The craft beer industry has its seasonal imperatives, and now that fall is here that means many local tasting rooms will be offering their own interpretations of two kinds of brews that are traditionally associated with autumn, although they’re dramatically different from each other.
The original early 19th-century Oktoberfest style, also known as Märzen, was a strong beer that was started during the cool months. Märzen derives from März, the German word for March, which was the last month that this beer could safely be made in the days before modern refrigeration. (Brewing during late spring and summer months was inadvisable because warmer weather was conducive to bacterial infections.) Märzen was kept in cold storage all summer (a process called lagering), and it was brewed at a higher alcohol content, which helped it maintain its stability. In the fall, tradition dictated that last season’s final beer had to be consumed to make room for the new beer to be brewed. Good excuse for a party!
Märzen is an attractive-looking beer in the glass – it’s usually medium copper in color – and it’s a nice beer to drink when the weather is a little cooler. It’s slightly malty and full-bodied, with a hint of toastiness and a lingering sweetness that (if it’s well made) is perfectly balanced by the bitterness of the hops.
Since about 1990, Festbier (it’s often called Oktoberfestbier, although that designation can only be used by breweries in Munich) has largely replaced Marzën in Munich during the two-week Oktoberfest celebration. Lighter in color and body than Märzen, it’s only beginning to be explored by local craft breweries.
In the New World the autumnal beer was a hardier libation that reflected colonial America’s distinctive harvest and the bounty on hand. Since barley and other European brewing staples were often hard to come by, pumpkins, squash and other starchy, plentiful vegetables were employed in the fermentation process. Sometimes, corn and even apples were used.
It was a rustic process. A 19th-century historian listed the typical ingredients in a beer commonly made in Massachusetts around 1800: “malt, hops, dried pumpkin, dried apple parings and sometimes rye bran, birch twigs and other things.” (It’s the “other things” that scare me.)
Pumpkin and other kinds of squash gradually faded as a beer ingredient in the 19th century because grains and malts became more common, but they reappeared with the birth of the craft beer movement in the 1980s, when early experimenters such as Buffalo Bill’s Brewery in Hayward started selling pumpkin-flavored ale. At first the neocolonial beer tended to be intensely pumpkin-y, with plenty of spices – nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom — to ramp up the pumpkin pie association. But as the craft beer industry matured in this country and tastes evolved, many pumpkin- and squash-infused craft beers have become less sweet and more balanced, and some beer makers have moved on from ales to pumpkin lagers, stouts and porters.
In their own words, here’s what some local craft brewers are planning to roll out this fall.
All-American Ale Works
Jeff King, Owner/CEO: “All-American Ale Works is brewing two seasonal fall beers this year. Both are yet to be named. One is a golden milk stout brewed with lactose and flaked oats for a subtle sweetness and creamy mouth feel. We’ll be adding pumpkin pie spice and cold brewed coffee post-fermentation for our take on a pumpkin-spiced latte.
“We’re also brewing a maple pumpkin ale. This beer will start off as an amber-style beer with a heavy dose of darker crystal malts for a caramel or brown sugar flavor. We’ll use maple syrup to boost the ABV and add another layer to the final flavor. Finally, we’ll finish it off with pumpkin puree and spices. We expect to release them the week of October 16th.”
5120 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim, 657-549-2140, all-americanaleworks.com
Anaheim Brewery
Barbara Gerovac, co-owner: “Anaheim Oktoberfest Lager is brewed according to a 100-year-old recipe in a traditional Bavarian style, copper-colored and strong, around 6.5 percent ABV (alcohol by volume). It has a rich, caramel maltiness balanced with a touch of German Hersbruecker hops, and a smooth, slightly toasty finish.
“Anaheim Oktoberfest Label – Kevin Kidney designed the bottle label with 1970’s vibe, as it was only in the 1970s that Oktoberfest began to be celebrated outside of Munich. His design combines iconic Munich landmarks – the twin domes of the Frauenkirch and the Neues Rathaus with the little Muncher Kindl atop its spire – with the diamond pattern of the Bavarian flag.”
336 South Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim, 714-780-1888, anaheimbrew.com
Backstreet Brewery
Bob Weden, Cellar/Assistant: “We currently have an Oktoberfest that comes in at 6 percent ABV. We used German malts and hops for this beer and it’s about as traditional as you can get.
“I’m also about to release a Wee Heavy Scotch Ale that is bittered with heather flower. I used a two-hour boil and lower fermentation temperatures to bring a super-smooth mouth feel. With notes of caramel and toffee and an ever-so-slight floral/tea-like flavor from the heather, this beer clocks in at 8.3 percent ABV. It is also a very traditional beer and serves as a love letter to my wife, Heather, who busts her butt at her job so I can afford to work in beer. I call it Amongst The Gael Heather Ale. The name comes from a Robert Louis Stevenson poem called ‘Heather Ale: A Galloway Legend.'”
1884 S. Santa Cruz St., Anaheim, 657-236-4050, backstreetbrew.com
The Bruery
Joel Kennedy, retail marketing manager: “Autumn Maple has been popular for several years. It’s a bit of a twist on what a lot of brewers do for an autumnal beer. Instead of using pumpkins, we use yams. We have a penchant for them; they have a little more sugar, and you can get a lot more character from them through caramelizing. We also use a lot of spices and flavors to enhance the taste profile of Autumn Maple, including cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla and maple syrup. At 9 percent ABV, it’s classified as a Belgian strong ale.
“This year, The Bruery is offering a variation on the theme called Midnight Autumn Maple. It’s an imperial stout version of that has a lot of the same spices as the regular Autumn Maple and a ton of yams. But we brewed it with midnight wheat which turns it dark and gives it a stout-like character.”
