heavy site at the link above.

Leine Bottle and Mug

I was out in the wild (at a bar) to taste the Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest.  So I am treating this with a slightly more astute reviewers eyes.  Since this was poured at a bar and there are lots of factors that can affect the taste of the beer, like the cleanliness of the taps system and how often they are cleaned and sanitation of glassware, etc.  Leinenkugel’s brewery has been around for a while and hails from the mighty state of Wisconsin.  The Jacob Leinenkugel brewery is the seventh oldest brewery in America.  There a lot of history around this brewery which you can check out on their website here Leinenkugel.

The Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest has a small aroma to begin with and just is the familiar beer scent.  The first taste is nice and light slightly lighter than the usual marzens and the color was a shade darker than a pilser.  The subsequent tastes are the same as the first.  Is is smooth and a great middle of the road beer.  I will say that there was a small aftertaste but I am attributing this to the bar and not the beer, because other beers had funny aftertaste that I know their tastes. I will say that this is a nice beer and it will eventually get  you drunk weighting in at 5.1% alcohol by volume, but a I would say this a a Oktoberfest lite type of beer.  It’s not horrible by no means, but it is there to please a majority of people and it will.  Thanks bean counters.  So pick this one up for entertaining people who you don’t know what their beer tastes are like and they will be pleased.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

Oktoberfest has been cancelled 24 times since it started due to war, disease and other emergencies. War world I and II accounted for 8+ years.

Propaganda:

oktoberfest details