Oktoberfest
Prison City Pub & Brewery

Pours a clear amber. Thick foam. Sweet malt aroma. Medium malt body. Smooth with a light sweet finish. Very drinkable. Understated but very good.

 

Has a 90624 date on the can, not sure if it's a Best By or Canned On.

A - Amber copper colored pour with low carbonation and very thin lacing.

S - Toasted caramel malt aroma with bread crust and light biscuity earthiness.

T - Light toasted caramel malt, some breadcrust, and very low earthy bitterness on the back side.

M - Medium body that's a little thin around the edges.

O - Middle of the road but still enjoying.

 

On tap at Sabatinis in Exeter pa early this evening.

Decent looking beer. Copper body, small white head, scattered lacing. Aroma is neutral. On tasting, initially seems well balanced, but the caramel builds as the drink goes on. Mildly sweet, finish is drying, more caramelly.

Overall, while initially seeming balanced. The growing caramel did not sit well on this particular palate.

The pour is a murky brown color with a generous amount of carbonation. The taste is sweet roasted malt, brown bread crust, along with a touch of molasses. There is no date on the can btw. Cheers! B

A very brief chill haze gives way to clear, rusty amber (SRM 6-9) beer. The off-white froth slowly settles to a thick blanket, leaving rings of dense lace on the Spaten Dimpled Mug. There is no visible carbonation within.

Toasted malt owns the field, with wheat bread and mixed nuts putting up a valiant opposition. Hop aromas are utterly absent. Warmth adds notes of sun-brewed tea.

Upon entry, this is fairly bland, allowing the toasted malt and nuts to build. Late in each sip comes modest sweetness, with light bitterness relegated to the finish. Wheat and rye bread become apparent with warmth, as does a faint caraway flavor. The finish starts mild, builds with the bitterness before fading slowly.

This one has a medium body and the texture of soft wool, followed by prickly carbonation. Alcohol is light, as expected, while a light astringency enters with the finish.

Prison City’s Octoberfest is yet another easy drinking Marzen. One is getting the impression that this style just might be intended to be consumed over long sessions, filling the afternoon. And that is precisely my plan, while reading and letting the slow, cold rain soak into the ground outside. Today really is the stereotypical early Autumn day.

This one pours a dark-ish golden brown color, with a small head, and lots of lacing.

This one smells like caramel, toasted bread, and light grassy hops.

This has a little bit more sweetness than I ultimately prefer, but it's still solidly tasty. There's caramel, toast, nuttiness, and breadiness here, with a nice creamy finish.

This is medium bodied, pretty crisp, but also creamy, with really nice drinkability overall.

This is middle to upper tier overall for the style.

Clear deep copper, with 2+ fingers of long-lasting head, that leaves a thick ring and a few spots of lacing.

Smell is the typical toffee + caramel + brown bread. Pleasant, and spot-on, just a bit light in presence.

Taste is toasty brown bread + roasted brown sugar, with a bit of rye-ish tang, light toffee and caramel , with a moderately bitter finish that balances the slight sweetness of the rest.

Feel is medium, with fine, sharp carbonation. Slight astringency at the back of the throat at swallow, but not sure if that is the beer being young, or the grass awn that got in my throat yesterday. I'll give it a pass on that, for now, as it's probably temporary in either case. ;) Wish it were a little softer, but it's fine as is. On the dry side, which I like.

Overall a fine Oktoberfest. Maybe a half-notch below my favorites, such as Ayinger and Spaten, but I would welcome this anytime.