Oktoberfest
Sun Valley Brewing Company

On tap at brewery. Another one that failed on all marks. I didn’t detect any of the normal marzen characteristics, body very dark, malts hidden in the background, and another bland outing from this brewery. Disappointing

Octoberfest beers are one of my favorite styles. I have consumed a wide variety of Octoberfest from conventional to obscure. I lean more towards traditional. I purchased this beer about a month back; it should still be fresh. I just pulled the beer out of the fridge; it is about 45 degrees and served in a pint glass. The beer produced a two-finger frothy creamy head with fair retention. The head dissipated fairly quickly, leaving no lacing on the glass. The color of the beer is SRM 14, dark amber brown with mahogany hues. The clarity of the beer is clear. Overall, the beer is above average for this style; I wanted to see a longer-lasting head.

The initial aroma of the beer is caramel, floral, and toasted malts. Next, I smell toffee, earthiness, biscuit, and a herbal note. Nosing further, I detect floral esters, toffee, a hint of smoke, and a touch of earthiness.

The first sip, I tasted caramel, toasted malt, a touch of smoke, and bread crust. Next swig, I taste herbal, toffee, biscuit, and a hint of floral esters. Swirling the liquid around on the palate, I further detect floral esters, earthiness, char, and a touch of a band-aid.

The mouthfeel is carbonated and dry.

The body of the beer is medium, medium-plus carbonation, and medium finish.

For an Octoberfest, this beer is average. The malt profile is not what I would expect from an Octoberfest. I wanted the malts to sing in harmony; the hops provide an accompaniment. I wanted depth with the malt backbone that a great Octoberfest possesses.