And that’s what this beer is all about. Released just this past week, Bierstadt’s version stays true to the Märzen style. 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 Märzen

Firestone Walker Brewing Company – Paso Robles, CA Photography courtesy of Firestone Walker Brewing CompanyLowenbrau Oktoberfest: This beer is a classic Oktoberfest beer that is brewed in Munich. It is known for its rich, malty flavour and is one of the most popular beers at the festival.

Even though I’m not a huge beer drinker, I sure do love a glass stein and this one is from the lovely team at Beer Hawk. Even though I might not be in Germany, I do feel part of the celebrations with one of these glasses in hand and as you can see, Gareth looks right at home. It wasn’t until 1892 that beer was served in glass mugs as they were traditionally made out of stone, followed by metal and more commonly these days, the huge glass steins. Tröegs Independent Brewing – Hershey, PA Photography courtesy of @troegsbeer | Tröegs Independent BrewingFor our part, we wanted to recognize the holiday by digging into its history. Above all, we’ll clarify the exact difference between Oktoberfest, Märzen, and Festbiers. Lastly, we’ll give you a few updated recommendations of our favorite classic German and current American versions to try. Personally, we like how the brewery describes the beer: “rich malt aroma, flavors of fresh toasted bread and golden brown biscuit tops with a clean, balanced bitterness.” Elsewhere’s version of an Oktoberfest is just super balanced and beautiful. And to us that is what the Oktoberfest style should be all about. No fuss, no muss, just the good stuff.