Oktoberfest
Goose Island Beer Co.

5/5  rDev +40.1%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
by CarmeloCrunch

I made a beeradvocate account to review this beer. It’s amazing. This is Oktoberfest in a can, and my new Oktoberfest go to. Flawless. It’s worth the $8.99

Nov 27, 2021

3.87/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by DaveMaciolek21 from New Jersey

Many major American brewers attempt marzen-style Oktoberfest beers. For most, flavor is thin, mild--far less robust than a true German marzen. Here, Goose Island gets very close to the German standard. Amber pour, off-white head, deep toasted malt flavor that sticks with you for a nice lengthy finish. This is a beer I'd be happy to return to at Fest time.

Nov 22, 2021

3.16/5  rDev -11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.75
by Nass from Florida

The pour is copper colored. The taste is caramel & brown bread crust. I don't know I'm kind of on the fence about this Oktoberfest beer. Cheers! B-

Nov 10, 2021

3.63/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75
by German-Helles from Wisconsin

This is a 12oz. can poured into a weizen glass. The brew is a medium amber color, very clear, above average carbonation, and a nice looking two finger light tan head. The cap lasted several minutes before receding to a thin layer with just a touch of lacing left behind.
The aroma is sweet malts and fresh bread, very pleasant.
Sweet caramel up front, a touch malty, with a light hop bite, peppery, and a touch dry to the finish. The hops cut the sweetness very nicely.
The feel is a little on the thin side. I enjoy my Marzens a little on the heavier side, nice and creamy.
This is a very good Marzen, easy to sample a few, a nice blend of malt and hops.

Oct 27, 2021

3/5  rDev -16%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
by mothman from Minnesota

Can. I like most festbiers; I don’t think they are too tough to make to style, but goose island missed the mark with theirs. Just wasn’t what a festbier should taste like. Had a lager vibe but that was it.

Oct 22, 2021

4.17/5  rDev +16.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
by GuyFawkes from Illinois

"Best by 1/14/22"; drank 9/19/21 @ the Yarchives.

See-through golden appearance.

A rough pour yielded a HUGE khaki head; frothy lace.

Caramel, acorn & faint brown sugar notes in the nose.

Creamy medium thick mouthfeel.

Caramel & cream flavors up front; acorn & mild brown sugar bite on the finish.

This is...fantastic? One of the better American made marzens I've had this year.

Sep 20, 2021

3.63/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by MonDak_Joe1953 from Minnesota

12oz can. Best by date stamped on can bottom is '03FEB22'.
Clear, medium amber colored body. One finger of yellow white head settles back to a near complete cap. Leaves small trails of lacing.
Aroma of sweet bready malt, with some spice. Herbal, earthy hops.
Taste is down right spicy, as the foundation of dark bread holds at the bottom end. Some apple fruity sweetness. The bitterness comes in at the end and lingers into the aftertaste. This is earthy bitterness, almost woody.
Seems a little thinner than medium body. Good carbonation.
Has a good malt base but the bitterness is a little much for session work.

Sep 12, 2021

3.82/5  rDev +7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by rudiecantfail from Pennsylvania

12 ounce can poured into a pint glass. Best before Jan. 14, 2022.

L---Crystal clear, rich dark gold color. Fluffy off white head had very good retention and left very nice lacing.

S---Weak hops but strong malts. Bready.

T---Malty & bready.

F---Medium bodied with good carbonation.

O---Solid, but nothing special. A good one in September.

Sep 01, 2021

3.61/5  rDev +1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
by ZebulonXZogg from Illinois

Pours a nice clear copper color, small head fades quickly, no lacing. Aroma of toasted malted, toffee and spicy breads. Tastes follow, thin body, lightly carbonated. I enjoyed it!

Aug 28, 2021

1.71/5  rDev -52.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 1 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 1
by SuperGrover from Minnesota

I have no idea what happened with this beer. It looks right for a Marzen, and it smells fine. But this may be the worst beer I have ever had. I can’t even describe the flavor- “God-awful” is the only thing that comes to mind. I needed a Natural Light after drinking this to get the taste out of my mouth.

Others rate this much higher than me. I don’t understand why. I could not finish it. I gave it to friends who will drink ANYTHING, and they refused to drink it. I love Oktoberfest. This is garbage.

Nov 14, 2020

3.93/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by Stevosps from Pennsylvania

This Marzen style lager when poured from a can has a half inch foamy head. It is a clear dark amber Color with a fresh malty aroma. A slight bitterness with a tender sweetness of Carmel savored for the taste buds. A nice full Refreshing Octoberfest Maren flavor to quench the fall thirst.

Oct 25, 2020

3.95/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by barnzy78 from Illinois

12oz can
date stamped 18JAN21
L: slightly hazed caramel colored bier; foamy beige head
S: toasty grain, caramel, herbal hops
T: nicely balanced; caramel, toasted malt, bread crust, herbal & spicy noble hops
F: medium body, ample carbonation, crisp & balanced finish
O: a good representation of the Märzen style

Oct 16, 2020

3.55/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
by daliandragon from Maryland

So, weirdly. although I have been drinking Goose Island on and off for twenty years, I don't have many GI reviews. One is the Goose Fest. So now, like two fifths of my all time Goose reviews are Marzen. Crazy world, huh?

