Dominion Octoberfest! | Old Dominion Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Old Dominion Brewing Company
Delaware, United States
olddominion.com
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 5.90%
Availability: Fall
Notes / Commercial Description:
Our Autumn Seasonal beer is a traditional Maerzen style lager. We use eight types of imported German malts and four hop varieties to create this amber-colored fest beer.
Added by BeerAdvocate on 09-18-2002
Ratings: 244 | Reviews: 132
4/5 rDev +12%
deapokid, Dec 03, 2011
3.73/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
3.53/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
My first Octoberfest of the season. Poured an orange-amber color with profound off-white head. Smell is of roasted malt with notes of bread dough. Taste is strongly of malt and caramel. Finishes nutty with a little bit of hop coming through. Another good beer from Dominion.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
My first Octoberfest of the season. Poured an orange-amber color with profound off-white head. Smell is of roasted malt with notes of bread dough. Taste is strongly of malt and caramel. Finishes nutty with a little bit of hop coming through. Another good beer from Dominion.
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4.1/5 rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Green Leaf in Williamsburg. Great little bar!
Served in a standard pint, the beer is orange-brown with a thin collar of beige foam & spotty lacing.
It has an aroma of lightly toasted grains, honey and spice.
The taste is a nice combo of sweet with toasted malts with more than a bit of backend spiciness (almost reminds me of rye). Nice balance & better than expected complexity
The mouth has heft but the beer is easy to session. Well done!!
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
On tap at the Green Leaf in Williamsburg. Great little bar!
Served in a standard pint, the beer is orange-brown with a thin collar of beige foam & spotty lacing.
It has an aroma of lightly toasted grains, honey and spice.
The taste is a nice combo of sweet with toasted malts with more than a bit of backend spiciness (almost reminds me of rye). Nice balance & better than expected complexity
The mouth has heft but the beer is easy to session. Well done!!
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3.73/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A - An active pour with swirling carbonation... Loads of tiny bubbles lock on the the side of the glass... not surprisingly, tons of carbonation rushes within... A thin fizzy light than head that is turns slightly rocky before leaving a reach full creamy lacing... A deep rich amber color with copper highlights...
S - Slightly floral... Inviting caramel... Bursting with toffee... Pale malts... Slightly bready... Some ripened dark fruits... Even pick a touch of booziness...
T - A complex malt forward marzen... Bread pudding.... Caramel... Toffee... Pale malts... Some fig.... Even a touch of piney hops on the finish...
M - Rich creamy foam touches the lips first... Medium bodied... The creaminess and lushness is off the charts... A slight bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth...
D - A Marzen that exceeded my expectations... An assertive interpretation that was well received by this BA... Sessionable and easy going sip after sip... I recommend and would gladly drink again... A job very nicely done by the folks at Dominion...
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4
A - An active pour with swirling carbonation... Loads of tiny bubbles lock on the the side of the glass... not surprisingly, tons of carbonation rushes within... A thin fizzy light than head that is turns slightly rocky before leaving a reach full creamy lacing... A deep rich amber color with copper highlights...
S - Slightly floral... Inviting caramel... Bursting with toffee... Pale malts... Slightly bready... Some ripened dark fruits... Even pick a touch of booziness...
T - A complex malt forward marzen... Bread pudding.... Caramel... Toffee... Pale malts... Some fig.... Even a touch of piney hops on the finish...
M - Rich creamy foam touches the lips first... Medium bodied... The creaminess and lushness is off the charts... A slight bitterness lingers on the back of the tongue and roof of the mouth...
D - A Marzen that exceeded my expectations... An assertive interpretation that was well received by this BA... Sessionable and easy going sip after sip... I recommend and would gladly drink again... A job very nicely done by the folks at Dominion...
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3.53/5 rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The beer poured a crystal clear deep amber with a slightly off-white head that fell slowly to lace the glass.
The aroma was vienna malts with a deep caramel and a slight DMS.
The flavor was crisp but with a slight corny (DMS) nature. Vienna malts and caramel permeated the flavor, bittering was high enough to balance and keep the sweetness from the malts in check.
