Mecktoberfest
The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery

Seinfeldfan from Ohio

4.84/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 5

Marzens are my favorite style of brew and I sample many of the local craft versions in my area. A friend brought this back to me from his trip to Charlotte. This beer is definitely worth it's high ranking. It has the bready, malty taste you're looking for in this style. A hard pour produced a two inch white head that hung around for awhile. The color is copper bronze. Beautiful beer to look at. The drinkability is what sets this beer apart from other Octoberfest style offerings. Goes down very smooth with very little alcohol taste lingering. The only problem is that my friend only gave me a sixer.

Oct 25, 2020

nick_perry from North Carolina

4.45/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Amber color with a lot of rising bubbles and a thin white head. Light bodied but sharply carbonated. Biscuit malt flavor, noticeable fruity ester as well. Finish is quite dry.

Oct 14, 2020

WesMantooth from Ohio

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Clear copper-orange. Frothy tan head.
Ton of toasted bread aroma, super malty flavor, but not heavy drinking. Just enough body to give it a light creamy fullness on the back end.
Dry, crisp finish with a significant floral bitterness and some grains in the aftertaste.
Probably the best American version I’ve had. Definitely right there with Von Trapp at the top.

Nov 16, 2019

Apellonious from North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Can't believe I haven't reviewed this one yet. Bottle of 8/29/2019, poured into a pint glass, a clear ruby orange. A half finger head moves to thin rim of lace fairly quickly before the first sip. Aroma is sweet malt, toasted grains, and maybe some nut/almond. The taste is balanced, picking up some malts, a little bitter yeast, some of the noble hops. Medium mouthfeel and a medium amount of carbonation. A well made Marzen from a Charlotte local brewery.

Sep 27, 2019

Reef from South Carolina

4.25/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap at a neighborhood bar

Clear copper orange with two fingers white head. Full curtain of lacing, surface ring.
Malt, light pear scents
Caramel, floral hops, bread, light hop bitterness
Slightly sweet, easy to drink by the liter,
A joy.

Sep 20, 2019

hottenot from North Carolina

5/5  rDev +19.3%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Olde Mecklenburg sticks to the original Mecklenburg when it comes to producing real German Bier right here in Charlotte, NC also a bit of irony there too!
4 things make a real bier. Water, Malt, Hops and yeast. Period. I have been to 3 Oktoberfest's in my life. All of them in Germany.
This is the real thing. You will not get closer to a real Oktoberfest unless you visit. But luckily Olde Mecklenburg comes through with an authentic Marzen as you will find outside of Munich. That, you can take to the bank.

Dec 11, 2018

BBThunderbolt from Kiribati

3.66/5  rDev -12.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

Thanks to nc41 for this one, from NBS BIF #8. 12oz bottle poured into 14oz teku. Poured a clean, clear bright copper color with about 1/2 inch of light khaki head that good retention and light lacing.

Very good grain scents greeted the nose, with just some light floral hops in the background. Very much the same on the tongue, a nice blend of malt and hops.

The body was smooth, even, and a touch creamy. Drinkability was very nice, the beer went down quite easily. Overall, a very nice version of the style. Stands up well with any I've had, Worth trying if you see it.

Nov 03, 2018

Beginner2 from Illinois

4.09/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

On tap from a Taste of Carolina sampler flight at the Charlotte airport.
I can see why Mecktoberfest is so highly rated in its style: a pleasant malt, balanced with modest hops. Finishes clean and crisp, but still knows how to tweak the salavaries.
I wish I did't have to catch my other flight otherwise I would savor a full glass. This may be my best O-fest for this season. Do we have another classic ?

My first from OMB, they seem about 10 years old but are very traditional in their approach to lagers. No frills, just the four ingredients. Maybe that is what it takes to become a classic... although it would be nice if they distributed their O-fest to Chicago.

Oct 24, 2018

DrMullet from Florida

3.54/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear orange/amber with medium head and persistent lacing.
Smell is caramel, sweet malt with a hint of fruit.
Taste is sweet caramel malt. Bready with a mild apple/fruit flavor.

Apr 01, 2018

Olesjm from Kansas

4.47/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Nice strong nose and flavor, especially for a lager. Exactly what I think of when I imagine a German Oktoberfest beer. Clean dry finish with some great hops that hang on for a few extra seconds. It's honestly more of a true Marzen than a Festbier.

Sep 18, 2017

LordFoul from South Carolina

4.24/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

This is a terrific beer. I had it on tap at the brewery, served in a dimpled mug.

it is a deep amber/orange color with a tall off white head. The beer has quite a big aroma of bread and caramel; very little on the hop, just the faintest floral hop presence. The flavor is big and bold, lots of bread/biscuit and caramel as hinted at in the aroma. There is just a bit of hop bitterness that helps offset the moderately sweet maltiness. This is a very balanced beer all the way around. The beer is medium bodied with an average amount of carbonation. Supremely easy to drink.

