Josephs Brau Oktoberfest
Trader Joe's Brewing Company

Josephs Brau OktoberfestJosephs Brau Oktoberfest
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From:
Trader Joe's Brewing Company
 
California, United States
Style:
Märzen
Ranked #411
ABV:
5.3%
Score:
74
Ranked #27,630
Avg:
3.19 | pDev: 15.36%
Reviews:
120
Ratings:
224
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jan 10, 2024
Added:
Oct 13, 2006
Wants:
  5
Gots:
  19
No description / notes.
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Ratings by NeverSettle:
Photo of NeverSettle
Rated by NeverSettle from Texas

3/5  rDev -6%

Oct 05, 2012
More User Ratings:
Photo of cyclonece09
Reviewed by cyclonece09 from Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours orange red with a fluffy white head. Smells of caramelized grain and some fruit. Tastes of caramelized grain with cinnamon and pumpkin. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.
Jan 10, 2024
Photo of StonedTrippin
Reviewed by StonedTrippin from Colorado

3.44/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
a little thin, a little sweet, but really this isnt bad, especially for the price, ive had way worse trader joes beers than this one, and i think its a fine sixer for the season, we enjoyed these during pumpkin carving, and it certainly fit the occasion. a nice clear shiny medium to deep amber color on this, a short but persistent half inch of white head as a crown, and a nutty baked nose with some obvious richness, a vienna malt thing, toasted and warming, even cozy, with some familiar lager yeast in the mix, slightly cheap and metallic, but really not bad. the flavor has a pleasant front end, german maltiness and actually pretty fresh to me, very light on the hops, and the yeast isnt quite old worldy but its not way off. it warms up a little bit poorly, thats where it feels thinner and tastes a little cheap, but i think it has good minerality, not too much residual sugar, and a pretty high degree of drinkability all things considered. not going to set the world ablaze, but its good value, its crafty enough for me in this instance, and is better than many of the others. a little more body would do this well, and its lightly astringent at temperature, but the carbonation is good, the malt has some depth, and this scratches the itch just fine!
Nov 02, 2023
 
Rated: 3.44 by Rollmeaway2loadout from Illinois

Oct 22, 2023
Photo of Profundobaso
Reviewed by Profundobaso from New York

3.37/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Look - poured into a half pint glass. Light amber in color, clear, with a large foamy head that moderately dissipates, leaving behind small amounts of lacing.

Smell - all malts in the nose, lightly toasted. some light ester-like sweetness mixed in. overall light but pleasant.

Taste - also completely malts in the taste, though lighter than anticipated. not quite as much sweetness as suggested by the nose. light toasted malt flavor detectable and lingers to the finish, which is clean. some mild sweetness in the aftertaste.

Feel - light bodied, moderate carbonation, and reasonably low in alcohol at 5.3% ABV.

Overall - an easy drinking Marzen. no alarming issues, but a bit watery and light in flavor.
Oct 06, 2023
Photo of odannyob
Rated by odannyob from Colorado

3.85/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Tasty & easy to look at. Herrlich!!!
Sep 27, 2023
Photo of riptorn
Reviewed by riptorn from North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev +15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Semi-aggressive pour into a shaker returns a very clear light orange color and a two-finger very light khaki head that dissipates to a thinnish cap within 2 undisturbed minutes. Not much at all rising from the bottom. Lacing is nonexistent. Gave it a 4 on the color, which is probably the best thing going for it.
Faint malt, a bit of sweetness, and not much in the way of hops on the nose.
Again, faint malt flavor and a tad of alcohol burn that shouldn’t be there considering its medium ABV.
Mouthfeel is decent. It would be well served with additional carbonation
As hard as I try to describe it, it’s rather non-descript.
Sep 25, 2023
Photo of MadMadMike
Reviewed by MadMadMike from France

