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Hoss Oktoberfest Lager
Great Divide Brewing Company
- From:
- Great Divide Brewing Company
- Colorado, United States
- Style:
- Märzen
Ranked #189 - ABV:
- 6.2%
- Score:
- 85
Ranked #21,826 - Avg:
- 3.75 | pDev: 11.2%
- Reviews:
- 481
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- Mar 08, 2024
- Added:
- Aug 05, 2009
- Wants:
- 36
- Gots:
- 113
HOSS is based on the Märzen lagers of Germany. Rich, layered malt notes, with hints of cherry and dark fruits, dominate, while the unique addition of rye imparts a slightly earthy, spicy character. Hoss finishes crisp and dry, and its brilliant red-orange color is a toast to the sunsets that make the perfect backdrop for this beer.
AWARDS:
2009 Great American Beer Festival, Bronze Medal, Rye Beer
2010 World Beer Cup, Bronze Medal, Rye
2010 Australian International Beer Awards, Gold Medal & Overall Champion Lager
AWARDS:
2009 Great American Beer Festival, Bronze Medal, Rye Beer
2010 World Beer Cup, Bronze Medal, Rye
2010 Australian International Beer Awards, Gold Medal & Overall Champion Lager
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by JuicesFlowing:
Reviewed by JuicesFlowing from Kansas
4.83/5 rDev +28.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
4.83/5 rDev +28.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5
Poured into a balloon glass.
The beer is a Cherry Ruby Amber. That's what I'm calling it. Beautiful frothy cream head that leaves chunks of bubbles and sheets of sticky lacing in it's wake.
The aroma is of faint fruit notes with a delicious sweet caramel warmth.
The taste is so complex. This beer has a sweet fruity beginning with delicious cherry notes. This gives way to a more typical caramel malt body found in marzens. The beer finishes with a nice woody, cinnamon spiciness to fill out a complex taste profile.
Mouthfeel is crisp, bright, slightly dry, and extremely refreshing.
Overall, I cannot believe this surprise. For starters, it's a sneaky Oktoberfest, since it's labeled as a Rye Lager. But on BA, it's a marzen, and the best one I've tried this year.
Oct 07, 2012The beer is a Cherry Ruby Amber. That's what I'm calling it. Beautiful frothy cream head that leaves chunks of bubbles and sheets of sticky lacing in it's wake.
The aroma is of faint fruit notes with a delicious sweet caramel warmth.
The taste is so complex. This beer has a sweet fruity beginning with delicious cherry notes. This gives way to a more typical caramel malt body found in marzens. The beer finishes with a nice woody, cinnamon spiciness to fill out a complex taste profile.
Mouthfeel is crisp, bright, slightly dry, and extremely refreshing.
Overall, I cannot believe this surprise. For starters, it's a sneaky Oktoberfest, since it's labeled as a Rye Lager. But on BA, it's a marzen, and the best one I've tried this year.
More User Ratings:
Reviewed by Lexluthor33 from New York
3.63/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
When I first had this beer many years ago it was known as Great Divide Hoss Rye.
Now I see it has become an Oktoberfest and classified as a Marzen.
My notes from many years back:
Golden, amber color with small head and lace.
Aroma of malts, hops and rye.
Taste was sweet and malty with rye notes.
Medium body, smooth creamy finish.
A good beer.
Mar 08, 2024Now I see it has become an Oktoberfest and classified as a Marzen.
My notes from many years back:
Golden, amber color with small head and lace.
Aroma of malts, hops and rye.
Taste was sweet and malty with rye notes.
Medium body, smooth creamy finish.
A good beer.
Reviewed by Holistervildercamp from Oklahoma
2/5 rDev -46.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
2/5 rDev -46.7%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2
Whoahoahoa. This ain't bad for a homebrew. It's like a dirty sad cider mixed with Salvatore. Not the crisp clear maerzen I've had before. No lager flavor. Might be a good breakfast beer, but not the Oktoberfest I was hoping for.
Oct 13, 2023Rated by ColoradoRich from Colorado
4.25/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.25/5 rDev +13.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Smooth
Sep 17, 2023Reviewed by MaltsOfGlory from Oregon
3.62/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.62/5 rDev -3.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
12oz can
Pours a finger of dense white head into my mug. Retention is very nice and after a few minutes, nearly all of the head remains; after ten minutes, it’s dwindled, but a solid sliver stays the rest of the way down. Lacing is thick and absolutely perfect. Body is a lightish orange, high clarity, with quite a bit of nucleation. This is beautiful.
Nose is definitely on the maltier/heavier side of the Oktoberfest spectrum - toasty, maillard/iron, some clear cherry as well. It has quite a lot going on, but I’m not sure it’s my preferred profile.
Flavor is very heavy - maillard is first and foremost, not very toasty, some faint cherry - a little astringent in the finish. The complexity of the nose doesn’t really come through and the finish is a little sharp, the latter being a little too much for me to enjoy.
Carbonation is medium. Body has a nice little weight to it. Sweet, but not terribly so, has pretty good attenuation. Despite the sharpness here, the bitterness is very low. Overall an ok mouthfeel.
