Can anyone recommend a few good German/Bavarian beers. I am having a little Oktoberfest herf at my place tomorrow and would like to have a small variety.
[Reply]

Becks is german, Lowenbrau... I'll think of more
[Reply]

You could try Spaten's Oktoberfest, they claim it was the first ever Oktoberfest beer brewed in 1872. I've also had the Spaten Optimator and it was pretty good.

kfish
[Reply]

Warsteiner
Becks/Becks Dark/Becks Light/Becks Oktoberfest
St. Pauli Girl
Edelweiss
Spaten


To name the more common ones.
[Reply]

Warsteiner
Hofbrau (regular or their Oktoberfest release)
Weinstephaner
Franziskaner
Becks
Lowenbrau
[Reply]

Add Ayinger to the list (Celebrator and Ur-Weisse are excellent)
[Reply]

Munich Helles: light lager
Weihenstephaner, Paulaner, Spaten

Dortmunder export: a little more malt sweetness and higher bitterness
DAB export, Dortmunder Union Export

Oktoberfest: higher alcohol, maltier
Any of the german beers are good, Ayinger, Paulaner, Spaten, Hacker-Pschorr ... Hofbrau is a bit different, less malty and more of an upgraded Helles

Munich Dunkel: Dark roast malt adds a different flavor, sweeter and maltier than the Schwarzbier noted below
Again, any of the big boys Ayinger, Paulaner, Hacker .. maybe called Munich dark

Schwarzbier: Drier than a dunkel with some very dark roast character (bitterness)
Köstritzer schwarzbier is my favorite German version

Bock: Sweeter, richer, more roasted character
Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel comes to mind

Doppelbock: Starting to get some high gravity (alcohol) character, warming in the mouth, can be quite sweet, sipping beer by a fire after a day's skiing
Paulaner Salvator, Ayinger Celebrator, Weihenstephaner Korbinian, Spaten Optimator - partial to the Ayinger myself

Eisbock: A freeze concentrated dopplebock ... very thick and chewy, with lots of apparent roast and alcohol character
Eggenberg Urbock Dunkel Eisbock is the only one I can get here

Failed to mention any wheat beers ... oh well, there is always tomorrow.
[Reply]

This is the way to go. Paulander, Ayinger and Spaten can usually be found here. I prefer the Hefe-Weissen which are wheat beers. I'm a big fan of Ayinger because my friends live close to the brewery and it has a very good restuarant and great beers. Skip the Becks, it really is an export beer and tastes nothing like beers you would find in Bavaria.
[Reply]

Thanks again for the help! I picked up the Oktoberfest spaten, and a few a "authentic German-style" from Gordon Biersch. One is the Dunkelweizen and the other is Marzen. I guess we will try them tomorrow. Once again thanks all. And that Doppelbock sounds great.
[Reply]

Marzen
Hacker Pschorr
Spaten Octoberfest
Franzikaner (sp.)
[Reply]

Some great suggestions here already. I'll just add Aventinus, the quintessential weizenbock.
[Reply]

I like Bittburger
[Reply]

I picked up a couple of bottles of this dark German beer I was unfamiliar with until last night - Kapuziner Schwarz-Weizen. Its a Bavarian Black Wheat Ale from Kulmbach, Germany.

If you are a fan of wheat ales, this you will definitely want to try this if you can find it.

If you are in the New Orleans area, I bought it at Martin's Wine Cellars on Vets.
[Reply]