Oktoberfest
2nd Shift Brewing

 

 

Copper colored with a quarter inch of light brown on top. Light, soapy lacing. The aroma is of faint sourdough. I’m tasting sourdough and light biscuity malt. The mouth is refreshing and smooth.

 

 

 

Murky golden amber body with a white head that settles into a cap, mild lacing. Smell and taste are more or less the same: caramel malt with a great bready and airy yeast, a hint of caramelized nuts, and a earthy hops kiss. Taste has more definition to the yeast. Feel is chewy and light with a great yeast movement rising from the malty base. The wife liked

poured from a 16oz crowler into a dimpled mug. pours a light, see-through brown with two fingers of off-white head. aromas of dark bread coupled with a clean lager smell. it’s quite floral and light for an oktoberfest. taste is clean lager backed with rye bread and a nice maltiness. again, it’s on the lighter side of oktoberfest bier to my tastebuds. fairly full mouthfeel. definitely a less carbonated lager as oktoberfests tend to be but this seems too light for an oktoberfest. it’s still very tasty just missing a little oomph to it.

 

12 oz can, dated August of 2020, into Goose Island Nonic Pint.
"We've always wanted to brew a traditional Marzen, so we finally did."
Let's see how they did.

Color is a blonde-amber with a creamy eggshell white head of 2 fingers, receding to 1, staying very creamy and leaving some bubbly lacing.

Aroma is floor malted and toasted grains, smelling pretty legit, with a bit of smoke and straw.

Flavor is quite impressive. This is one of the better American Marzens I've had. Maybe the best. Flavor brings toasted grain and apricot front and center, with some smoked grain and straw behind that. Cocoa puffs on the finish. It's simple, sweet, robust, and flavorful without overwhelming the style. Plays tug-of-war with the hops and the malt and you end up with rich and sweet toasty notes with some grassy herbal hop in tow. It really reminds me of the real-deal German examples I've tried.

Flavor is both creamy and heavily carbonated, with a sticky, starchy finish, and slight alcohol heat. Within spec.

Overall, an enjoyable Marzen that I'm glad I picked up a can of. There were no detectable flaws and really does the style justice. If you're a fan of Marzens at all, you must check this one out. No other American style Marzen I've had comes close. Great lagering. Edit : the 1 overall here is for the brewery experience of requiring clot shot cards to sit in their establishment. Fall 2021 is the last time my money went to 2nd Shift.

Price paid : $2.59 / can

 

 

12oz CANNED ON 08/05/2020 (isn't that simple and effective, about 6 weeks old) poured into a test glass for appearance with the remainder to a stein. 5% ABV per can. The beer pours bright light golden honey amber in color with off white head. The head recedes to a thin ring and island of tiny bubbles. Minimal lacing. The aroma is faint with toasted malt. The taste is semisweet pils and toasted malt with a hint of cocoa before a nutty, mildly bitter finish. The mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied with just less than medium carbonation and a dry finish. No defects or flaws in lagering. Overall, good beer, odd Oktoberfest. Very drinkable but the ABV & flavor combination is unique and definitely not the "traditional märzen" the brewery discusses always wanting to brew on the label.

 

 

12oz can. Poured out a clear, golden burgundy color with a small, khaki-colored head of foam. It left sudsy trails of lace. It smelled of toasted caramel, toffee and floral notes. Sweet caramel and toffee up front with some toasted bread and a mild bitterness.

 

12 oz can pours a clear copper color with a small off white head that leaves some lacing in my glass. Aromas of sweet bread nutty and caramel flavors, finishes clean and dry. Light to medium bodied with a crisp and carbonated mouthfeel, a well done Oktoberfest, this one is done right.

From a twelve ounce aluminum can (I'm so glad that these local breweries are now canning)....this beer is a clear golden color with a very tall, puffy, rocky, white head. The aroma is lightly bready, and the taste is balanced, if not just a hint dry. Lots of malt notes in the taste, and an abrupt finish. Nice.