Best Non Alcoholic Beer for Oktoberfest

There is no need to miss out on any Oktoberfest fun when you can throw your own non alcoholic beer in a backpack and sip the night away. There are plenty of fall and autumn styles of beer that have excellent non alcoholic options. Here is our roundup:

Oktoberfest Beer

Athletic Brewing Co. is at the top of the charts when it comes to non alcoholic craft brew. Most of their beers are home runs, including their seasonal releases like Oktoberfest (pictured above) which is now also available in Canada. The style is a Festbier, which is the modern style served at Oktoberfest. It’s brewed with German Vienna and Munich malts, and German Hersbrucker hops. We loved the notes of bread crust and toast, a slight sweetness and very mild hoppy bitterness….and the fact that it’s non alcoholic!

Available through Athletic Brewing Co website, $16.99/6-pack.

The Marzen

The Marzen is the traditional Oktoberfest beer that originated in Bavaria, home to some of the best beer in the world. It’s a lager-style that has a quirky historical backstory. In medieval times before air conditioning and refrigeration, beer was brewed in big kettles on open flame. The extreme temperature of the brewing process was a danger during the summer months, so brewing was outlawed between April and September. The Marzen was brewed with more hops and a higher alcohol content to ensure it would last through the summer months, and only opened to serve in the fall. Oktoberfest has only been celebrated since 1910.

The two non alcoholic Marzens we love are both made in Canada.

One For The Road No Regrets Marzen is probably one of the best Canadian non alcoholic beers on the market. It’s a full-bodied ale with an excellent taste, quality and mouthfeel. It’s comes in tall boy cans which makes it quite fun to enjoy. They’ve just launched their new e-commerce site so you can order direct from the brewery now.

onefortheroadbrewery.com, No Regrets Marzen, 13.99/4-pack

Harmon’s Non Alcoholic Craft Beer has just released a seasonal Marzen. It’s light, yet full-flavoured with soft malty notes balanced nicely with light hops. Stay tuned for a full review of this beer from our beer reviewer Antoine Tedesco next week.

harmonscraftbeer.com, False Start Marzen, $18/6pack

Harvest Ale

A harvest ale is generally just a marketing term, used to describe beers that are brewed specifically for the fall harvest, whether they have alcohol in them or not. This doesn’t stop these beers from being a great fall brew, and there are several brands making great non alcoholic options. The style tends to be a copper or brown ale, full of warming malty flavours. The seasonal Harvest Ale from Harmon’s Non Alcoholic Craft Beer is a great option for this style. Stay tuned for a full review of this beer from our beer reviewer Antoine Tedesco next week.

harmonsbeer.com, Harmon’s Harvest Ale, $18/6-pack

Wheat Beer

Although wheat beer seems more like a summer bevvy, the wheat harvest actually begins in August so it technically could be called a fall harvest beer (although it’s a stretch!). A wheat beer is one that is made up of 50% wheat and can be light and refreshing, or slightly darker and browner depending on the hops and brewing process.

Our pick for this category is the Athletic Brewing Co. Wit’s Peak which is a delicious Witbier style, with notes of bubblegum, banana plus oranges and coriander. It’s so similiar to a Hoegarden that we don’t miss the real thing at all! $16.99/6pack