Octoberfest (pre-2015)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer Geek Stats
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- From:
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- California, United States
- Style:
- Lager - Märzen
- ABV:
- 5.8%
- Score:
- 86
- Avg:
- 3.81 | pDev: 10.24%
- Ratings:
- Status:
- Retired
- Rated:
- Jan 17, 2022
- Added:
- Oct 13, 2003
- Wants:
- 41
- Gots:
- 242
SCORE
86
Very Good
86
Very Good
Notes:
Germany’s Oktoberfest celebrated a royal marriage and the health of the fall harvest—which in Bavaria, means brewers, barley and hops! Today, Oktoberfest is considered one of the world’s greatest parties, and in honor of that rollicking bash we bring you our version of the classic festival beer. Oktoberfest is medium-bodied and rich with bready and toffee-like malt flavor but maintains a crisp finish marked by floral and spicy hops.
Before 2014, known as Octoberfest and ABV 5.80%
2014 - Only available in Fall Variety Pack
DO NOT REVIEW THE 2015 VERSION HERE.
Before 2014, known as Octoberfest and ABV 5.80%
2014 - Only available in Fall Variety Pack
DO NOT REVIEW THE 2015 VERSION HERE.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
3.5 by TMoney2591 from Illinois on Jan 17, 2022
3.93 by LesDewitt4beer from Minnesota on Nov 26, 2021
3.97/5 rDev +4.2%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by FishyBeer3 from Massachusetts
Strongn flavor and bite but great taste
Oct 31, 2020
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
by FishyBeer3 from Massachusetts
Strongn flavor and bite but great taste
Oct 31, 2020
3.67 by smi69 from New York on Oct 28, 2020
4.12/5 rDev +8.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by hopley from Massachusetts
2020 Release - a really nice Octoberfest. Drank out of the bottle.
Sep 15, 2020
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by hopley from Massachusetts
2020 Release - a really nice Octoberfest. Drank out of the bottle.
Sep 15, 2020
3.88 by lic217 from Connecticut on Sep 13, 2020
3.65/5 rDev -4.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by TerryMills from Tennessee
7/23/20 bottle date..
Not very Carmel or sweet for the style imo.. Very smooth easy drinker either way ...
Sep 06, 2020
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by TerryMills from Tennessee
7/23/20 bottle date..
Not very Carmel or sweet for the style imo.. Very smooth easy drinker either way ...
Sep 06, 2020
3.29/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
by Henrythegreat from Texas
Amber color with a quickly dissipating white head. Smells of bread. Crisp with a little too much hops and not enough malt flavor. No toffee flavor (which I like in a marzen) to speak of. Not a bad beer, but tastes more like a pilsner. I guess it's a little disappointing after the awesome 2019 beer.
Sep 04, 2020
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.25
by Henrythegreat from Texas
Amber color with a quickly dissipating white head. Smells of bread. Crisp with a little too much hops and not enough malt flavor. No toffee flavor (which I like in a marzen) to speak of. Not a bad beer, but tastes more like a pilsner. I guess it's a little disappointing after the awesome 2019 beer.
Sep 04, 2020
3.79/5 rDev -0.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by Danieljm from Missouri
Poured nice amber color with small pure white head. Smell is of malts with some carmel sweetness Taste matches with aroma. Nice malts with just a hint of sweetness. Well balanced beer a great example of the style. Good benchmark for American style of Octoberfest
Aug 27, 2020
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by Danieljm from Missouri
Poured nice amber color with small pure white head. Smell is of malts with some carmel sweetness Taste matches with aroma. Nice malts with just a hint of sweetness. Well balanced beer a great example of the style. Good benchmark for American style of Octoberfest
Aug 27, 2020
4.42/5 rDev +16%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by matcris from Arizona
LOOKS: Bottled on 7/28/20....Straight from the fridge. A clear 24k gold with a small finger of off white foam that settles quickly to a ring. Mild lacing down the glass.
AROMA: Smells balanced between malt and hops. Mild wheat bread vs those German, grainy, grassy hops.
TASTE: Same with the flavor, but, this year, although pretty balanced, the sweetness really stands out and lingers. Not an obnoxious caramel thing, just that it carries the hop flavor throughout the sip.
FEEL: Medium-ish body, strong carbonation, almost slight stickiness, and just perfect on the finish. Just dry enough.
OA: Love it. Will buy again.
Aug 19, 2020
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.5
by matcris from Arizona
LOOKS: Bottled on 7/28/20....Straight from the fridge. A clear 24k gold with a small finger of off white foam that settles quickly to a ring. Mild lacing down the glass.
AROMA: Smells balanced between malt and hops. Mild wheat bread vs those German, grainy, grassy hops.
TASTE: Same with the flavor, but, this year, although pretty balanced, the sweetness really stands out and lingers. Not an obnoxious caramel thing, just that it carries the hop flavor throughout the sip.
FEEL: Medium-ish body, strong carbonation, almost slight stickiness, and just perfect on the finish. Just dry enough.
OA: Love it. Will buy again.
Aug 19, 2020
4.04 by jmbeerdude91 from Arizona on Jan 16, 2020
3.81 by hogrider from Florida on Dec 07, 2019
3.75 by MJSFS from Florida on Dec 07, 2019
3.04 by andrebotha315 from Texas on Nov 04, 2019
3.61/5 rDev -5.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by tracycramer from Texas
Octoberfest 2019. Decent beer. Not sweet or bitter or overly carbonated. Nice reddish color.
Goes down very easily, and yet still has some character and a degree of heft, which is saying something for a corporate beer. Enjoyed 10/27 at home with the family in Austin.
