Firestone Walker is a circle of trust brewery. The beers they've made are so good I don't mind that they're buying up other brewers -- notably Stone and Trumer -- because there's a good chance they'll be proper stewards for the recipes they've acquired.
My first experience with Mahrs Bräu, coincidentally, was thanks to Firestone and its annual beer fest -- an expansive and exclusive gathering of invited brewers from across the globe in its home town of Paso Robles, California. The German brewer made my list of the eight top beers I tried that scorching June afternoon. They enjoyed the experience so much they've teamed up to make a new fest bier in collaboration with Firestone Walker.
Marzens and fest biers are two of my favorite styles in the
drinking world -- crisp, malty lagers that you won't get tired of drinking a liter at a time. Last week, I had one of the best, most drinkable fest biers of my life atLake Mills, Wisconsin's Sunshine Brewing (the Stammtisch. Haven't tried the Stormoen yet). Let's see how Firestone Walker measures up.
Oktoberfest: B-
It pours -- two cans at a time, into a one-liter boot because 'tis the season -- with a lovely fluffy white head. The smell off the top is malted barley in the sweet manner you'd expect from a fest bier.
The first sip -- toe up, of course -- is light, crisp malt with a dry edge that hollows it out a bit. It's snappier than other fest biers out there. There's a little more bitterness to it, leaning into the hoppy finish that helps separate the style from a marzen.
Ultimately, that hop twist at the end is a bit of a letdown. Firestone Walker makes great pale ales, so it's not a surprise they went a little deeper with the late-stage bitters of a new fest bier. And, of course, it's not a bad beer -- it might be exactly what you're looking for if you want an Oktoberfest that leans a bit harder into IPA territory. It's nowhere near as hoppy as a pale ale, but it's at least gesturing broadly in that direction.
I like it. I don't love it. Which, for Firestone Walker, is a modest step backward.
Would I drink it instead of a Hamm's?
This a pass/fail mechanism where I compare whatever I’m drinking to my baseline cheap beer. That’s the standby from the land of sky-blue waters, Hamm’s. So the question to answer is: on a typical day, would I drink Firestone Walker's Oktoberfest over a cold can of Hamm’s?
It's a totally fine beer. I'd go for the cheaper option. Except, whoops, I poured my rally boot when Vanderbilt trailed North Carolina State by 17 points and look what happened there.
Because I am a superstitious dork, I will be drinking this Oktoberfest until Vandy loses or until it is discontinued. So, probably just until Saturday.
This is part of FTW’s Beverage of the Week series. Here, we mostly chronicle and review beers, but happily expand that scope to any beverage that pairs well with sports. Yes, even cookie dough whiskey.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Firestone Walker Oktoberfest review: Mahrs Bräu collab slightly underwhelms
