[inline:beer]Since all of us can't make it to Munich for Oktoberfest this year we've got our own stateside German heritage celebration with bars, brats, and, of course, beers. In Part One we'll be discussing two Oktoberfest specialty brews from the Empire State.
When Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria was married in 1810 he threw a kick-ass rager with horse racing and lots of beer. The resulting brew and festival were dubbed Oktoberfest and have been celebrated as a 16 day all-you-can-drink festival of beer and everything Deutschland. The Oktoberfest Marzen style of beer uses German malt and hops, but some of its best examples are from right in my neck of the woods, New York.
Interesting Fact:
Brooklyn Brewery hired Milton Glaser, an iconic graphic designer, to create the logo for the brewery. Glaser, co-founder of New York Magazine, is responsible for creating another iconic New York logo: the I Love New York slogan you see on T-shirts everywhere.
Brooklyn Brewery Oktoberfest
NYC's premiere brewery, Brooklyn Brewery supplies bars not just throughout the five boroughs but all over the country. Famous for its Brooklyn Lager, the Williamsburg brewery puts out an Oktoberfest style to keep New Yorkers drunk throughout the whole two-week festival.
This beer pours a nice crystal clear burnt orange without much head at all. Aromas of rich Bavarian malt are up front with Hallertau hops behind it. Full bodied but easy to drink, this Oktoberfest has a finishing taste of pistachios.
Blue Point Brewing Company Oktoberfest
Serving New York City's big, long suburb of Strong Island is Blue Point Brewing Company out of Patchogue. Blue Point is famous for its Toasted Lager and brick-brewing kettle that imparts a slightly toasted flavor to the malt.
More golden in color than most Oktoberfests, Blue Point's is like an Oktoberfest Light with sweet malts dominating the nose. With an equally light body, the beer is very bready and not my favorite Oktoberfest, though it does have a really cool looking label.
Interesting Fact: Blue Point Brewing Company has won the Chef Evan Award for the most annoying website on the entire internet. Check it out www.bluepointbrewing.com.
