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September 21, 2009

It's Tapped! Oktoberfest is On!

Over the weekend  Munich Mayor Christian Ude swang the mallet and  uttered the words " O zapft is!, which I am told means, " It's tapped."

Oktoberfest is on.

In Wednesday's Baltimore Sun I will list the favorite Oktoberfest beers, German and domestic, that our tasting panel picked.

One from Lancaster, Pa, did very well.

We also sampled pumpkin beer, the seasonal up and comer.

Picked our favorites there as well.

Anyone picked personal fest favorites yet or are you still tasting?

Photo of Munich Mayor Christian Ude : AP.

Posted by Rob Kasper at 11:47 AM | | Comments (7)
        

Comments

I've had about a half dozen Oktoberfest so far this season (Mostly German) going to have some domestic ones now before declaring my favorite, but Spaten's is certainly high up on my list.

Sticking to the tried and true for Oktoberfest beers so far. I've picked up the Sam Adams and Spaten Oktoberfests in bottles, both were very tasty and drinkable. I tried out the Lancaster on draught over the weekend. While heavier than the Sam Adams and Spaten, it was more flavorful. Some friends and I also tried out boots of the Warsteiner Pils and Oktoberfest at Max's over the weekend. I can't really remember much about it, so they must have been good.

I'm not a huge fan of the Pumpkin ales, but I have had two this season that I would definitely get again. I had the cask-conditioned Heavy Seas seasonal at Mahaffey's at Waynestock, and the Southern Tier Pumking are both recommended.

I'm anxious to try the Lancaster Oktoberfest. I'm a big fan of all their beers and Oktoberfest brews, so that's a no-brainer.

The only ones I've had so far are the old fave Sam Adams, and Brooklyn Brewery, which was really good. Very, very smooth.

Most of the Oktoberfest beers I've had this year were from US craft brewers. Some good, some not so good. The Flying Dog "Dogtoberfest" was surprisingly tasty.

I just had a bottle of Clipper City's new "Great Pumpkin" last night and loved it. Great balance with tasty spices and a bit of pumpkin. Highly recommended. Probably my 2nd fave pumpkin beer, only to Southern Tier's "Pumking".

How could I forget? Probably the best of the best Oktoberfest (US) beers has to be "Harvest Ale" from Southern Tier. Very good beer.

I was at the Delaware Saengerbund Oktoberfest this year, and was pleasantly surprised with Greenville, DE's Twin Lakes Oktoberfest.

Perhaps the most unique Oktoberfest is at the Orioles game on October 2. The beer sponsor? Guinness.

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About Rob Kasper
Rob Kasper, a features columnist, has been writing about beer for 20 years, and he remembers when Anchor Christmas and Noche Buena were about the only beers at a holiday tasting and Sisson’s was the only brewpub in Baltimore. A collection of his columns, "Raising Kids and Tomatoes, Amusing Tales and Appetizing Recipes," was published in 1998. He lives with his wife, Judith, a professor at Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, in a downtown Baltimore rowhouse. They have two grown sons, who come home from time to time and drink their father’s beer.
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