Oktoberfest
Great Waters Brewing

 

Hazy golden tone. Not clear. Not a vibrant copper or amber or orange tone. Just blah. Thin skimming of bubbly ivory white head. No carbonation noted. Appearance is below average for an Ofest. Aroma is sweet. Not toasty or rich though, just sweet. Kind of like a one dimensional amber lager. A little breadiness maybe. The taste is decent enough. Nothing to shout about, but better than average. Bready, floury, sweetly malty and yeasty. Decent, but lacking in the toasted malt department. Body is weak....light-medium or so. Slightly flat, but not so much so that I can't somewhat enjoy this one. The appearance and mouthfeel disappoint, but the flavor is decent.

Hazy orange coloration, capped with a slim, milky head. Aroma is herbal, malty, sweet. On first sip, a big blast of sweet, rich malty taste on the palate, floods the mouth with flavor. Good texture, full flavor, medium-bodied, but with a long, tasty finish. I was very pleased with this Oktoberfest, though my notes were brief, for I could only scribble them down between bites of my meal and conversation. A very tasty, memorable version, though.

On cask: Super nice dark coppery color thats a bit deeper then the tap version with a deep ochra yellow cascade flying up the glass with about a finger high fluffy thickened smooth head of dark ivory color with tons of lace in strings and sheets. Smell has a solid little roastyness and a bit of grainnyness to it, lightly sweet and nutty with a hint of floral/herbal hops. But somewhat lighter in the nose then the tap. Taste is nearly the same as tap with a nice solid roastyness and slightly more malted mellow thickness with some breadish sourness and light malty sweetness. Hops in small amounts with a nice light backing of a herbal dried quality that lends a touch of bitterness. Finish is a touch different, lightly dry and crisp with notes of grains and soggy wood. Feel is close to medium with a strange grainyness that seemed to take out some of the drinkability thats in the tap. I had this along with the tap version in the same sitting and the tap version is much nicer in aroma and overall character.

On tap at the brewpub...

Slightly chill-hazed orangey brown. Speckly 1/4 inch head of multiple bubble sizes. Decent complexity to the ring laces. A little shortbread to the nose, with a touch of lemon as well. Malt is in the mid range for the style, soft and doughy with a slight toast quality and some sense of orange marmalade. While the malt is kind of average, the hop assertion is good, slightly walnut skin in quality and giving good balance. More attractive than Green Mill's O-Fest, but not as malty or tasty overall.