German beers
 

Can anyone recommend a few good German/Bavarian beers. I am having a little Oktoberfest herf at my place tomorrow and would like to have a small variety.

Re: German beers
 

Becks is german, Lowenbrau... I'll think of more

Re: German beers
 

You could try Spaten's Oktoberfest, they claim it was the first ever Oktoberfest beer brewed in 1872. I've also had the Spaten Optimator and it was pretty good.

kfish

Re: German beers
 

Warsteiner
Becks/Becks Dark/Becks Light/Becks Oktoberfest
St. Pauli Girl
Edelweiss
Spaten


To name the more common ones.

Re: German beers
 

Warsteiner
Hofbrau (regular or their Oktoberfest release)
Weinstephaner
Franziskaner
Becks
Lowenbrau

Re: German beers
 

Add Ayinger to the list (Celebrator and Ur-Weisse are excellent)

Re: German beers
 

Munich Helles: light lager
Weihenstephaner, Paulaner, Spaten

Dortmunder export: a little more malt sweetness and higher bitterness
DAB export, Dortmunder Union Export

Oktoberfest: higher alcohol, maltier
Any of the german beers are good, Ayinger, Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr ... Hofbrau is a bit different, less malty and more of an upgraded Helles

Munich Dunkel: Dark roast malt adds a different flavor, sweeter and maltier than the Schwarzbier noted below
Again, any of the big boys Ayinger, Paulaner, Hacker .. maybe called Munich dark

Schwarzbier: Drier than a dunkel with some very dark roast character (bitterness)
Köstritzer schwarzbier is my favorite German version

Bock: Sweeter, richer, more roasted character
Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel comes to mind

Doppelbock: Starting to get some high gravity (alcohol) character, warming in the mouth, can be quite sweet, sipping beer by a fire after a day's skiing
Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, Weihenstephaner Korbinian, Spaten Optimator - partial to the Ayinger myself

Eisbock: A freeze concentrated dopplebock ... very thick and chewy, with lots of apparent roast and alcohol character
Eggenberg Urbock Dunkel Eisbock is the only one I can get here

Failed to mention any wheat beers ... oh well, there is always tomorrow.

Re: German beers
 

This is the way to go. Paulander, Ayinger and Spaten can usually be found here. I prefer the Hefe-Weissen which are wheat beers. I'm a big fan of Ayinger because my friends live close to the brewery and it has a very good restuarant and great beers. Skip the Becks, it really is an export beer and tastes nothing like beers you would find in Bavaria.

Re: German beers
 

Thanks again for the help! I picked up the Oktoberfest spaten, and a few a "authentic German-style" from Gordon Biersch. One is the Dunkelweizen and the other is Marzen. I guess we will try them tomorrow. Once again thanks all. And that Doppelbock sounds great.

Re: German beers
 

Marzen
Hacker Pschorr
Spaten Octoberfest
Franzikaner (sp.)

Re: German beers
 

Some great suggestions here already. I'll just add Aventinus, the quintessential weizenbock.

Re: German beers
 

I like Bittburger

Re: German beers
 

I picked up a couple of bottles of this dark German beer I was unfamiliar with until last night - Kapuziner Schwarz-Weizen. Its a Bavarian Black Wheat Ale from Kulmbach, Germany.

If you are a fan of wheat ales, this you will definitely want to try this if you can find it.

If you are in the New Orleans area, I bought it at Martin's Wine Cellars on Vets.