I think this may be one of OMB's best beers; it stand out head and shoulders above most other domestic attempts at the style. This beer is much more akin to its German counterparts, without suffering the ill effects of the journey from there to here.

Aug 18, 2017

metter98 from New York

4.08/5  rDev -2.6%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

A: The beer is a little hazy yellow in color and has some orange hues along with a moderate amount of carbonation. It poured with a short white head that died down, leaving some lacing on the surface and a collar around the edge of the glass.
S: Light to moderate aromas of toasted malts are present in the nose along with some hints of bready malts and noble hops.
T: Similar to the smell, the taste is quite malty and has lots of flavors of toasted malts along with subtle hints of sweetness. There is a light amount of bitterness.
M: It feels medium-bodied on the palate and has a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: This beer is an excellent American representation of a German style. I liked how it was nice and malty but there was a good amount of underlying hops to balance off just about all of the sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

Oct 10, 2015

nc41 from North Carolina

4.29/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

I don't really do reviews, so this is mostly a recommendation. Love OMB brews, everything they make is stellar. This is really a simply great beer, looks good, 1/2 head retention to the end, not much on the nose, but creamy, bread, a tad sweet, lots of malt. Low IBUs under 30. I'm a hop guy, and I love this beer, as well as their Pils. If I'd add anything I'd prefer it a bit more dry, maybe a tad less sweet. But that is the style.

Sep 06, 2015

stakem from Pennsylvania

3.54/5  rDev -15.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

Thanks Kegatron for gifting me with a bottle of this. 12oz poured into mug. The brew appears a clear copper with off-white head composed of large bubbles that fades fast.

The smell includes notes of minerals and fruitiness. A little carbonic and overall pretty simplistic.

The taste is sweet with caramel malt and rounded with a touch of buttery diacetyl. A slight herbal hop bitterness, fruity alcohol and a carbonic bite to the finish.

This is medium bodied and moderately carbonated. It is easy drinking and a to style marzen. You could toss a couple of these back pretty effortlessly.

Jun 12, 2015

joe1510 from Illinois

4/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz Bottle
$11.99 6-Pack
Good Bottle - Charlotte

Bottled 11/10/14

Mecktoberfest is autumn orange with a enough bronze highlights to make the body shine. Clarity is about as good as you can get. A clean, white fingers worth of foam crowns the top easily before fading to a whispy cap. Delicate lace clings where foam once stood. She's a pretty lady.

Bready malts get it moving along with an undercurrent of earthy maltiness that adds some nice depth. Soft caramel surround delicate apple and grape esters. A floral and grassy hopiness is welcomed in such a fresh bottle. An easy going, peppery note of clean alcohol brings up the rear. The caramel grows with each swirl of the glass and with that, its richness does as well.

Olde Meck nailed the concept of a bright, clean Oktoberfest. Bread and caramel leap from the glass, more caramel than bread as it warms. The mild fruity esters pop up in the middle, mostly apple this time before the breadiness takes back over on the end. Floral hops comes through on the finish with an earthy depth and I'm a fan.

Drinkability is off the charts. The body sits just under moderate on the spectrum, or so it feels with a soft but active carbonation. Soft bitterness lingers briefly on the swallow and an appreciated dryness takes over which boosts that drinkability even more.

I like most of what Olde Meck does but this is up there with the best of their portfolio. It's bright, crisp, and of the drier, easier drinking Oktoberfest class. It's a great example of the style and a dangerously drinkable beverine.

Nov 20, 2014

humuloner22 from North Carolina

4.5/5  rDev +7.4%

Maybe it was me, maybe it was the beer. But this is the best Oktoberfest beer I have had. At least this year.

Color: Dark caramel foamy head which remained pretty consistent.

Smell: Caramel, nice sweet bready aroma.

The flavor is there which is nice, beyond the vapid typical Oktoberfest. The caramel is there, but not overpowering. Clean. Finally a clean tasting Marzen without too much of the cloying nasty almost artificial caramel flavors.

Overall: Easily the best Oktoberfest I have had. The price was not bad either. I paid more than most, but really it was only a buck more than the Great Lakes version, which to me is a huge disappointment based upon the reviews.

Sep 21, 2014

wedge from North Carolina

4/5  rDev -4.5%

Crystal clear dark gold topped with a high, lumpy head of foam. Deep fresh malt, lager yeast, and slightly husky grain make up an authentic aroma that is just rich enough and features a wonderful warm, toasty bread smell. Nice toasty, bready, just-sweet-enough malts in the flavor as well, a flash of noble hops, clean lager character, and drying out slightly in the finish to dampen any lingering sweetness. Medium bodied and smooth. Very nice.

Sep 07, 2014

GarthDanielson from Virginia

3.88/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured on-tap at the brewery and served in a pilsner glass, the beer is a copper coloring, with a filmy, clingy, white head. Aromas are very subtle, with caramel notes and toasty highlights. Flavors are rich, with nutty and caramel sweet notes. Very rich throughout. Smooth and crisp bodied, with a roasted sweet aftertaste. Clean, smooth finish. Wow! This is a very good beer.