717 Dunn Way, Placentia, 714-996-6258, thebruery.com
Four Sons Brewing
Deven Dufresne, Director of Operations: “In our taproom we are currently pouring The Leaves Aren’t Changing, which is a traditional Oktoberfest Lager (5.2 percent ABV). Customers can order it served in their own 4Sons-branded half-liter Das Boot that entitles them to discounted refills during September and October.
“By mid-to-end October we will be releasing Up On The Rooftop, a holiday Doppelbock, on tap. It’s a dark, rich and malty German Lager flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. We will also offer three different bottle releases, the original Up On The Rooftop and two barrel-aged variants. One was aged for 12 months in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels, the other was aged for 12 months in Heaven Hill rye whiskey barrels.”
18421 Gothard St., Suite 100, Huntington Beach, 714-584-7501, foursonsbrewing.com
Green Cheek Beer Company
Evan Price, Co-Owner/Brewer: “We made a festbier called Impossible Germany that we’ll be releasing by early October. Our festbier is a collaboration with Firestone Walker. It’s made with all German ingredients; one-third of the batch has been lagering in Firestone Walker Union Barrels in our cold room for the last six weeks and will be blended with the rest of the batch that was lagering in stainless steel.”
2294 N. Batavia St., #C, Orange, 714-998-8172, greencheekbeer.com
Phantom Ales
Jack Stimmler: “We have three autumn beers. Wassail Cider with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, release date Oct. 15, 6.5 percent ABV. Bourbon Barrel Aged Pumpkin Spiced Quad, release date Oct. 12, 11 percent ABV. Autumn Wheat, release date Oct. 17.”
1211 N. Las Brisas St., Anaheim, California, 714-225-3206, phantomales.com
Stereo Brewing
Amanda Pearce, Operations Director: “For fall, we have Stereo Oktoberfest, a Vienna-Style Lager at 5.0 percent ABV. It has a caramel flavor with hits of malt and a medium to light body. We will be releasing it at our Year 1 Party on Oct. 14th.”
950 S. Via Rodeo, Placentia, 714-943-3466, stereobrewing.com
Outside Orange County
Angel City Brewery
Angel City Imperial Oktoberfest is an über version of a traditional German-style Märzen. Beneath its deep copper appearance is a malt-forward flavor filled with caramel and toffee notes. A lengthy cold-lagered fermentation provides this big beer with an incredibly smooth taste and full mouthfeel.
Predating lagers and pilsners, the name altbier literally translates to “Old Beer.” 45 RPM Albier, Angel City’s version of this classic throwback, has a dark copper appearance and slightly fruity, rich malt character. Noble hops provide a spicy, peppery hop flavor which finishes smooth and crisp.
216 Alameda St., Los Angeles, 213-622-1261, angelcitybrewery.com
Black Market Brewing
Black Market’s Oktoberfest Märzen Lager is a traditional German-style Märzen brewed with Pilsner, Munich and Vienna malts along with a perfect amount of Noble hops. 5.8 percent ABV.
Their Superstition Pumpkin Ale is brewed with malt, hops, spices and of course pumpkin. If you’re really daring, try Superstition in a glass rimmed with pure maple syrup and cinnamon sugar. It’s like drinking pumpkin pie in a bottle. 6.8 percent ABV.
41740 Enterprise Circle N., # 109, Temecula, 951-296-5039, blackmarketbrew.com
Escape Craft Brewery
Great Gam Gam’s German Pale Ale is Escape’s nontraditional Oktoberfest beer release this year. It’s brewed with German malts and European hops.
721 Nevada St., #401, Redlands, 909-713-3727, escapecraftbrewery.com
Hanger 24
Oktoberfest Fall Lager is now available at the Hangar 24 Tap Room in Redlands and in select retail stores. It’s brewed in Reinheitsgebot tradition, using imported German malt and hops and a German lager yeast strain. The floral and citrus hints blend nicely with aromas of toasted bread and pretzels. Oktoberfest Fall Lager pairs nicely with roast chicken, pork or German sausages. It also complements hearty breads, dumplings and sharp Munster or Dutch fontina cheeses.
1710 Sessums Drive, Redlands, 909-389-1400, hanger24brewery.com
Iron Triangle Brewing Company
Oktoberfest Festbier has a balanced mouthfeel and medium body that result in a full malty, sweet flavor with a fresh, noble, hop bitterness. Fermentation is completed with a lager yeast, creating a clean and crisp flavor profile that improves with cold aging until release.
ABV: 6.0 percent.
1581 Industrial St., Los Angeles, 323-364-4415, irontrianglebrewing.com
Scholb Premium Ales
Brewmaster Jason Kolb is offering three fall beers. He’s particularly proud of his roggenbier. “Not too many other places make that,” he said. He tried a pumpkin-spice beer last year but decided to concentrate on German beers this time around. His three fall beers:
Hef Way There, a Hefeweizen with a banana aroma, lemon notes and a creamy mouth feel. 5.1 percent ABV.
Going Rogue Roggenbier, brewed with rye malt instead of barley in direct violation of the Reinheitsgebot laws. Earthy, spicy, and bready flavors intermingle with clove and fruity esters from the hefeweizen yeast. 5.0 percent ABV.
Mein Stein, a traditional Märzen brewed with Pilsner, Munich, and Vienna malts from Heidelberg, German noble hops and a German yeast. It has a deep, rich malty character. 5.9 percent ABV.
2964 Columbia St., Torrance, 424-350-7303, drinkscholb.com