Distributor Locations
I will admit we are quite spoiled when it comes to choices in what we want to drink. Our portfolio alone encompasses hundreds of different choices from over 170 breweries and supplier partners. We have gotten so used to getting things year-round that when things are only available for a limited time, it makes me stop and pay attention to it.
In the beer world, there are very few moments that are as anticipated as Oktoberfest beers. Keeping a tradition like this going brings us closer together as we become a part of the history and connects us deeper with the past. When the season comes around, it makes us nostalgic for the celebrations we’ve had in the past and excited for what’s to come this time. It’s quite interesting to me that we could, hypothetically, brew these exact beers to drink any other time of the year but it wouldn’t be “Oktoberfest” because it’s more than just the liquid in our steins, it’s about the festivities, the ambiance, the weather, and most importantly, the people.
If you already know the history of Oktoberfest and want to skip to our offerings this year, feel free to skip ahead to the next header but if you’re interested in how all this started, grab your favorite Oktoberfest beer, pour it out into your favorite glass/stein/horn/Stanley tumbler and gather around as we talk about a royal wedding.
The year is 1810 and we are in Munich to celebrate the marriage of Prince Regent Ludwig of Bavaria (who would later go on to be King Ludwig I) and his bride Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. A Bavarian National Guard member by the name of Andreas Michael Dall’Armi suggests having a large horse race to celebrate this royal marriage and with King Max I Joseph of Bavaria’s backing, the horse race was held on October 17th that year.
The celebration was so amazing that the following year, they wanted to party again but with no royal wedding (and royal funding) available that year, the Landwirtschaftlicher Verein in Bayern (Bavarian agricultural society) was formed. This group used this occasion to showcase their wares and what better way to show off Bavarian agriculture than bier? This started a tradition of holding an annual celebration because it was such a crowd pleaser.
It took several decades for this celebration to transform from a horse race to what it is now. The demand and importance of beer and breweries grew with every year and soon, the breweries were creating huge tents to make sure they could fit and serve all the thirsty patrons.
The atmosphere of Oktoberfest is electric! I had so much fun during Oktoberfest in Munich learning about all the quirks and traditions. It almost feels like going back in time when you enter the fairgrounds and find a spot at the table. If you have a chance to go, you definitely should. Just make sure you know how to chug properly if you decide to stand on a table!
Without further ado, here are our Oktoberfest beers!
Alter Brewing Co.
“Festbier is THE drink of choice at Oktoberfest festivals around the world, and much like its European inspiration, we brewed this beer to be the life of your next fest. Say “Prost!” with our Festbier.
Buckledown Brewing
Beautifully amber and crushable. Delicious and malty. Made with four different malts and noble hopped for a subtle grassy aroma. 5.2% ABV so you can enjoy multiple steins!
Burnt City Brewing
Oktoberfest Märzen celebrates the wonderful German tradition as respectfully as possible. Fancy German malt and hops were used in this flavorful, quaffable amber lager. Malt notes are prominent, but the beer finishes dry. Hop character is subtle, adding a gentle floral aroma.
Goose Island Beer Co.
Goose Oktoberfest is brimming with notes of toasted malt and freshly baked rye bread. This light-bodied German lager is clean and crisp with a fine noble hop character and mild earthy bitterness that is the hallmark of Hallertau hops. Raise a few steins of Goose Oktoberfest this fall and celebrate this time-honored tradition. Prost!
Haymarket Brewery
Fest Bier. This clean and easy drinking German style lager has a deep copper color with mild hop flavor, a firm malt middle, notes of toasted malts, cherries and a spicy dry finish. Meant to be consumed with friends during celebrations of all sorts of occasions.
Hopewell Brewing Company
This Märzen-style Oktoberfest lager is built to help you usher in the fall season. Rich and malty at the get-go, kept in balance with a hint of noble hop spice and a clean, effortless finish.
