Oktoberfest
Old Nation Brewing Co.

As my first proper Märzen, I wasn't sure if I'd be prepared for it, and I guess, in short, I was and I wasn't

First off, I really like the way it smelled. I think it's aroma was my favorite part, but as for the beer itself. It's just a *tad* bit too bitter for me, but I do think that the pretzel-y undertones make it a bit more drinkable

Would probably wait another year and this buy this next fall once my palette is a bit more refined lol

Octoberfest from Old Nation Brewing. 16 fl oz can picked up at Siciliano’s, Grand Rapids, MI, 23/08/25 - $ 3.80 (including tax and deposit)/$ 0.24/fl oz. Reviewed 20/09/25, review 3592. Note that I use DD/MM/YY protocol.
Bottom of can stamped “BEST BY 11/12/26.” Stored at home at 40 degrees F. Served at 43.8 degrees F in a hand washed and dried Jester King snifter. The final temperature is 54.6 degrees F.
Appearance – 4
First pour – Pale amber (SRM 9), slight chill haze.
Body – Medium Amber (SRM 12), opaque. Under direct light, same. When rear-lite, pale amber with a slight haze.
Head – Average (Maximum three cm, aggressive center pour). Vanilla, high density, average retention, leaving a 0.4 – 1.0 cm crown with an irregular upper edge and a partial cap.
Lacing – Good. Irregular reticulum tending toward torn curtain lacing.
Aroma – 4 – Caramel malt, no hops, no alcohol.
Flavor – 4.25 – Follows the nose, slightly sweet, no hops. No alcohol (5.7 % ABV, according to the label). No dimethylsulfide or diacetyl. Slow gastric warming.
Palate – 4 – Medium: Watery: Lively carbonation.
Style: Follows the style guidelines as condensed by BA.
Final impression and summation: 4.25 Uncredited art work. Crisp, slightly sweet Märzen, very typical of the style. Fruit fly approved.

The pour is very transparent amber with a very light beige tint colored head that dissipated fairly quickly, but that made it easier to drink sooner.
The taste is rather what I expect a European marten to taste like; nice pretzel like malts, almost Noble type hops with their floral and herbal notes.
Like many Marzens, it’s just a little heavy to drink by the liter. But the feel is light and crisp.
OA, I think it’s a good example of the style and would be happy to drink a pint anytime.

 

Copenhagen 18/12 2022. 47,3 cl steel can with a label from DrikBeer webshoppen- Black label with a circle with the Oktoberfest blue and white checkered flag

Pours clear amber with a mid-sized white head. Stable. Settles as thin layer of foam stretching to cover the surface of the beer. Substantial lacing.

Aroma is medium intense with a sweet malty odor mingling with a slightly sharp scent of grass and grains. Sweet pale malts, bread and barley. Fresh grass. Light whiff of sour grains

Medium strong carbonation. Slightly thick, oily, soft, lightly tingling texture.

Flavor is medium intense with a medium strong sweetness neatly balanced by a medium strong bitterness. Aftertaste is bitter. Lingers for a while. Finish is semi-dry.

Refreshing, well-balanced and nutritious. This could work for me on a all-nighter.

Amber in color with extra clarity. There’s a fingernail of off white around the rim and covering a third of the top. The aroma is of biscuit to a pretzel. I’m tasting a lightly salted pretzel with a hint of sourdough. The mouth is crisp and refreshing.

Appearance: Pours a clear, medium orange/golden color with a strong white head. SRM of 8-9. (4.00)

Aroma: Strong aromas of rich bread, toasty caramel. (4.00)

Flavor: Strong flavors of rich bread, toasted caramel, some brown sugar, honey, and cinnamon. Toasted. (4.25)

Feel: Medium body, strong, carbonation, slightly spiced, toasted, moderately sweet. Clean. (4.25)

Compared to BlackStack Late To The Party 9/24: Pours darker, stronger head. Milder aromas. More rich caramel and toast. Less honey and floral notes. More toasty and dark.

Overall: Classic Marzen flavors. Rich bread, toasty, and lightly spiced. Not overly sweet. Excellent Marzen. (Rating: 4.13)

From the 16 oz can in a snifter. This solid fest pours a clear amber with a moderate
head of white foam that settles to a thick ring, thin clumping layer, and displays some
nice lacing. Nose of light breaded malts, toasted malts, herbal hops, and caramel.
Flavors follow the nose with light breaded malts, caramel, toasted malts, and nicely
balanced herbal hops. Mouth feel is medium, medium light carbonation, smooth,
and finishing nicely balanced and faintly dry.

A great example of good balance. Nothing more is needed and this one delivers
on the style!

Cheers

Poured from a can into a pint glass. Pours red orange with a nice white head. Smells of bright fruit and caramelized grain. Tastes of bright fruit and caramelized grain. Beer is light bodied and easy drinking, good carbonation. Overall, a very good beer.

16 ounce can, best by 01/20/24 stamped on the bottom of the can, thanks to Brutaltruth for this one! Served in a pint glass, the beer pours a clear amber color with about an inch or so off-white head that stuck around a while. There's also a good amount of lacing. I like the aroma, the brew smells like toasted malt, caramel and some spicy hops. To me I think the taste is pretty much just like the aroma, but there's also some herbalness in the flavor noticeable too. Also a slight bitterness in the finish. Mouthfeel/body is medium, it's smooth and easy to drink with a moderate amount of carbonation. I liked this Oktoberfest brew, certainly worth trying if you're able to!

16 oz can split with my wife, poured into a tulip glass. Aroma and flavor feature toasty caramel malt with a hint of pumpernickel. Really solid, delicious malt bill - not too sweet. Hops take a backseat, which is fine by me. Mouthfeel is smooth, creamy, and full-bodied. Moderate carbonation. Overall a very tasty oktoberfest!

 

 

 

 

16 oz. Can
BEST BY: 02/11/23

Poured into a Tree House glass a pretty nice translucent dark amber color, very nice carbonation, with a pretty nice thick/creamy one-finger plus off-white head, which also leaves a pretty nice medium size island, and some pretty nice sticky lacing behind. The nose is pretty nice, malty, hoppy, with some pretty nice toastyness, bready, slight cherry, spicyness. The taste is pretty nice, malty, hoppy, with a pretty nice touch of toastyness/bready, cherries, spicyness, slight sweetness. Medium body, ABV is hidden pretty well, with a pretty nice dry/bitter finish. Overall, this is a pretty tasty beer.

 

4-pack of 16oz from Whitey's Liquor Store in Lawrenceburg
Amber color with a thick foamy head, good retention.
Bready malt aroma.
Taste is not as malty as the nose suggests, light sweetness, almost dry finish with some lingering bitterness.

Amber and murky in appearance, pinky finger of frothy cream foam, thick lines of lacing. Grassy hops with lemon atop the earthy and yeasty accented caramel malt. If I thought the nose was too hoppy (sure did) well the taste is even more unbalanced, with hops starring powerfully. Feel is bitter and thin for the style, hops should not be the star here either, but here we are. Too hoppy