Schlafly Oktoberfest 6Pk

Schlafly Oktoberfest 6-Pack is a Märzen-style lager brewed at 5.5% ABV, available in a six-pack of 12 oz bottles. Brewed with a quartet of specialty malts and three varieties of European hops — including German noble hops Tettnang and Mittelfrüh — this seasonal release from The Saint Louis Brewery stands apart through its commitment to traditional cold, slow lager fermentation with authentic German lager yeast.

Quick Facts: ABV: 5.5%  |  Origin: St. Louis, Missouri, USA  |  Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest Lager  |  Brewery: Schlafly Beer (The Saint Louis Brewery)

Production & Heritage

Schlafly Beer, officially The Saint Louis Brewery, is one of Missouri's pioneering craft breweries. The Oktoberfest is built on a grain bill of pale, caramel, Munich, and aromatic malts, hopped with Polish Marynka alongside German Tettnang and Mittelfrüh noble hops. Cold and slow fermentation with a traditional German lager yeast strain produces the clean, smooth character associated with authentic Bavarian-style Märzens — a process that demands more time and temperature control than standard ale production.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Toasty malt leads, followed by layers of caramel sweetness and a subtle hint of apple and berry-like fruit. The noble hop presence adds a soft, earthy underpinning without dominating.

Taste: The entry is rich with toasty malt and caramel, moving into flavors of brown bread and bread crust at mid-palate. A gentle honey sweetness emerges alongside a fruity, berry-tinged hop character. The body is medium, landing gently crisp before transitioning to a smooth, rounded center.

Finish: Clean and balanced, with residual malt sweetness fading at an even pace. The amber lager closes suitably sweet without becoming cloying, leaving a lightly toasted grain impression.

How to Drink Schlafly Oktoberfest

Pour into a traditional Bavarian Masskrug or wide-mouthed lager glass at around 45–50°F to let the malt complexity open up. This is a beer built for drinking straight from the glass — no garnish needed.

• Radler: Mix half-and-half with fresh lemonade for a refreshing shandy that plays off the beer's caramel sweetness.
• Bierbowle: The toasty malt and fruit notes make it a natural fit for this German-style beer punch with seasonal stone fruits.
• Beer Cheese Fondue: Use as the base liquid in a warm cheese dip — the rich malt backbone and balanced sweetness enhance cheddar and Gruyère.

Best For

• Autumn cookouts, tailgates, and backyard Oktoberfest celebrations
• Pairing alongside a traditional German-themed dinner spread
• Introducing craft beer drinkers to the Märzen style
• Seasonal gifting for fans of malt-forward lagers

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Schlafly Oktoberfest taste like? It delivers rich toasty malt and caramel up front, with brown bread and honey flavors through the middle, balanced by a soft berry-like hop character and a clean, smooth finish.

How does Schlafly Oktoberfest compare to Samuel Adams Octoberfest? Both are American-brewed Märzen lagers, but Schlafly leans into a more pronounced bread-crust maltiness and uses a specific trio of European hops (including two German noble varieties), while Samuel Adams Octoberfest tends toward a slightly sweeter, more widely accessible malt profile at a comparable ABV. Schlafly's craft-scale production also allows for a more traditional cold-fermentation approach.

Is Schlafly Oktoberfest good for beginners? Yes — at 5.5% ABV with a clean, balanced, and malt-forward flavor profile, it is one of the more approachable Märzen-style lagers and a solid entry point into the category.

Where is Schlafly Oktoberfest made? It is brewed by Schlafly Beer, formally known as The Saint Louis Brewery, in St. Louis, Missouri. The brewery is one of the original craft producers in the St. Louis region.

What foods pair well with Schlafly Oktoberfest? Roast pork or bratwurst complement the toasty malt backbone. Soft pretzels with beer cheese mirror the bread-crust flavors. Roasted root vegetables echo the caramel sweetness. Aged Gouda or smoked cheddar match the beer's malt intensity. Apple strudel or caramel desserts work well with the honey and fruit undertones.

What sizes does Schlafly Oktoberfest come in? The standard retail format is a six-pack of 12 oz bottles, commonly available during the fall seasonal release window.

Is Schlafly Oktoberfest worth the price? It positions as a craft seasonal lager at a mid-range price point, competitive with other regional Märzens. The use of imported noble hops and traditional cold-fermentation lager methods offer genuine production value above mass-market Oktoberfest brands.

Why Schlafly Oktoberfest?

What separates this Märzen from the crowded field of American Oktoberfest beers is the specific hop program — Marynka from Poland alongside Tettnang and Mittelfrüh from Germany — paired with a four-malt grain bill and patient cold fermentation with German lager yeast. That combination produces a beer with authentic Bavarian character brewed in the American Midwest. With an Untappd rating of 3.6 across more than 28,000 reviews and a BeerAdvocate score of 82, it has built a consistent seasonal following. For drinkers who want a Märzen with real malt depth and hop pedigree rather than a generic amber lager with an Oktoberfest label, Schlafly delivers.