Moody Tongue Brewing Company
In celebration of one of our favorite beer holidays, we are introducing the Moody Tongue Oktoberfest. Every year, the release of Oktoberfest beers inspires us to turn on our grills, watch the leaves change color and enjoy steins of a delicious German amber. The Moody Tongue Oktoberfest is our favorite German-style dark beer to pair with pork – whether roasted, grilled or fried – with a body able to stand up to the rich flavors of indulgent fall dishes while refreshing the palate between bites.
Spiteful Brewing
Brewed in the classic Munich tradition with actual German ingredients, this Oktoberfest is made for drinkability. Pour into a stein or use the aluminum one it comes in.
Founders Brewing Co.
Blink and you’ll think you’re in Bavaria. We went all in on tradition with our Oktoberfest, using imported German malts and hops with a beautiful lager yeast for the finish. Pours a gorgeous copper hue with a rich, malty and slightly sweet backbone. Our version is akin to the beer poured in the early days of Oktoberfest and, yes, it adheres to the Reinheitsgebot. Prost!
Golden Road Brewing
A traditional German-style Oktoberfest Märzen (The Southern California Way) with a blend of Vienna and Munich malts as well as German hops. This amber bier has wonderful notes of caramel and a nice smooth, toasty finish.
Partake Brewing (Non-Alcoholic)
Oktoberfest is crafted with Munich and Vienna malts providing a semi-sweet, toasted malt flavor perfectly balanced by German hops. Smooth and easy drinking, it’s reminiscent of changing leaves and autumn crisp air.
Shiner Beer
Made with the highest quality malts, along with German-grown Hallertau Tradition and Hersbrucker hops.
Surly Brewing Co.
Oktoberfest lagers are the ultimate party beer. Up front, they’re rich, sweet, and malty, but they finish dry and clean with an ever-so-slight touch of hops. Prost!
Erdinger
Specialty for the festival season.
As hearty as a Bavarian beer festival: our ERDINGER Oktoberfest. This masterpiece of the brewer’s art is ideal for parties! ERDINGER Oktoberfest expertly combines smooth malt aromas with a pronounced hop bitterness. This well-balanced flavour is complemented by gently sparkling carbonic acid to give it the typical liveliness of a genuine wheat beer. Smooth, strong and irresistible – brewing tradition at its finest.
As a full-bodied specialty for the festival season, it whets the appetite for Bavaria’s famous drinking song “Prosit der Gemütlichkeit”.
“Bayerische Edelreifung” – for perfect enjoyment. Brewed according to the Bavarian Purity Law.
Brewed according to the Bavarian Purity Law.
Spaten
World’s First Oktoberfest Beer
The beer of Munich’s famous Oktoberfest: aromatic, savory, gold-colored.
Oktoberfest Ur Marzen. Its impeccable taste balances roasted malt flavor with the perfect amount of hops and an underlying sweetness, true to tradition.
If you haven’t visited the Riverwalk yet because you’re unsure of what’s there, this might be the perfect guide for you. The Riverwalk is one of the best parts of the city that gives us a little refuge away from the hustle and bustle of the Loop. So come on down – relax, eat, and drink with me on this guided tour of the Riverwalk bars and restaurants.
I had a long day ahead of me with lots of drinks and food to enjoy so I wanted to start off light and fresh. Michelob Ultra is the perfect beer for this because it’s not filling and is refreshing. The Chicken Caesar Salad here was perfectly dressed and the chicken was juicy and the croutons looked homemade.
This is just a great combo for a guilt-free power lunch with a little bit of beer. The flavors work well together and at only 90 calories and 2.6g of carbs for the beer, it won’t weigh you down the rest of the day.
I am very much a carnivore but I was very intrigued by the Greek Pita here. The veggies were fresh and vibrant (a combo of red onion, cucumbers, tomatoes, red peppers, and olives) and the hummus had a great consistency in the pita. The crumbled feta and the Full Pocket Pils worked so marvelously together on the palate and made each mouthful a pleasure. The slight tang and acidity from the pita contents really uplifted the beer’s clean and crisp qualities. The side salad was wonderful too.
