Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Spike hosts a petite Oktoberfest for the regular guy beer reviewer



Me and the missus were walking through downtown Chicago when we lived there, in September of 1993, at Adams and State, and the streets were closed around the Berghoff and people were tanking up on beers and brats and it was quite joyous and wonderful. My God, why wouldn't you want to have beers on a nice September afternoon, closing down streets, midweek in the exact center of one of the biggest cities of the world? So, that is where we learned that Oktoberfest is held actually in September. According to a few drunks who cheerfully explained why the whole thing was a month early. Whatever. (anybody else remember the scene in National Lampoon's European Vacation, the Oktoberfest riot????)
So, I am at the beer and wicked tasty specialty food store and see beers by Spaten of Munich. I am thinking "Fall=Oktoberfest at my house!" and got the Optimator and the premium. I knew nothing of these, except one is dark, one light. Me and the missus, and Spike the cat set out glasses and cold bottles and PIZZA and got down to it! Oh, life is good.
The optimator seems like (I havn't read anything about it yet--I like to taste and write with an open mind) a good dark bock beer, which means a dark lager. pretty tasty, a little toasted malt or something.
The pale premium, though? Holy CATS! BUY THAT! I did taste tests of two famous European lagers this summer--Stella Artois and Pilsner Arquell, and Spaten is 1000 times better. A million times better! Huge foamy head and delicious flavor. That satisfies this regular guy.
So, Optimator, a dark bock beer, 7 thumbs up out of ten, and the pale pilsner lager called Spaten Premium: 11 thumbs up out of 10!!!!

6 comments:

Tricia said...

I don't know anything about beer, but I know a fantastic pizza when I see one.

Anonymous said...

No kidding about the pizza. That look deelish!

PEACE said...

Not a beer drinker, and my husband and friends insist I am not a wine drinker either since I like really sweet wine...like sangria, so I will just have to trust you on this one!

Anonymous said...

Oh, my. I just clicked on the Spaten links and I think I need to go shopping!
I'm feeling very thirsty.
I'll take one of each, please!

I believe that it was Benjamin Franklin who said, "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." I have a t-shirt to remind me of this, but not too many places I can wear it...

For anyone who lives near El Paso, TX, the annual Oktoberfest at Fort Bliss (put on by the German soldiers there) is WUNDERBAR! They bring in the Bier and band from Deutschland.

gary rith said...

KC, I bet you'd like this!
It was fine pizza, and I'm gonna make another for tonight, yes indeedy....

Ellen said...

Spaten Optimator is my hubby's favorite beer. He just found Paulaner Oktoberfest - which is hard to find- and he is a happy camper!