Beer of the Week: Hallo!

From the Beer Writer: It’s the most wonderful time of the year…if you love crisp, refreshing, highly drinkable German-style lagers and 18 days of sudsy celebration. That’s right…Oktoberfest is on! Or at least it will be starting tomorrow, September 17 and running through October 3. Like many breweries from San Diego to Munich, Resident Brewing got its dirndl-wearing ducks in a row far ahead of festival season. Not only did Head Brewer Bill Lindsay and company determine what style of Oktoberfest-appropriate lager they’d like to brew, but they reached out to the man regarded by most local beermakers as San Diego’s foremost lager expert, Doug Hasker. After brewing up all manner of bottom-fermenting and traditional German beer for more than two decades as a key cog in the Gordon Biersch machine, Hasker was brought on to head production when the company’s Mission Valley brewpub was purchased by local Mexican eatery chain, Puesto. Since then, he’s applied his specific set of skills to crafting German- and Mexican-style creations, all while continuing his longstanding tradition of assisting anyone and everyone who comes to him with questions about how to brew the best lagers possible. Lindsay felt there was no better individual to collaborate with for Resident’s first-ever Oktoberfest creation. Given the colloquial name, Hallo!, it has a subtle honey sweetness that melds with light toasted-bread notes and a hint of minerality, making for a well-rounded beer that’s substantial yet easy-drinking. In other words, just what a reveler is looking for in quality festival fuel!

From the Brewer: “Hallo! is an Oktoberfest lager that we brewed to fit in the snug space between the Märzen and Festbier styles of German lager. We designed this beer to be crisp, bready and only minimally toasty despite its amber appearance. After finally trying it off the tank, this lager exceeded all of my expectations. We were incredibly fortunate to work with Doug Hasker and the Puesto crew on our first Oktoberfest lager. They brought a wealth of knowledge to the recipe and brewing process, helping us create one of my favorite beers of the year.”—Bill Lindsay, Head Brewer, Resident Brewing