Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier
Company info:
Paulaner Brewery
Munich, GERMANY
Can size sampled: 1L
Alcohol: 6.0%
Standard drinks: 4.7
Cap type: Ring-pull
Cost: Promotional deal with 1 Litre glass stein (AU$19.95)
Label info: N/A
What the label really means: N/A
The Hell-Cat review starts here
Intro: No beer blog would be complete without a special Happy Oktoberfest edition. This week I review a Paulaner special release, Oktoberfest Bier. Conjuring up images of all things German, particularly large beer halls, this is a beer to consider. Happy Oktoberfest!
Label: This label reeks of tradition. Starting with the Paulaner München logo, we see a stern faced monk, representing the original brewers from the Munich monastery. Not only does this monk look like he knows a good drop, he also looks like he means business!
The main image on this label is of big, buxom beer wenches carrying huge steins of beer. With a look of sheer determination in feeding the thirst of the waiting masses, one of the wench holds a stein above her head, screaming forth words of encouragement. This is a celebratory beer. This is a social beer. This is canned Oktoberfest.
I give it a label rating of 8 out of 10.
AROMA: The aroma is strong, hoppy infused goodness. It has an almost musk-like quality to it.
Taste: GLASS – Delicious! The Paulaner Oktoberfest Bier has a really distinct, full-flavoured hoppy taste bursting with freshness.
It’s going back incredibly smoothly, helped in part by the fact that it is really lightly carbonated and hardly noticeable. Drinking this golden coloured pale lager from a big rimmed stein ensures the aroma continuously attacks my senses from all angles, intensifying the drinking experience. Great stuff!
I give it a beer from glass rating of 8 out of 10.
A word from the wife: “Delicious! Despite the weight of the glass, this is surprisingly easy to drink”
She gave it a taste rating of 7 out of 10.
Accompanying food: Give me something salty, give me something fatty, give me something hearty. I’m talking a big ol bratwurst with a side of sauerkraut. It sounds cliched, but I think it would be criminal to suggest anything less for this beer beauty.
Best season to appreciate: This is a complete Summer thirst quencher. Give me a stein (or three) of this on a hot Summer’s day and I’ll be wearing the lederhosen with the best of them.
All-nighter beer? Not only is this an all-nighter, this is an all-monther! I love it.
NEXT WEEK: Red Emperor Amber Ale
Hell-Cat's beer blog 
This sounds like a thing I should try. The Portrush Rd DM’s is a Godsend when I’m in The Stabby State, but alas I have to hope the plan old Penrith branch has it.
I was just in Munich a couple months back and went to the Hoffbrau-Haus, so anything to evoke memories of the 4 Steins in 2 hour heroics.
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The Stabby State!!!! Hilarious. As a passionate South Australian (well, a passionate Coopers fan anyway) this is a new one for me.
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Aaah, drinking one now. I found mine at the Portrush Rd Dan Murphy’s in Adelaide, for those interested. This really is excellence in German beer. Outstandingly smooth, higher-than-usual alcohol and simply one of the cleanest beers I’ve ever sampled. Full marks. For those who prefer a slightly cheaper version of a similar product, Hofbrau (I think that needs an umlaut) also do an Oktoberfest which runs at around $25 per six-pack (approx 2L) rather than this at $20 per litre. But that’s the great thing about beer – fairly average wines still cost $20 per litre, but for that price you get a truly world-class beer.
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Psst! Bargé, it’s me, Sniv, I’m undercover.
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Your identity is safe with me Sniv. Do you have much experience with Oktoberfest beers? You might find they’re worth a bit more than nine out of ten if you get a good one.
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Mason did you taste it from the can? If so did you have to use two hands?
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In the name of consistency Mase should have tasted it from the can just to keep up the format of all of his reviews, but in realistic terms tasting an Oktoberfest effort from anything other than a massive stein is pure sacrelige.
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Ben – No, I didn’t try it from the can (anyone remember the ‘National Lampoon’s European Vacation’ joke? Insert here!) but my reasoning is that this was a special event beer with a special commemorative glass…so it was a little out of the ordinary.
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Gotta love the beer in southern germany. The only problem is the steins are so big you forget how most of it tasted…and you forget the name of the beer wench you woke up to that morning…and you can only assume her name isnt Helga because she left in a bad mood after you called Helga.
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Welcome, Fran!
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Wow, I’m going to have to find one. I’m a sucker for a promotional glass. My wife is not entirely pleased with my existing collection of 1L stein glasses (mostly Hofbrau promotions) but I’m sure one more won’t lead to divorce. Perhaps three more and I might be in trouble though.
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Hey there Barge fella, I’m a total sucker for a promotional beer glass too and I reeeeally want to get my hands on this German beauty. If you find a chain that is stocking this, please post the details up here.
Hellcat, did you get yours from Dan Murphys? Loved the blog this week by the way. One of the best so far I think. Cheers!
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Thanks McLean – it was one of my favourite tasting this week!
And yes, I got this from a certain chain store you are possibly familiar with.
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Hi McLean, if you’re ever in Adelaide let me know and I’ll hand you a couple of 1L Hofbrau steins – my wife’s sick of dusting around them anyway and it will make more room on my beer-glass-shelf.
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