The french roll on the Banh Mi was lightly toasted and the meat was really packed in there. It was beautifully garnished with cilantro, carrots, and jalapenos and it all worked really well together. There was certainly a spicy kick to it but it paired so well with the Bleacher Bum because the spice really made the peach notes in the beer explode. It also helped cool my mouth between bites. There’s just something about sweet and spicy that really works for me.
When I planned out my day, I was really looking forward to this combo. I’m a big fan of goat cheese and I wanted to see how it would be to pair these two together. I’m so glad I did because it was like having a charcuterie board with the Hopewell Italian Ice. Artichoke and sun dried tomatoes bring a little tang to the pizza and the goat cheese really stands out. Instead of tomato sauce, it uses a caramelized onion jam that helps balance out all these big flavors
Pairing is all about complimenting flavors with opposing ones but you need to match intensity with intensity. The Italian Ice pierces through on each sip but makes it easier to distinguish each component of the pizza. Due to its sorbet-like flavor profile, it can be a great palate cleanser between bites so you’re not fatiguing your palate with the intense flavors of this pizza.
To mix it up a bit from all the beers I’ve had today, I decided to try Nutrl’s Watermelon flavored Vodka Seltzer. The turkey sandwich here is much more than simple lunch meat between bread. It comes on a pretzel bun piled high with thick slices of turkey breast and topped with a delicious sauce. It also has slices of fresh mozzarella and slices of canned jalapenos to give it an extra kick of flavor.
The Nutrl seltzer really helped keep my mouth cool and when eaten together, it was a very pleasant experience that I wasn’t expecting with all the extra toppings on the sandwich. If you’re looking for a quick bite but don’t want to settle for boring, this is a great sandwich and drink combo.
As I said in the video, why wouldn’t I go with one of Hawaii’s best beers for a tiki-themed spot like this. I had just reached my final destination and it was the perfect sit down and relax beer for me. It was bright, refreshing, and had a very subtle sweetness that I expect from something tropical. The shrimp skewers were perfect to eat because I could eat them one handed while I had my feet up at the end of the Riverwalk watching the boats float on by.
The shrimp are tail-off on a bamboo skewer and are very flavorful. The seasoning is great and not overpowering and the grilled taste is unmistakable. The shrimp flavors bring the hops forward which is very interesting because Kona on its own doesn’t have much bitterness at all. If we dip the shrimp in the spicy sweet sauce that comes on the side, the beer tempers and quenches the heat beautifully. I also taste a lot more of the maltiness of this beer. The shrimp is also enhanced because the carbonation of the beer helps the flavors spread all across your palate.
Summer grilling is one of life’s greatest pleasures. It’s primal, a little dangerous, and it creates amazing foods. I like to think of myself as an above average cook but when it comes to grilling, it’s usually a steak, a burger, or some sausages. I haven’t dipped my toes into the world of smoking meats but I always wanted to. Luckily for us, we happen to have an expert at our office.
Rob Chambers, from our HR Department, just so happens to be a professional BBQ pitmaster and we were lucky enough to have him showcase his skills in person. Rob started off like a lot of us – someone who enjoyed BBQ and wanted to learn how to do it. He frequently smoked meat and BBQed.
One day, his friend Jon asked if he would be interested in competitive BBQ. Neither of them had competed before but they wanted to see what it was all about and entered a competition. It’s been about four years since they first competed and they continue to grow and place very highly in the competitions they enter.
I know I’m not the only one who has seen videos online of BBQed meats and wish they could take a bite right then and there. This was my first time being around a pitmaster cooking and he showed me a lot of tips and tricks to get the best end products.
Rob brought in a variety of meats to show what he can do with chicken, pork, and beef.
Chicken is ubiquitous and there are so many different ways to prepare it. When I BBQ though, I tend to stay away from it because more times than not, it turns out to be pretty dry and a little bland. When a BBQ pitmaster does chicken however, it is a flavorful and juicy bite every time. Unlike the one flip method that I’ve always been told was the correct way to grill, Rob lets the smoke do the job and makes sure the heat generated is consistent and at the specific temperature he wants.