The finish was just dry with lingering caramel maltiness. The body was medium.
12 ounce bottle. Bottled on 02 Sept 2004.
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look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The beer poured a crystal clear deep amber with a slightly off-white head that fell slowly to lace the glass.
The aroma was vienna malts with a deep caramel and a slight DMS.
The flavor was crisp but with a slight corny (DMS) nature. Vienna malts and caramel permeated the flavor, bittering was high enough to balance and keep the sweetness from the malts in check.
The finish was just dry with lingering caramel maltiness. The body was medium.
12 ounce bottle. Bottled on 02 Sept 2004.
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3.65/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I had this on-tap here recently at a local restaurant.
Served in a pint glass.
A: Poured an orange color, with a slight chill haze, and minuscule white head.
S: I got some bread with some German malt poking through the dough. Also, the fresh filtered water kinda reminded me of a melted lollipop.
T: This was slightly sweet, but not too Americanized. Nice balance between the sweet and the German mothball.
M: Nice spritz on the carbonation front, but I honestly wish this had a touch more bitterness for added character.
O: Nothing groundbreaking here, but I must say: I chugged my pint rather quickly.
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look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
I had this on-tap here recently at a local restaurant.
Served in a pint glass.
A: Poured an orange color, with a slight chill haze, and minuscule white head.
S: I got some bread with some German malt poking through the dough. Also, the fresh filtered water kinda reminded me of a melted lollipop.
T: This was slightly sweet, but not too Americanized. Nice balance between the sweet and the German mothball.
M: Nice spritz on the carbonation front, but I honestly wish this had a touch more bitterness for added character.
O: Nothing groundbreaking here, but I must say: I chugged my pint rather quickly.
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3.35/5 rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a bright golden coppery color with a thin, fast fading off white head. Smell is of roasted malt with notes of bread dough and sweet fruits. Taste strongly of malts and caramel with a hint of spice. Finish is nutty with a very light hoppiness coming through. Medium body with good carbonation.
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look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Pours a bright golden coppery color with a thin, fast fading off white head. Smell is of roasted malt with notes of bread dough and sweet fruits. Taste strongly of malts and caramel with a hint of spice. Finish is nutty with a very light hoppiness coming through. Medium body with good carbonation.
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3.64/5 rDev +2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pale orange/mohagony with very little white head that dissipates quickly. An average looking O-fest.
Sweet candied malts with fruity undertones. Not sure I've ever smelled an O-fest like this one. Very sweet smelling.
Nice...and I like the approach to the style. It is however somewhat thin yet refreshing. Sweet fruits and malt yet the malt is very thin. No meat to this beer whatsoever. No hops either. But interesting to try.
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look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Pale orange/mohagony with very little white head that dissipates quickly. An average looking O-fest.
Sweet candied malts with fruity undertones. Not sure I've ever smelled an O-fest like this one. Very sweet smelling.
Nice...and I like the approach to the style. It is however somewhat thin yet refreshing. Sweet fruits and malt yet the malt is very thin. No meat to this beer whatsoever. No hops either. But interesting to try.
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3.46/5 rDev -3.1%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
A solid but unremarkable Octoberfest. Not as clean as some of the other better Octoberfest's. I did like the malt profile, but it didn't have quite the clean finish it should
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look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
A solid but unremarkable Octoberfest. Not as clean as some of the other better Octoberfest's. I did like the malt profile, but it didn't have quite the clean finish it should
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3.91/5 rDev +9.5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 7/28/05. Clear amber color, lots of tiny bubbles streaming from the bottom of the glass. Thick rocky tan head. Very good retention, and lacing. Soft toasty aroma, grainy as well. Toasty, bread-like malt character followed by a good amount of bitterness. Very smooth. Light to medium body, good carbonation. Bitterness lingers on the tongue quite a bit. Pretty hoppy for an O-fest, but very nice. A good offering.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottled 7/28/05. Clear amber color, lots of tiny bubbles streaming from the bottom of the glass. Thick rocky tan head. Very good retention, and lacing. Soft toasty aroma, grainy as well. Toasty, bread-like malt character followed by a good amount of bitterness. Very smooth. Light to medium body, good carbonation. Bitterness lingers on the tongue quite a bit. Pretty hoppy for an O-fest, but very nice. A good offering.