3.29/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
Cold 12 ounce can into a can glass.
Gold orange brew brings a decent little foam.
Lacking in aroma. Like a weak pilsner or revamped Boston Lager.
If the taste was anywhere near the appearance, this could be a good ale. Unoffensive and bland, I imagine this would only complement a plate of sausages and saurkraut. Light pilsner, not a Fest bier by any means.
Feel is thin with a little oily texture. Medium to high carbonation.
Overall, TJ’s Oktoberfest needs a good kick in the schlatz.,.
Sep 01, 2023
 
Rated: 3.59 by Rhettroactive from Virginia

Aug 31, 2023
Photo of mpk2020
Rated by mpk2020 from Illinois

3.55/5  rDev +11.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Can trader joes
Aug 27, 2023
 
Rated: 3.59 by rpmello81 from California

Mar 18, 2023
Photo of secondtooth
Reviewed by secondtooth from Indiana

3.67/5  rDev +15%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
APPEARANCE: Deep amber, clear with a nice khaki head and lines of spidery lace.

NOSE: Sweet caramel toffee malts. Decent.

TASTE: Caramel malts up front, with a hint of citrus hops in background. Nice toasty mellow character, balanced if a bit on the lighter side. Solid representation and no real probs here.
Nov 22, 2022
Photo of chum_husk
Reviewed by chum_husk from Minnesota

2.97/5  rDev -6.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 3
Rich color, clear, cap of foam, lace. Smell is grainy and sweet, dry leaves too. Thin and light on flavor, mildly sweet, very mildly spiced. Inoffensive and easy to drink, but not much to it
Oct 07, 2022
 
Rated: 3.5 by cryptichead from Illinois

Sep 24, 2022
 
Rated: 3.6 by beersampler6 from Michigan

Oct 16, 2021
Photo of Pegasus
Reviewed by Pegasus from Texas

3.25/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Appearance: A crystal-clear copper-colored body with excellent retention is crowned by a massive and spectacular dense cloud top head. Belgian-style lacing adorns the glass wall. Sparse streams of sparse bubbles drift lazily to the surface.

Aroma: Rich, toasted malt, noble and grassy hops comprise the aroma. There is a bit of burnt caramel, also.

Taste: The taste opens with fairly prominent grassy and medicinal hops, soon followed by toasted malt and a little burnt caramel. As the taste progresses, the hops surge toward medicinal, with a slight undercurrent of toasted bread. Finishes with a lingering herbal and medicinal note.

Mouth feel: Soft and full, with a modest bit of carbonation.

Drinkability/notes: Pleasant and drinkable, a bargain at $6.49 a six-pack at Trader Joe's.

Presentation: Packaged in a standard twelve-ounce brown glass long neck bottle with a pry-off crown, served in a South American-style Pilsener glass.
Sep 12, 2021
Photo of Kwalk
Reviewed by Kwalk from Kansas

3.27/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Copper color pours with solid head that fades to heavy lacing. Taste is decent but lacking the true Oktoberfest flavor I like. Has a coffee note that I don’t care for (in any beer) although this was lite so not objectionable. Expected more presence from the Hallertau hops. Overall not a bad beer but lacking as an Oktoberfest.
Dec 30, 2020
 
Rated: 3.16 by gefinley from California

Oct 25, 2020
 
Rated: 3.79 by _Adam_ from Maryland

Oct 17, 2020
Photo of barnzy78
Reviewed by barnzy78 from Illinois

2.94/5  rDev -7.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
12oz bottle
had this one once a very long time ago
best consumed before: 01/30/21
L: crystal clear copper bier with a foamy ivory head
S: earthy herbal hops, toasty grain, caramel
T: very herbal; earthy hops, caramel, toasty grain, tea
F: lighter body, moderate carbonation foams up in the mouth; bitter, dry, and earthy hop finish
O: I had this one other time and didn’t like it. It’s marginally better than I remember.
Oct 16, 2020
Josephs Brau Oktoberfest from Trader Joe's Brewing Company
Beer rating: 74 out of 100 with 224 ratings