Oct 28, 2019
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
by tracycramer from Texas
Octoberfest 2019. Decent beer. Not sweet or bitter or overly carbonated. Nice reddish color.
Goes down very easily, and yet still has some character and a degree of heft, which is saying something for a corporate beer. Enjoyed 10/27 at home with the family in Austin.
Oct 28, 2019
4.43 by consmienor on Oct 12, 2019
3.61 by Dharmelink from Wisconsin on Oct 06, 2019
3/5 rDev -21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
by AvengeTheRavel from Connecticut
Had it in bottle format. Bodywise, it was a little thinner than i would like. Tastewise, it was a little thin and lacking. Would not have it again.
Sep 22, 2019
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
by AvengeTheRavel from Connecticut
Had it in bottle format. Bodywise, it was a little thinner than i would like. Tastewise, it was a little thin and lacking. Would not have it again.
Sep 22, 2019
3.73 by DarrellK from Florida on Aug 06, 2019
3.63 by Tcsox from Massachusetts on Feb 25, 2019
4.25/5 rDev +11.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Hackattack from Indiana
This is really good beer......toasty, caramel, malty, sweet , toffee flavors throughout the whole drinking experience....a hint of hops comes through on the backside. I got a 6-pack of this for 6 bucks.... dated about 4 and 1/2 months old, but it's still fresh-tasting. Sorry to see it's retired.
Dec 17, 2018
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
by Hackattack from Indiana
This is really good beer......toasty, caramel, malty, sweet , toffee flavors throughout the whole drinking experience....a hint of hops comes through on the backside. I got a 6-pack of this for 6 bucks.... dated about 4 and 1/2 months old, but it's still fresh-tasting. Sorry to see it's retired.
Dec 17, 2018
3.94 by HellsRanger from Pennsylvania on Dec 02, 2018
4.15 by ProNR from Florida on Nov 19, 2018
3.75 by EatonHops from Massachusetts on Nov 12, 2018
3.75 by Mcb99d from Massachusetts on Oct 18, 2018
3.84 by uncleotis from Illinois on Oct 16, 2018
3.75 by GreenBayBA from Wisconsin on Oct 14, 2018
3.87/5 rDev +1.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by patre_tim from Thailand
Copper filtered with moderate carbonation and a half finger of white head.
Smells really malt forward, malty maltiness.
Tastes very malty with clean linen, and that typical caramel, aged lager taste of the style.
Medium body, with medium carbonation.
Drinking in Redding, Oct 2nd, 2018. Really good for the style.
Oct 02, 2018
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
by patre_tim from Thailand
Copper filtered with moderate carbonation and a half finger of white head.
Smells really malt forward, malty maltiness.
Tastes very malty with clean linen, and that typical caramel, aged lager taste of the style.
Medium body, with medium carbonation.
Drinking in Redding, Oct 2nd, 2018. Really good for the style.
Oct 02, 2018
3.37 by Jstarr2517 from Connecticut on Sep 28, 2018
3.64 by Sludgeman from District of Columbia on Sep 28, 2018
4.29/5 rDev +12.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
by superwho24 from Arkansas
Smell - Honey
Taste - Sweet toasty malt
Sep 18, 2018
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
by superwho24 from Arkansas
Smell - Honey
Taste - Sweet toasty malt
Sep 18, 2018
4.11/5 rDev +7.9%
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
by Anayalator from Texas
Solid lacing. Best carbonation I’ve ever seen in a bottled or canned beer. Smells lighter than most Marzen beers. Beautiful balance between malts and hops. Possibly the sweetest and best finish of any October fest style beer out there
Sep 15, 2018
look: 4.75 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5
by Anayalator from Texas
Solid lacing. Best carbonation I’ve ever seen in a bottled or canned beer. Smells lighter than most Marzen beers. Beautiful balance between malts and hops. Possibly the sweetest and best finish of any October fest style beer out there
Sep 15, 2018
3.61 by deansellers from Maryland on Sep 09, 2018
3.69 by KevBot89 from Pennsylvania on Aug 30, 2018
4.09/5 rDev +7.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Michelleroo from Michigan
Love. I’m an Octoberfest girl!
Aug 23, 2018
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4
by Michelleroo from Michigan
Love. I’m an Octoberfest girl!
Aug 23, 2018
3.75 by Walnut from Missouri on Apr 25, 2018
3.89/5 rDev +2.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by irtnog from Hawaii
I like Marzen beers, so my rating is biased to the high side. I appreciate that Sierra Nevada changes their Oktoberfest each year, but this was not my favorite. The beer is very nice to look at, with a nice malty/syrupy aroma, but the head disappears quickly. The taste is crisp, smooth and refreshing, with the noble hops less prominent than I prefer. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this beer, and a lot right, but I don't think it's as good as an old standby like Samuel Adams Octoberfest.
Jan 21, 2018
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
by irtnog from Hawaii
I like Marzen beers, so my rating is biased to the high side. I appreciate that Sierra Nevada changes their Oktoberfest each year, but this was not my favorite. The beer is very nice to look at, with a nice malty/syrupy aroma, but the head disappears quickly. The taste is crisp, smooth and refreshing, with the noble hops less prominent than I prefer. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this beer, and a lot right, but I don't think it's as good as an old standby like Samuel Adams Octoberfest.
Jan 21, 2018
4.36 by BenHoppy from Michigan on Jan 09, 2018
3.75 by heddar33 from Pennsylvania on Dec 23, 2017
4.25 by faatcase from Virginia on Nov 24, 2017
Octoberfest (pre-2015) from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Beer rating:
86 out of
100 with
1042 ratings