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3.68/5 rDev +3.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was a strange Oktoberfest. I thought it was a little too hoppy for me. It's taste was initially hoppy, but then faded into a malty taste, which was good. It didn't have that feel to it that most Oktoberfest brews had. I can;t really explain it, but if you drink a Sam Adams Oktoberfest, you'll know what I am talkin about. It was bubbly in the mouth and a coated the throat. All in all, not a bad brew, but not the best.
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look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This was a strange Oktoberfest. I thought it was a little too hoppy for me. It's taste was initially hoppy, but then faded into a malty taste, which was good. It didn't have that feel to it that most Oktoberfest brews had. I can;t really explain it, but if you drink a Sam Adams Oktoberfest, you'll know what I am talkin about. It was bubbly in the mouth and a coated the throat. All in all, not a bad brew, but not the best.
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3.5/5 rDev -2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle courtesy of dkachur - thanks! Poured into a traditional American pint glass.
Appearance: A filtered copper body with one-finger of white head that fades quickly into a ring of lace. Lacing proper isn't very impressive, though isn't a complete loss, with a few eruptions here and there. Carbonation is of a medium size and fairly slow.
Aroma: Major buttery malts here, very prominent. There's some faint something else, but it's mostly just toffee/toasty butterscotch/taffy notes.
Taste: Butterscotch ahoy! Diacetyls are through the roof on this one, with some mild balancing bitterness and a grassy, tart twinge the only things present to keep them in check. It's not "bad," it's just pretty average.
Mouthfeel: Very big and fluffy, full-bodied, but light and only slightly uneven.
Drinkability: A pretty average Oktoberfest, with all those buttery malts hiding anything else that might be there. They're not bad - i.e., they don't remind of me of rank yeast diacetyls or anything - but they do get sort of cloying after a while. Not a go-to Oktoberfest, but not a bad beer.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Bottle courtesy of dkachur - thanks! Poured into a traditional American pint glass.
Appearance: A filtered copper body with one-finger of white head that fades quickly into a ring of lace. Lacing proper isn't very impressive, though isn't a complete loss, with a few eruptions here and there. Carbonation is of a medium size and fairly slow.
Aroma: Major buttery malts here, very prominent. There's some faint something else, but it's mostly just toffee/toasty butterscotch/taffy notes.
Taste: Butterscotch ahoy! Diacetyls are through the roof on this one, with some mild balancing bitterness and a grassy, tart twinge the only things present to keep them in check. It's not "bad," it's just pretty average.
Mouthfeel: Very big and fluffy, full-bodied, but light and only slightly uneven.
Drinkability: A pretty average Oktoberfest, with all those buttery malts hiding anything else that might be there. They're not bad - i.e., they don't remind of me of rank yeast diacetyls or anything - but they do get sort of cloying after a while. Not a go-to Oktoberfest, but not a bad beer.
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3.77/5 rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear stale orange/bronze mixture decent cream colored head falls fast where is my lace?
Aroma is malty some toasted caramel malt mixed with bready malt light citrus/spicey type hops herbal mixed with light grapefruit.
Taste is malty light strange almost vinegar like flavor for a second not bad but different. Finish is lingering malt and good supply of hops for a Oktoberfest again the grapefruit mixed with herbal hops and some light nuttiness from the toasted caramel malt.
Mouthfeel is little lighter then medium the nice carbonation adds to the flavor and spice in this one.
Drinkability is good, little more hops then most oktoberfest which is not bad.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear stale orange/bronze mixture decent cream colored head falls fast where is my lace?
Aroma is malty some toasted caramel malt mixed with bready malt light citrus/spicey type hops herbal mixed with light grapefruit.