Prior to grilling, the chicken is cleaned and trimmed. Meaning, it is rinsed off with water to freshen the meat. Using a knife or scissors, the chicken is trimmed to remove any excess skin or bone. Next, a dry rub would be added to coat the entire piece of chicken to ensure even flavor distribution. It would be preferred to let the dry rub set into the chicken for at least 30 minutes prior to adding it on the grill. There is not much flipping with chicken, however rotation does help.
I have loved ribs since I was a young boy watching the Flintstones car tip over on TV. I will order ribs the majority of the time if they are available. I have had them in all different styles in my travels but there is something very special about BBQed ribs because many times, the sauce is usually the prevailing flavor. The way pitmasters like Rob make them however, has the meat as the prevailing flavor enhanced by the aromas of smoke.
Same process as chicken for clean and trim. However, most ribs have a thin layer of membrane that will need to be removed on the back end of the rib. This can be done by pulling it off with a spoon and paper towel. From there, dry rub would be added to both sides of the meat and smoked with hickory wood. A few flips would help with the ribs, however once they have a good color on them, they would be wrapped in aluminum foil with butter and honey until they are at the right internal temperature.
The skirt steak was chosen because it’s a thinner cut of beef that would cook faster for all the hungry people at our office but many of the principles here work for thicker cuts too. While the chicken and ribs rested, I was able to observe Rob cooking the steak and ask some of the questions that I had.
First, I noticed that he was only using charcoal; I asked why he didn’t use propane (and propane accessories). It’s the kind of grill I have in my backyard and they seemed to be the most popular. Rob really likes the flavors charcoal imparts and he says he can actually taste the gas when it’s cooked on a gas grill. Maybe it’s because I grew up eating stuff made off gas grills but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what gas flavor he was talking about. If you notice those flavors, this may be the method of grilling you’ve been looking for!
Rob also showed me how to cook with an indirect heat method. The meat was never directly above the coals and he tried to keep the lid on the grill closed as much as possible. This ensures a nice even cook through and avoids the dreaded grey layer on steaks. I always liked a nice sear and char on my steaks but Rob’s steaks came out looking very different than what I make at home. It had a very appetizing browning and in certain lights, had the brighter red tones you might see in jerky. This got me wondering, “what do judges at BBQ competitions actually looked for?” Rob explained to me that although taste is very important, they are scored on consistency in competition. They will grill multiple pieces of meat but they pick the best looking piece(s) and send it in for judging. It has to look great, taste great, and have the perfect “chew” on it.
[When it comes to the perfect chew] it would be preferred to have a perfect bite through. This means that once you bite into the meat, there is barely any pull and [for chicken] you are taking skin with you on the chew. Basically like biting into a piece of bread and seeing your teeth marks.
I learned a lot from Rob and after talking to and watching him grill, I am excited to try his methods at home this 4th of July. Although mastering grilling will be very difficult, talking to Rob showed me it wasn’t quite as intimidating to start. It might be a while before I am confident enough to try my hand at the more expensive cuts of meat but I am looking forward to the day when I can smoke me some beef ribs and channel my inner Fred Flintstone.
With the nice summer weather (when it isn’t raining), we’re trying to spend alot more time outside. Outdoor parties, BBQs, happy hours … but here’s an idea, let’s have an outdoor movie viewing party! It wouldn’t take much to get everything set up – The New York Times has a guide here you can follow –
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/diy-outdoor-movie-theater/
But, what to watch? We’ve gathered a collection of some classic movies along with beverage pairings! Use these duos to host your own movie night, or get inspired to create your own outdoor movie and beverage combos.
