I am enjoying my third Shiner’s Oktoberfest. I should review this beer. Another Oktoberfest is upon us.

Very Red

Sorry that this one is Uber late, but slight derailment with a conference and loss of available Oktoberfest beers.  So this will be the unofficial last one for Oktoberfest to close  the challenge out.

Magic Hat brewery has always had a great marketing campaign with their labels and six packs.  It always intrigued me to pick up a six or two.  To begin off, their Ourtoberfest is a break from the norm and has the reddish-brown of a marzen.  It has more of a distinct first taste.  The first smell is standard for marzens.  The first taste seems a little sweet while being dry.  It is tart on the tongue and finishes quite crisply. There is no lingering third or fourth tastes here.  I don’t know if it’s the label or me but it almost has a red taste to it.  This beer weights in at a haughty 5.4 alcohol by volume, which is not going to get you warm on the cold nights that has been greeting us of late.  All in all I find the Hex beer to be a nice middle of the road marzen.  It has some character and it’s marketing makes it seem like more but it is just a nice Oktoberfest rendition.  It is worth a taste.  If you can still find some and want to succumb to the marketing then pick some up.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

You get really fucked up drinking at Oktoberfest in Germany

Propaganda:

Hex – A malty amber ale with hints of toffee and caramel and a slightly smoky finish

Final beer

• TYPE: Ourtoberfest
• YEAST: German Ale
• HOPS: Apollo, Hallertaur
• MALTS: Pale, Vienna, Crystal, Cherry Wood Smoked Malt, Malted Rye

• ABV: 5.4
• GRAVITY: 14.00 Plato
• BITTERNESS: 25
• SRM: 18.0

Otter Creek has a new Flash-y website. It doesn’t have that much of history around the company or even when it started.  You can visit their website here – Otter Creek.

This beer is has low foam and slight carbonation which o good for a marzen style beer.  The first aroma is a little hoppy.  The first taste is light and slightly sweet carmel-y.  The middle taste is a little harsh and follows with a beer alcohol taste.  It not bad but it’s not well-rounded as a whole.  This is a nice beer.  It have a nice amber color and begins quite nicely.  The only thing that holds this beer back is the finish which needs to be a little more polished.  You can get away with it after a couple when you taste buds won’t mind.  I’d say this is not a starting off beer.  It wants to be a beer liked by all but it just falls short on the last taste.  If it’s cheap I’d say go and pick it up, but not for more than a fin per sixer.  Oh well, the last two haven’t been stellar but this one is nice, but is nowhere near the top twenty-five of the season.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

The first mayor to tap the first keg at Oktoberfest was Thomas Wimmer.

Propaganda:

Get it from their flash website link above.

October-tasty

The Saranac brewery has been around since 1888, so they have some history around making beer. I have often seen this beer in the grocery stores and specialty shops, so I’m not new to it. But this is the first that I have tried their Octoberfest.

To start the aroma is nice, with the slight sweet smell of a mazen.  The first taste is light and well-rounded.  It is a crisp and fast taste.  Your tongue savours the flavor after its down your throat.  The finishing taste and smell go along with the smoothness of the first taste.  It is a nice easy-going flavor and beer taste with this Octoberfest.  You taste the marzen flavor but you could enjoy this all through the winter.  Congrats Saranac on a well-balanced beer that you can enjoy long after this season and in to Spring.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

To make the Oktoberfest tents suitable for older celebrants, the music is limited to 85 decibels until 6pm.  This is was developed in 2005 and is known as quiet Oktoberfest.

Propaganda:

Octoberfest

Availability: 6 Packs, Draught, 12 Beers A Falling 2010

Brewers Notes:

Saranac Octoberfest is a med-bodied, copper colored lager. It’s rich, malty taste is subtly balanced by Saaz and Tettnang hops. The beer is aged slowly in the tradition of the Octoberfest beers of Munich.
Beer Style: German Lager
Malt Selections: German Pilsner Malt, Crystal Malt
Hop Selections: Saaz & Tettnang
Color: Copper
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Roasted Meats, Stews
Alcohol By Volume: 5.4%
Original Gravity: 13

Very Tasty

I don’t even know to pronounce this beer, but I think it’s an authentic beer.  And the website is straight up in German, no icon to click to get an English version.  This is another brewery that has been around for many years.  Almost 600 years, the brewery was founded in 1417 in Munich Germany.  That’s a lot of time to brew beer.

HP’s Oktoberfest’s aroma is slightly sweet while having a light air to it.  The first taste is very nice and smooth.  You will taste the sweet smell from the aroma, but is not too sweet.  The first taste is light and crisp.  It will be at the back of your throat before you know it.  It does taste like a Marzen and the color follows suit also with a nice brownish nutty color.  The finishing taste is still crisp and light.  You taste the malts and slight hops on the way down.  It is a unique blend that is distinct.  It weigh in at 5.5% alcohol content by volume, which is light, but if you’re in the real Oktoberfest I guess your drinkers will be drinking a lot.  I thoroughly enjoyed this beer.  It is a pleasure to taste.  I didn’t know what to expect from this beer and I was surprised at the lightness of it and crisp finish, but it is refreshing.  It is worth a try;  I’m sure most connoisseurs will agree about the flavor and finish.

Oktoberfest tidbit:

Typical fare to eat at the Oktoberfest include:

Hendl (chicken)

Schweinsbraten (roast pork)

Steckerlfisch (grilled fish on a stick)

Würstl (sausages)

Brezn (Pretzel)

Reiberdatschi (potato pancakes)

Sauerkraut or Blaukraut (red cabbage)

Weisswurst (a white sausage).

Propaganda:

Hacker-Pschorr auf der Wiesn

Das Oktoberfest wird von den Besuchern aus Italien auch gern “festa della birra” (Bierfest) genannt und das nicht ohne Grund: auf dem größten Volksfest der Welt dominieren die großen Bierzelte das Bild und sie sind auch Ziel von Millionen Besuchern aus der ganzen Welt.

Die Brauerei Hacker-Pschorr beliefert von den großen Festzelten das “Hacker-Festzelt” und die “Bräurosl” mit dem süffigen Oktoberfest-Märzenund zahlreichen anderen Produkten aus dem Sortiment der Brauerei.