Drinkability is ok, nothing too offensive for the most part.
Overall this is alright. The sharp astringency calmed down over time, but the heavier nature remained. Just a little too rough around the edges for me.
Nov 05, 2022Pours a finger of dense white head into my mug. Retention is very nice and after a few minutes, nearly all of the head remains; after ten minutes, it’s dwindled, but a solid sliver stays the rest of the way down. Lacing is thick and absolutely perfect. Body is a lightish orange, high clarity, with quite a bit of nucleation. This is beautiful.
Nose is definitely on the maltier/heavier side of the Oktoberfest spectrum - toasty, maillard/iron, some clear cherry as well. It has quite a lot going on, but I’m not sure it’s my preferred profile.
Flavor is very heavy - maillard is first and foremost, not very toasty, some faint cherry - a little astringent in the finish. The complexity of the nose doesn’t really come through and the finish is a little sharp, the latter being a little too much for me to enjoy.
Carbonation is medium. Body has a nice little weight to it. Sweet, but not terribly so, has pretty good attenuation. Despite the sharpness here, the bitterness is very low. Overall an ok mouthfeel.
Drinkability is ok, nothing too offensive for the most part.
Overall this is alright. The sharp astringency calmed down over time, but the heavier nature remained. Just a little too rough around the edges for me.
Reviewed by KenjiN from Massachusetts
4.34/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
4.34/5 rDev +15.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Golden brew with a modest white head. Nose is aromatic, with malt and very agreeable (European?) hop notes. Carbonation level is perfect. Sweet and spicy on the palate. Hop level might be higher-than-typical for the style, but it works perfectly for me.
This was the best Oktoberfest I had in 2021.
Jan 11, 2022This was the best Oktoberfest I had in 2021.
Reviewed by TheBricenator from Oregon
3.94/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.94/5 rDev +5.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Look: Clear amber in the glass with a beige-leaning head that looks like a silky lid atop the beer and leaving great lacing behind
Aroma: Warm brown bread, rye, melanoidin, floral hops, and toffee
Taste: Rich and deep bready malt kicks it off and almost immediately, a nice big hit of spicy rye malt comes to the forefront as well. Toffee and floral hops trickle in throughout and add to the big picture. Closes with more bready malt and rye
Mouthfeel: Full, very clean throughout, medium-high carbonation, and a smooth, clean and lightly soft finish
Overall: This is such a good beer. This might be my favorite beer these folks make (R.I.P. Rumble) and I don’t see it often in my neck of the woods anymore so it’s always a nice treat. A delicious Oktoberfest lager in the Marzen style with a tasty rye component which only sweetens the pot (not literally). Tasty and recommended
Dec 19, 2021Aroma: Warm brown bread, rye, melanoidin, floral hops, and toffee
Taste: Rich and deep bready malt kicks it off and almost immediately, a nice big hit of spicy rye malt comes to the forefront as well. Toffee and floral hops trickle in throughout and add to the big picture. Closes with more bready malt and rye
Mouthfeel: Full, very clean throughout, medium-high carbonation, and a smooth, clean and lightly soft finish
Overall: This is such a good beer. This might be my favorite beer these folks make (R.I.P. Rumble) and I don’t see it often in my neck of the woods anymore so it’s always a nice treat. A delicious Oktoberfest lager in the Marzen style with a tasty rye component which only sweetens the pot (not literally). Tasty and recommended
Reviewed by Mark-Leggett from Missouri
3.63/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.63/5 rDev -3.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a can. Caramel in color with a tan head. Smells of malt, caramel and toffee. Taste follows the smell, malt and caramel in the forefront. Pretty good flavor, ends well.
Sep 18, 2021Reviewed by KT3418 from Colorado
3.84/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.84/5 rDev +2.4%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
I definitely enjoyed this one and while not my favorite it is among the higher end of the 20 or so I've tried for the first time this year and I like the rye addition. I would spend my own money again next year
Sep 08, 2021Reviewed by Sheppard from Massachusetts
3.92/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.92/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
Pours a golden, less amber - so more in the vein of a fest vs a Marzen. Great head retention. Lots of bready character in this. I get a little spice on the finish, not sure if that's from the hop note or the rye. It's nice and dry. Overall, a nice drinkable Oktoberfest.
Aug 25, 2021Reviewed by milkshakebeersucks from Maryland
4.04/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.04/5 rDev +7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Attractive clear, deep amber appearance with a medium size, off white head and moderate lacing. Muted, malty aroma, some graininess, slightly vegetal. Subtle spicy hop taste follows the sweet malts up front. A mild peppery burn lingers in the bitter aftertaste. Almost always enjoy rye in my beer and to accent it in a marzen adds another unique dimension. Overall, not too complex or obtrusive, but quite quaffable.
Oct 26, 2020Rated by Captain69 from Illinois
3.43/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.43/5 rDev -8.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
nice lager not much octoberfest taste
Sep 06, 2020
Hoss Oktoberfest Lager from Great Divide Brewing Company
Beer rating:
85 out of
100 with
1133 ratings
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