Beer of the Week: Sierra Nevada/Brauhaus Riegele Oktoberfest

I try a whole lot of different beers, as my Untappd account will attest to, and I'm not talking about sharing a 12 oz bottle 4 ways or getting a sampler. When I try a beer for real, it's a bottle or a pint and often I'll visit it several times before I feel I can really evaluate it properly. Maybe it depends on the setting or the mood I'm in or whatever, I just can't see how people can drink 3 oz of a beer then tell you everything about it and rate it and all (I don't actually rate until my 5th visit to it). Beer drinking and beer love to me is getting to know beers, and sometimes my love for a beer isn't all about the taste or color or nose, but the memories. But I guess all this is a whole other post. This post is about my new feature.... *drumroll*... my Beer of the Week! *crowd goes mild*

Well, I figure there has to be a way to pass on some of my favorites I run across. There'll be locals, regionals, imports... I don't believe in limiting tastes according to location. So without further adieu, I present my first choice:

Sierra Nevada/Brauhaus Riegele Collaboration Oktoberfest!

You can find this pretty much everywhere you find regular Sierra Nevada releases, which is everywhere in America it seems. I.ve had some this weekend and in my opinion it's just a damn near perfect Marzen brew. I was so pleased with it I hit the Googles to see what others were saying about it and noticed Men's Journal has called it "the world's best Oktoberfest" as well. It's got a rich malty flavor that makes me think of Fall, from many years of seeking this style out around this time of year. It smells like tailgating and leaves falling. I can't wait to pair this with my kraut and brats.

Seek this! And tell me your thoughts. Here's your primer:

 
http://www.sierranevada.com/beer/seasonal/oktoberfest

The Perfect Oktoberfest Partners: Sierra Nevada & Brauhaus Riegele

"We partnered with one of Germany’s oldest breweries—Brauhaus Riegele—to create a true festival beer unlike any other brewed in the USA. When knowledge, passion and the right people come together, a great beer emerges. More at SierraNevada.com."