It’s often said that Chicago has two distinct seasons – winter and construction. And as you can tell by the traffic and hi-vis vests, we’re no longer in winter. Construction season or “summer” as many outside of Chicago call it, is a great time to enjoy our marvelous beaches, patios, and street fests. You can and should drink whatever you want any time of year but there are drinks that are so quintessentially summer however, I thought I should share them with you.
First – what makes a drink a “summer drink”? There’s no one answer to this but when I think something is a summer drink, I like to think about its history, its taste, and how refreshing it is. So with that in mind…
Bock & Maibock
I wanted to start this list with Maibocks because historically, this was a sign of the warmer months coming. And no, we’re not talking about a Mercedes-Benz. We’re talking about maibock, translating to May bock, aka a bock made for consumption in May. It is similar to bock beers but usually paler and more hop-centric than its counterparts. They are the kickoff of summer for me but it has been rarer to find in stores every spring. You will occasionally find some from breweries such as Founders if they brewed it that year.
Bocks, on the other hand, are very easy to find all year round. They are a strong ale that was traditionally brewed for special occasions and it’s one of my favorite styles of beer because it’s one of the styles that really got me into craft beers. I always felt that this is a style that is very approachable because it is not intimidating for newer craft drinkers. It’s slightly sweet, has low bitterness, and isn’t dry. I think it feels like drinking a nice craft soda that’s not overly sweet. The toasted malts bring a smooth taste with a soft mouthfeel making them easily drinkable and when served ice-cold, they are a perfect beer for the hotter months. If you’re not a fan of the bitterness hops bring (like in an IPA) and you enjoy a sweeter beer, this might be it for you. Michelob Amberbock is a classic no frills bock sure to satisfy but if you want to go craft, Shiner’s flagship beer, Shiner Bock, is probably one of the best examples of bock made in America.
Pilsner
If easy drinking sounds good to you but you would like something crisper, less sweet, and untoasted – pilsners are probably exactly what you’re looking for. This style originated in Pilsen (the German city, not the Chicago neighborhood) and is a type of pale lager. Known for being crisp and refreshing, it’s something I like to drink on the hottest days or as a palate reset when trying lots of beers or eating because it’s less filling.
When it comes to pilsners, for me, less is more. Pilsners are all about the minimalist aesthetic. If other beers were sandwiches, Pilsners are plain toast to me. But do not get me wrong, I’m not saying that pilsners are boring. When you pile on meats and cheeses with oils and vinegar on bread, what goes in between the bread steals the show. If you give me a piece of toast, all I’m getting are the flavors and smells of the bread. Pilsners are a great way to showcase brewing skill and talent because there are very few ways to mask imperfections. If you are new to drinking beers, this style may seem boring but the lack of flash is what makes it so unique and desirable. One of the best examples of a pilsner is Trumer Pils. The brewers painstakingly traveled all around the U.S. to find a water source similar to Pilsen to brew a pilsner as similar to the original as possible. I often use this beer as a reference point for all other pilsners I taste. Many craft breweries in Chicago also brew a pilsner like Hopewell’s First Pils and Goose Island’s Full Pocket and showcases their skills as brewers.
Saison
Possibly the best example of a seasonal beer, saisons (French for “season”), were created to help quench the thirst of hardworking farmers in Belgium during the hottest months. The style is very open to interpretation because it was traditionally brewed with what was available. Ingredients could include spices like coriander and ginger, pilsner malts or wheat, and they can be fermented with different types of yeast.
Unlike pilsners that go for minimal adjuncts, saisons range wildly on what goes into the beer. At the heart of this style, it’s about experimentation. This is what makes this style so fun. If you want a unique experience, pick a random saison at your local liquor store and try to figure out what you’re tasting before reading the label. No two saisons are quite the same and it’s an exciting way to test your palate.
Even though the style is up for interpretation, there still are exemplars of the style such as Boulevard’s Tank 7 which has won several medals at the Great American Beer Festival.
