7 Oktoberfest Beers To Drink At Home Slideshow

You can't get much more Oktoberfest than this: Although the brewery is located outside of Munich (and therefore isn't the official sanctioned beer of the German fest), it's close enough. The oldest brewery recognized, Weihenstephaner was licensed to brew in 1040 but was making beer even as far back as the year 768. What to expect from the Festbier? A traditional Bavarian brew. It has a toasted malt backbone, notes Draft magazine, but also has that crisp lager finish everyone loves.

This Märzen-style beer comes from Germanys largest, privately owned brewery. It has a grassy hops aroma that comes on strong, with a slight floral and apple smell, but a crisp finish that makes it very drinkable.

This limited-supply Oktoberfest was actually a bit of a historical mistake: legend has it that in the 19th century, a (lazy) brewer at the Kulmbach Brewery in Germany "accidentally" left kegs of bock outside during a cold winter day. The cold temperature outside was so cold that it froze the water out of the beer. Sounds crazy? It had a pretty good effect: it concentrated the brew inside and made the flavor that much more intense. Today, the Gordon Biersch Brewing Company in California makes the beer by recreating the same frozen temperatures; water is frozen out of the beer during the aging process, which gives it that high 10 percent ABV. Using traditional Bavarian hops and yeast, this beer is a true toast to Germanys history of brewing.

Another traditional Germany beer; the brewers at Allguer Brauhaus use clear spring water from the region, plus Hallertau hops. Its a full-bodied brew, with tastes of biscuits and caramel and just a hint of grassy hops, says World Class Beer.

Magic Hat takes the typical Oktoberfest lager and mixes it up: the amber ale isnt quite the same as an Oktoberfest brew, but has the same malty, toasty characteristics. Made with cherry-wood-smoked malts among others, its a sweeter seasonal than most Oktoberfest beers. The result? A smoked cherry finish that balances the hops, notes Worlds Finest Beverage.

The German lager uses Saaz and Tettnang hops, making it an extra tangy brew. The Brew Site notes that its bright copper color is nothing next to the toasted, toffee tasting notes. Its a malt-heavy brew, but the hops balances out the sweetness.

You cant not mention the Samuel Adams Oktoberfest brew, especially when its being stirred into Red Robin Oktoberfest milkshakes across the country. Whats the secret? Bitterness from Bavarian Noble hops, five roasts of malts, and caramel and toffee notes. And the beer won the Worlds Best Mrzen brew in the World Beer Awards in 2008.