[Saccharomyces]

Agree on the Avangard Pilsner and also the Fawcett GP.  I found a sack of that GP at one of my local supply houses and I believe the sack was close to $100.  Yes, I bought it and it made outstanding bitters, ESB, Pale Ales, etc.  I will take a flyer on things occasionally but I do not want a full sack of malt that I don't care for so I tend to stick to what I know.

Wow!  A 25kg sack of TF Golden Promise set me back $60. That is more than I pay for other imported malts.  I was kind of bummed out when I learned that a lot of brewers prefer Simpsons when I purchased it, but it is a very clean tasting British malt. The British malt notes are there without the musty wet basement notes that are common with other British offerings.

[Bel Air Brewing]

Regarding 55lb sacks, Weyermann and Ireks is what you find in our brew pantry.
We have had extremely good luck with both of these.

Typically Munich, Floor Malted Bohemian Pils, Pale Malt, and Vienna is what's on hand.

[tommymorris]

Back in the day I remember people suggesting that you use American 2-row or American Pilsner malt if you wanted to make an "American Lager" because most everyday beer drinkers that are used to American Lager would think that a beer made with Euro malts has too much flavor.  I have to say that I never tried it but imagine a beer made with American 2-row, maybe some Vienna or Munich so the beer doesn't look like Zima, some flake corn, etc.  It would probably taste like bland, American beer. 

But, Sierra Nevada seems to use 2-row pale in their Oktoberfest every year, even the good years. 

[Bel Air Brewing]

Just had the Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest beer. Did not care for it.

[roger]

+1

We stopped at Sierra Nevada in Mills River, NC and I tried their 2021 Octoberfest a couple of weeks ago. Not a fan of this year's version. I hope they get back to the collaboration version.

[Bel Air Brewing]

+1

We stopped at Sierra Nevada in Mills River, NC and I tried their 2021 Octoberfest a couple of weeks ago. Not a fan of this year's version. I hope they get back to the collaboration version.

Do they not have a set recipe for this? They change it every year? Is this the case with most brewers? How about Boston Beer Company?

[roger]

I was told at the brewery that SN changes the recipe for their Octoberfest every year. Not certain about Boston Brewing, but highly suspect they do as well.

[Village Taphouse]

For awhile there I looked forward to various Oktoberfests that US Breweries would put out... SN, Sam Adams, Leinie and a few others.  Eventually I tasted authentic Marzens from Hacker-Pschorr, Paulaner, etc. and realized that the US versions are often too sweet as has been mentioned in this thread.  A more authentic version is drier, crisper and breadier and that good bread flavor (and most of the color) should be coming from good, dark Munich malt like Weyermann, Best Malz or Avangard.  Depending on how much color a beer like that has, I could see some American breweries saying that they could just get that color from crystal malt but that would be a mistake if you wanted to make an authentic version of it.  That said, some US breweries do make a nice Oktoberfest and honestly... Leinie's version is not bad.  It's not as dark or sweet as some of the others.   I made a Festbier/Oktoberfest/Tent Bier about six weeks ago that is super simple:  65% Pilsner, 35% Dark Munich (mine was Avangard), one addition of Spalt Select for about 25 IBUs from the start of the boil and 2124 for the yeast.  Simple, crisp, balanced, bready.  Looking forward to tapping it in a couple weeks here. 

[Iliff Ave]

+1

We stopped at Sierra Nevada in Mills River, NC and I tried their 2021 Octoberfest a couple of weeks ago. Not a fan of this year's version. I hope they get back to the collaboration version.

Do they not have a set recipe for this? They change it every year? Is this the case with most brewers? How about Boston Beer Company?

sn changes their recipe yearly. Recently, it has been more of an actual festbier doing collabs with german breweries. Boston Beer is garbage in my opinion...

[denny]

Just had the Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest beer. Did not care for it.

What didn't you like?

[denny]

+1

We stopped at Sierra Nevada in Mills River, NC and I tried their 2021 Octoberfest a couple of weeks ago. Not a fan of this year's version. I hope they get back to the collaboration version.

Do they not have a set recipe for this? They change it every year? Is this the case with most brewers? How about Boston Beer Company?

No, it's different every year. Often they partner with a German brewery.  This year they didn't.

[Saccharomyces]

No, it's different every year. Often they partner with a German brewery.  This year they didn't.

It is not difficult to tell that Sierra Nevada (SN) did not partner with a German brewery this year.    The beer is too sweet, lacks good continental malt aroma and taste, and for lack of a better description, a fizzy bitterness.  At least, that is my perception of what is coming out of Mills River.  Last year's Octoberfest was outstanding.  It made me reconsider SN's ability to make high quality lager.  Their lagers are not bad.  It is just that they are very pedestrian.

[denny]

No, it's different every year. Often they partner with a German brewery.  This year they didn't.

It is not difficult to tell that Sierra Nevada (SN) did not partner with a German brewery this year.    The beer is too sweet, lacks good continental malt aroma and taste, and for lack of a better description, a fizzy bitterness.  At least, that is my perception of what is coming out of Mills River.  Last year's Octoberfest was outstanding.  It made me reconsider SN's ability to make high quality lager.  Their lagers are not bad.  It is just that they are very pedestrian.

Or maybe they have a different idea of what it should be that doesn't meet your expectations. And that's Ok....its only beer.

[tommymorris]

One thing in defense of Sierra Nevada, this year’s can label calls the beer Amber Marzen. That’s a big clue what to expect.

Frankly, I’m not planning to even try it based on the pictures, that description, and people’s tasting notes. I prefer other beer.

[Village Taphouse]

One thing in defense of Sierra Nevada, this year’s can label calls the beer Amber Marzen. That’s a big clue what to expect.

Frankly, I’m not planning to even try it based on the pictures, that description, and people’s tasting notes. I prefer other beer.

Interesting.  That smacks of "Amber Bock" and "Zeigenbock" that you might see.  I admit that I like a smooth, dark lager but I do not like overly sweet finishes.  It can be dark and smooth but I would prefer a dry finish.  It's funny because years ago I would look forward to seeing various US breweries getting their Oktoberfests out this time of year.  I would absolutely buy Sam Adams along with any others I would find.  I probably haven't done that in 20+ years because at some point I would find German versions that were so much better.  I also used to make my own version where I probably used some Aromatic, Melanoidin, possibly even CaraMunich and it was clear that I was modeling my own version after some US versions.  But over time I simplified the recipe to the one I mentioned above and I like that approach much better.