Nov 16, 2013

Bernoulli from South Carolina

3.47/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a beautiful amber color with very minimal head.

Faint but pleasant lager smell

A fuller taste than most American lagers.

A nice introduction to real beer for someone who drinks nothing but American big beers - they'll recognize its beer and also recognize the flavor and heft they've been missing.

We would order it again.

Nov 08, 2013

Cylinsier from Pennsylvania

4.34/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

22 oz.

Pours a slightly hazy light amber gold, white lacing for a head.

Smells of honey, light citrus, and light sweet bready malts with a hint of clover.

Flavor is of light citrusy sweetness over a dry biscuity maltiness. Some very mild dry hoppiness in the aftertaste.

Medium body with crisp carbonation on the roof of the mouth.

Another very good beer from Meck, I continue to be impressed by this brewery's offerings. One of the best Marzen's I've had, really good flavor and aroma, balanced, nice body, and just a joy to drink. Delicious and worth seeking out.

Oct 22, 2013

dbrauneis from North Carolina

4.02/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: Pours a crystal clear light golden amber in color with heavy amounts of active visible carbonation streaming from the bottom of the glass and some deep golden yellow highlights. The beer has a finger tall creamy off-white head that reduces to a thick film covering the entire surface of the beer and a thin ring at the edges of the glass. Moderate to significant amounts of lacing are observed.

S: Moderate aromas of slightly bready malts and moderate amounts of caramel malts. Light to moderate aromas of floral and spicy hops in the background as well.

T: Upfront there are moderate flavors of slightly bready and caramel malts with just a hint of sweetness. There are light flavors of spicy and floral hops in the background which impart a light amount of bitterness which fades pretty quickly.

M: Slightly less than medium bodied with moderate amounts of carbonation. Relatively smooth.

O: I really enjoyed this brew, it is a very solid American offering of the Oktoberfest style. I found it really easy to drink and enjoyable.

Sep 27, 2013

JohnMays from North Carolina

4.71/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.75 | feel: 4.75 | overall: 4.75

This is my beer of 2013. I haven't had a better, more perfect example of a style than OMB's Mecktoberfest. I've had other beers this year in which I might order over this beer just due to my preference, but this is a beer that outshines all others for the style, and I order at least one pint anytime I see it at a restaurant.

Sep 19, 2013

Axnjxn from North Carolina

4.19/5  rDev 0%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

bomber into a snifter. 8/21/13 bottling date

pours a crisp golden color with a nice inch or so white head. the smell is crisp and malty, typical for the style. the taste is very malty and a tad bready. hops in there as well, very very drinkable. Clean and fresh and refreshing. love this one. Mild body with mild carbonation. real easy drinking.

overall just a great easy drinking lager. recommended.

Aug 31, 2013

BEERchitect from Kentucky

3.5/5  rDev -16.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

As the taste of Oktoberfestbiers are trending lighter and lighter, Mecklenburg finds comfort in these developments with a firm fest-style lager that promotes pilsner taste with floral hop balances.

And like many German lagers, the bright straw color contains restrained gold highlights within its crystal clear appearance. Its spirited carbonation releases a fluffy cotton head of froth that shows strong staying power and laces the glass intermittently.

Floral hops deliver a bouquet of aromas that takes the olfactory senses back to honeysuckle and flowery sweetness. Backed by the crisp grainy-sweet scent of pilsner malt, the hop character is charged by the underpinnings of crisp cracker-like breads and supple sweetness.

Flavors act conversely as the malts meet the front of the mouth with malty sweetness that turns lightly grainy at mid palate before concluding dry to finish. An elevated hop taste develops at middle palate and provides floral and grassy taste before developing into a spicy and racy bitterness that balances the fleeting malt taste late. With light apple-like sulfurs and a light minerally crispness, the beer rounds out very well.

Crisply textured throughout, the beer's semi-dry malts pull away from the zest of carbonation to provide a quick transition to finish. Early creaminess wastes no time going toward a lightly arid conclusion that leaves floral hop and spice to fend for themselves in aftertaste.

Mecktoberfest is a sturdy and crisp lager that might hint toward elevated flavor, body, and strength compared to the stalwart German lager, but its lighter profile compared to the more traditional and authentic Oktoberfestbiers demonstrates a shift downward that shows no sign of slowing.

Nov 28, 2012

sommersb from Tennessee

3.88/5  rDev -7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Tasted On: 11-24-2012
Freshness: Unknown
Packaging: Draft
Glassware: Stange
Purchased: On tap at Olde Mecklenburg

A: Bright, clear copper pour shows a fair level of head retention and good lacing. A bit lighter in color than most of the style I've had.

S: Aromas are mainly of noble hops, with grass and hay notes.

T/M: Crisp and clean lager taste, featuring bready malts, spices and moderate hop bitterness. Fresh, clean and easy drinking.

O: Overall a solid Oktoberfest-style beer.

Nov 25, 2012