Anyhooo, translucent dark copper color with big head that quickly ceases to be. Nose is caramel and grain. Taste is pleasant although generally uninspiring and watery at the end. Not a good example of the style but hits most of the main characteristics. Quaffable at any rate. Would do in an Oktoberfest pinch, but no more.

Oct 11, 2020

3.76/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by HoppingMadMonk from New Jersey

Really nice clear amber. Medium bodied with about the same for carbonation.
Aroma is malt, caramel, sweet doughy bread.
Taste is mildly sweet with some caramel. Malt, some honey, sweet doughy bread.
Overall it is a pleasant beer that's flavorful and goes down easy. Could easily have a few of these in a row

Oct 04, 2020

3.74/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by Beginner2 from Illinois

One sip and I knew I'd had this before. But not necessarily so. I'd had Goose Fest Bier several times, until last year. So I'd like to have it and Oktoberfest side-by-side. Since that is unlikely, let me guess that Oktoberfest is a tweaked Goose Fest. Disagree with my theory.

They both really Look great, a very pretty amber and crystal clear. Smells are mostly sweet malt. In the Taste, hops emerge in mid-palate for balance; but both seem true to the tradition of a sweet malt that has an interesting semi-dry finish. In the mouth, sufficient bubbles to clean the palate. Both Goose O-fests are good with non-spicy foods. Both are table lagers.

As my hometown crafter made big by a macro, Goose still seems to me true to its roots. But when a decent Goose Fest gets goosed by this O-fest upstart looking for a little more market share, it makes me think that this style really has become a playground for the established crafters with wide distribution. That is OK, but it will still be hard for anyone to match the Bavarian masters for quality. Prost !

Sep 22, 2020

3.67/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
by MercInc from Wisconsin

It's that time of year and I have been out trying a few of the "Oktoberfest" brews that appear.

Poured at 39 Degrees into a pilsner glass, typical light amber, white head. malt notes with a hint of yeast. enough hops for a clean finish.

As a note, I try to use "Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen" as kind of a "Control"

Sep 18, 2020

3.58/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by hoptheology from South Dakota

12 oz can, blue color, $1.49, into Goose Island nonic pint.
Best by 12/21/20.

Appearance is a burnt sienna-copper with a creamy finger of grey head. Impeccable clarity.

Aroma is of toffee candy, some wet earth, slight caramel sweetness, toasted malt, and slight onion.

Flavor brings caramel malt with slight crisp cracker, some slight hop spoilage (already?) with onion and caramel, some fruity yeast, and bread.

Feel is crisp and semi-clean/semi-starchy, with a light to medium body. Carbonation is proper but on the busy side.

Overall, an okay Oktoberfest, I wasn't missing much by passing it over all of these years. All I can remember is those funky goose bottles with the blue and white checkerboard. I passed it up for like 5 years straight. This blue can got me to purchase it - weird huh. Probably won't do it again though. Not even at a bar.


Price paid : $1.49
Would buy again : no

Sep 14, 2020

4.09/5  rDev +14.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by BFCarr from New Jersey

a very nice marzen, had on draft. Pours copper with a thin white head that fades to a white ring. Aroma is a little sour with some malty grain notes. Taste is malty (surprise!) But not super sweet. Feel is very nice and full, especially for the style. Overall it's very tasty.

Sep 12, 2020

4.3/5  rDev +20.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by quaffinganale from Maryland

From a 12 oz can
Look: poured hard into a shaker pint, nice developed thick persistent off white head. Crystal clear! Exceptional presentation. This looks promising!
Smell: malt, caramel, bread. Good clean fermentation, no phenols, esters, very, very slight sulfur.
Ahh, its gonna be good!
Taste: rich, full, medium body, Toffee, caramel, clean, clean clean. Medium carbonation. Satisfyingly rich.
Feel: medium body, medium appropriate carbonation.
Overall: for me, a very very good example of a Mäerzen, good clean fermentation, these people know lager!

Aug 19, 2020

3.46/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
by Mindcrime1000 from South Dakota

Poured from a can into a Nonic glass.

Pours crystal-clear and caramel-gold with limited head and lacing.

Mild aromas of caramel malt and earthy hop. Simple but balanced.

The flavor follows the nose. Solid caramel malt sweetness up front. Cereal grainy flavors in midstream. Very mild grass and somewhat stronger earthy hop goodness balances at the finish. Everything is very mild. Well-balanced but not spectacular.

A well-carbonated and very drinkable version of the style from a feel standpoint. Could easily knock more than one of these back on a slightly-chilled evening.

Overall, another decent but "nothing special" Marzen.

Aug 16, 2020

3.63/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by AdmiralOzone from Minnesota

Pours a beautiful clear copper amber with a large ivory head. Minimal lacing. Aroma is mild caramel malt and earthy hop. Flavor follows the nose, sweet and malty. Feel is on the light side of medium bodied with decent carbonation. Overall a very nice Oktoberfest.

Aug 10, 2020

3.81/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by Sellen from Connecticut

Oct-26-2018

Jun 23, 2020