Taste is malty light strange almost vinegar like flavor for a second not bad but different. Finish is lingering malt and good supply of hops for a Oktoberfest again the grapefruit mixed with herbal hops and some light nuttiness from the toasted caramel malt.
Mouthfeel is little lighter then medium the nice carbonation adds to the flavor and spice in this one.
Drinkability is good, little more hops then most oktoberfest which is not bad.
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2.66/5 rDev -25.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Poured from a 12-ounce bottle into a 6-ounce taster glass.
A: Clean, bright orange copper color with a one-finger head of creamy white foam which settled out pretty quickly and left no lace.
S: Minimal toasted grains, herbal, grassy hops and a predominantly metallic nose.
T: Quick flash of toasted malts with a little caramel and biscuit flavor before dry, grassy German hops trickle across the palate. This is overtaken by a light, watery, grainy and slightly metallic taste that ushers in a dry, bubbly finish. Not a whole lotta good flavor to be had.
M: Thin, clean, dry and a bit over-carbonated of a marzen for my liking.
O: There's a stab in the dark at German authenticity in this marzen, but overall it fails to achieve anything but mediocre red lager success in terms of flavor. AT 5.8% I'd rather sip on something worth its weight in malts. Pass on this okay-looking but none-too-flavorful fall lager.
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look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Poured from a 12-ounce bottle into a 6-ounce taster glass.
A: Clean, bright orange copper color with a one-finger head of creamy white foam which settled out pretty quickly and left no lace.
S: Minimal toasted grains, herbal, grassy hops and a predominantly metallic nose.
T: Quick flash of toasted malts with a little caramel and biscuit flavor before dry, grassy German hops trickle across the palate. This is overtaken by a light, watery, grainy and slightly metallic taste that ushers in a dry, bubbly finish. Not a whole lotta good flavor to be had.
M: Thin, clean, dry and a bit over-carbonated of a marzen for my liking.
O: There's a stab in the dark at German authenticity in this marzen, but overall it fails to achieve anything but mediocre red lager success in terms of flavor. AT 5.8% I'd rather sip on something worth its weight in malts. Pass on this okay-looking but none-too-flavorful fall lager.
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3.97/5 rDev +11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A co-worker brought this in her luggage when she flew from Washington to Moscow. What a treat! Brown long-neck 12oz bottle with a brown, gold and white label featuring Dominion's trademark deer and the word Octoberfest printed amongst the leaves at the bottom. Bottled on 8/28/03, I got a hold of mine on 9/16/03.
Lovely clear orange copper tone under a beige head that never grows above one finger, and lingers just a bit. There are some drops of lace, but more would have been nice. Big malt nose, with a touch of caramel sweet. The mouthfeel is thick with malt and just a bit bubbly. The malt taste kicks in immediately, with definite caramel overtones and a touch of roasted chestnuts. There are some smooth flowery hops lurking here, too, and they become ever stronger as the liquid warms and bathes the taste buds. The result is an incredibly well balanced finish and a sweet grainy aftertaste that is very satisfying. Good stuff - Jerry Bailey strikes again!
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look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
A co-worker brought this in her luggage when she flew from Washington to Moscow. What a treat! Brown long-neck 12oz bottle with a brown, gold and white label featuring Dominion's trademark deer and the word Octoberfest printed amongst the leaves at the bottom. Bottled on 8/28/03, I got a hold of mine on 9/16/03.
Lovely clear orange copper tone under a beige head that never grows above one finger, and lingers just a bit. There are some drops of lace, but more would have been nice. Big malt nose, with a touch of caramel sweet. The mouthfeel is thick with malt and just a bit bubbly. The malt taste kicks in immediately, with definite caramel overtones and a touch of roasted chestnuts. There are some smooth flowery hops lurking here, too, and they become ever stronger as the liquid warms and bathes the taste buds. The result is an incredibly well balanced finish and a sweet grainy aftertaste that is very satisfying. Good stuff - Jerry Bailey strikes again!
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Dominion Octoberfest! from Old Dominion Brewing Company
3.57
out of 5
based on 244 ratings.