Chico, California based Sierra Nevada Brewing releases a new version of Oktoberfest beer every year, the 2021 release is a bit darker than usual because it’s an Amber Märzen. In the U.S., Oktoberfests are known to be lighter more golden amber beers, but in Germany they vary much more wildly. Today Sierra Nevada announced they would begin shipping the 2021 Oktoberfest as a limited edition fall seasonal and their ode to beer’s largest party with a different regional take on the classic.

“The beer has a malty sweetness with a little bit of herbal, floral hop presence, and the bitterness levels are just right to balance the malt character for drinkability,” says Scott Jennings, Innovation Brewmaster at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. He adds, “it’s a substantial beer but it’s really, really drinkable.”

When developing this edition of Sierra Nevada’s Oktoberfest, the brewers were aiming to produce a darker malt-forward Oktoberfest beer, and the traditional Amber Märzen style fit the bill. Jennings notes that this year’s darker style is a departure from the brewery’s seasonal Oktoberfest offerings of the past few years which was in the style of modern fest biers, such as Helles bock, that began rising to popularity at Oktoberfest in Munich in the 1970s and 1980s. He adds that an Amber Märzen would have been a mainstay at Oktoberfest celebrations in Munich prior to that shift toward lighter styles.

Sierra Nevada’s 2021 Oktoberfest pours a clear deep amber color with aromas of dark bread and graham cracker. The flavor is well balanced between sweet maltiness and delicate hop bitterness with a medium body, and 5.5% ABV, making this beer a solid example of the traditional Amber Märzen style.

It begins shipping July 26 and can be found on retail shelves while supplies last into the fall season.

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Inspired by frequent trips to the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Ken Grossman founded Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in 1980. Highly regarded for using only the finest quality ingredients, Sierra Nevada has set the standard for craft brewers worldwide with innovations in the brewhouse and in its sustainability efforts. The pioneering spirit that launched Sierra Nevada now spans both coasts with breweries in Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina. Sierra Nevada is famous for its extensive line of beers including Pale Ale, Hazy Little Thing®, Torpedo® and a host of seasonal, specialty and limited release beers. Learn more at www.sierranevada.com.