Dark Crystal Märzen

Untappd Oktoberfest Badge

Oktoberfest time is the most wonderful time of the beer year! There is nothing more delicious to me than a märzen, and it’s always special when local breweries get in on the fun!  Oktoberfest formally kicked off this past weekend in Germany, so many places had their party. Luckily for us, there are more happening around Honolulu in the next few weeks! I missed Honolulu Beerworks’ party, but got to try their märzen and it didn’t disappoint! (For those keeping score at home, usage of “Oktoberfest” for a beer style is equivalent of “champagne,” for the wine, it has to be made in the Champagne region, for the beer, it has to be an approved variety brewed in Munich. Märzen is the proper term for that style outside of Bavaria.)

Untappd Imperial Czar Badge

This One’s For You Cassini

While stopping in, I also got to try the This One’s For You Cassini, a Russian Imperial Stout dedicated to the memory and hard work the Cassini probe has been doing around Saturn for more than a decade. It’s an excellent beer, well worth the commemoration.

I ordered their fantastic Reuben. In a bit of serendipity, I realized the sandwich paired perfectly with both beers: the sandwich style and saurkraut with the German märzen, and Russian dressing with the Russian Imperial Stout! For Untappd lovers out there, I finally got the Imperial Czar badge and leveled up on the Oktoberfest. Prost!