Kölsch
To really understand Kölsch beers, we need to take a dip into some beer science. For most beers, they can be distinguished by what type of yeast is used during fermentation. Ales are top-fermenting with higher temps; lagers are bottom-fermenting with cooler temps. Ales tend to be more flavorful and lagers skew towards crisper and cleaner (think pilsners). Now with that out of the way, a Kölsch is unique because it uses the top-fermenting yeast but is finished cold like a lager. This results in a flavorful brew like an ale but with the crisp, lighter body of a lager.
This beer drinks so easily in the heat like the pilsners I mentioned before but they can be much more fruity or hoppy depending on the recipe. Some great examples of Kölsch beers are Goose Island’s Summertime and Buckledown’s Cannonball Kölsch. A great non-alcoholic version exists too from Best Day Brewing but more on non-alcoholic beer a little later on.
IPA
I had to put this style in the back, not because I don’t like them, but IPAs have dominated the craft scene and there are so many substyles within that it can get very overwhelming. IPAs (India Pale Ale) are named so because hops were a preservative for the beer British sailors kept onboard while sailing to India. Classic British IPAs tend to be maltier and more bitter than American IPAs because the hops were kept in the beer for a very long time during a voyage. For me, that doesn’t really scream “summer”. The kinds of IPAs I love to drink during the summer tend to fall within the session IPA distinction or the West Coast IPA style.
Session IPAs are just lower ABV IPAs. Named so because they are “sessionable”, aka you can drink more of them before feeling the effects of alcohol. One of the best examples of a session IPA is Founders All Day IPA. As the name implies, you can drink them all day because it comes in at just below 5% and incredibly well balanced on the palate. They extended the All Day lineup to include session versions of a Hazy IPA, Red IPA, and West Coast IPA.
West Coast IPAs are great for the summer because the hops that are used in brewing tend to express many fruity and tropical flavors and aromas. Even if you’re tasting tropical fruits in the beer, there is no fruit actually added to the beer (unlike fruited IPAs). They tend to be less bitter than traditional IPAs and a bit more crisp. This is a great celebrating or relaxing beer for the summer because the ABVs tend to rise with this style. Stone IPA from Stone Brewing is a great example of the West Coast style. The hops are citrusy, tropical, and piney with an intense lemon rind aroma.
Non-Alcoholic Beer
While this isn’t a “style” of beer, non-alcoholic beers have soared in popularity. While many attribute the growing interest in non-alcoholic drinks to a generation of more health conscious consumers, it’s not just athletes and fitness enthusiasts buying these beverages (I’m buying them too!).
Drinking a crisp beer is a wonderful experience but there are times when I want to experience that sensation without the alcohol. Mowing the lawn and doing yardwork is a lot more enjoyable and safer with a NA beer. Enjoying NA beers at a BBQ when I know I have a long drive home lets me enjoy the day with friends without worrying about getting home. Even on a casual Sunday evening with an early Monday meeting, it makes sure I can keep the camera on or ditch the sunglasses in person.
NA Beers have been around for a long time, O’Doul’s for example, but there is a renaissance for them recently. Many historic brands are making NA’s like Budweiser Zero, Stella Liberte, Busch NA, Erdinger NA, and Guinness 0 to keep up with the surge in demand. Some craft breweries are also making NA beers like Brewdog with their AF (Alcohol Free) series or Omission’s Bright Eyed IPA and Good to Go Golden. Then we have breweries that only make NA beers like Partake. For me, the most important thing about NA beers is that they taste like real beer. There are many NA beers out there that distinctly taste off to me but there are many brands that nail the experience in my opinion. Although there are many examples of this, I’m currently drinking a lot of Stella Liberte. It is one of the best I’ve tasted (including alcoholic beers) and I’m looking forward to drinking a ton of it this summer.
These are my summer beer styles and I hope I was able to convince you to try some of these if you haven’t tried them before. As I said at the beginning of this blog – drink what you want, when you want. We live in a wonderful era where we eat and drink things regardless of what season it is and we should definitely utilize that. So even if you decide to drink a porter after reading this, I hope this was still informative and you enjoyed reading it.