Tap Handle #296: Beck's - Oktoberfest

This is a nice tap that reminds me of the Samuel Adams Octoberfest tap which also features a mug. It's got some weight to it, too. Sometimes the ribbon at the bottom of the mug is colored blue, but I don't know what the significance of this alternate color is.

Beck's Brewery, also known as Brauerei Beck & Co., was founded in the northern German city of Bremen under the name Kaiserbrauerei Beck & May o.H.G. in 1873 by Lüder Rutenberg, Heinrich Beck and Thomas May. In 1875, Thomas May left the brewery, which then became known as Kaiserbrauerei Beck & Co. Beck's logo, a key, is the mirror image of the coat of arms of Bremen. Since Beck's is located on the river of a port city, it was easy to ship out its beer to the world at large and become an international beer powerhouse. Beck's is known for its pilsner consisting of two row spring barley from the south of England, yeast, crystal water from the "Rotenburger Rinne" and Hallertau hops from southern Germany.

Although Beck's marketing material claims that it follows the strict Reinheitsgebot, the German Purity Law of 1516 by the Duke Albrecht the Fifth of Bavaria, as with virtually all modern beers, cultured yeast is an ingredient, which was later approved in an amendment to the original purity law. The brewery was owned by local families until 2002, when it was sold to Interbrew for 1.8 billion euros. Beck's is the world's best selling German beer, sold in nearly 90 countries, although it ranks fifth in its own country. The largest markets for Beck's outside Germany are the United Kingdom, the USA, Italy, Australia, Ukraine, Romania and Russia. U.S. manufacture of Beck's Brew has been based in St. Louis, Missouri since early 2012 when, in an effort to cut costs, InBev shifted production stateside rather than importing (but continued to sell it at import prices). However, some customers have rebelled against the cheaper quality introduced to the US market version by AB InBev, including launching a Facebook page called Import Beck's from Germany.

Beck’s Oktoberfest is clear and bronze colored. The light brown head is thick and rocky and its aroma is malty sweet with hints of apple and roasted nuts. It won a gold medal at the 2002 World Beer Cup. Weighted average on ratebeer.com is 2.81 out of 5.

Beck's Official English Website