Beer review: Firestone Walker’s Oaktoberfest

In Southern California, summer lingers longer than in most of America. While the rest of the country’s craft beer lovers are reaching for rich seasonal beers and pumpkin ales, Firestone Walker has a seasonal brew more befitting of our balmy autumn: Oaktoberfest.

The lager is crisp and mellow, and there’s no oak used in the brewing; the name is a nod to the brewery’s hometown of Paso Robles (Spanish for “pass of the oaks”). Usually only served on-draft and at the local Oktoberfest celebration, this is the first year that the brewery has made enough of the fan favorite to bottle.

Oaktoberfest tunes down the malt richness of traditional German Märzen bier, dries out the finish and adds a touch more hops than is strictly traditional. While Firestone Walker is known for its hoppy brews, in Oaktoberfest the zesty German Hallertau hops are deftly balanced with equally flavorful German malts. The result is an autumn-appropriate brew that remains quaffable even when the mercury refuses to drop.

Style: “Paso Märzen Bier,” a California take on the German Oktoberfest style

Price: About $10 for a six-pack

Where to find it: Firestone Walker has an extensive distribution network in Los Angeles, and six-packs should be available at big-box beer retailers including BevMo and Total Wine, Whole Foods Markets across L.A., and craft beer bottle shops and better liquor stores.

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