Oktoberfest season is officially here! For me, this time of year marks the transition into fall and that is definitely reason to celebrate.

I love Oktoberfest beers because they’re light and easy to drink but start to make that transition to the dark side with just the right amount of amber color and bitterness. The style is actually called Marzen, after the German word Marz for March. The beers were originally brewed by Bavarian brewers in March and cellared - their only form of refrigeration. The beers would last through the summer, able to be enjoyed up until late September.

Though we didn’t go as all out as the big Oktoberfest in Munich, this past weekend I hosted a little Oktoberfest celebration in the backyard. We tasted 15 Oktoberfest from across the U.S. Our standout favorites were Schell’s, Shiner, Surly and Dark Horse.