Oktoberfest | Left Hand Brewing Company
Brewed by:
Left Hand Brewing Company
Colorado, United States
lefthandbrewing.com
Style: German Märzen / Oktoberfest
Alcohol by volume (ABV): 6.60%
Availability: Fall
Notes / Commercial Description:
This is no festivus for the restivus, on the contrary, we start brewing in the spring and it takes a full two months to reach lagered perfection. Biscuity, malty goodness dominates upfront while the noble pedigree hops lend a properly spicy, dry finish.
Added by rowew on 08-22-2006
HISTOGRAM
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Ratings: 1,295 | Reviews: 469
4.4/5 rDev +17%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
4.06/5 rDev +8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.75/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
6.6% ABV is a bit above average for this style, but the alcohol is subdued under rich malt flavor. I wouldn't drink these in succession as rapidly as other O-fests, but nice when you only have time for one. The noble hops provide authentic spice to counterbalance the sweetness of the malt. This is certainly among the top-tier of domestic Oktoberfest offerings that are nationally distributed. I enjoyed it from a 12 o.z. can poured into a Sam Adams pint glass.
463 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
6.6% ABV is a bit above average for this style, but the alcohol is subdued under rich malt flavor. I wouldn't drink these in succession as rapidly as other O-fests, but nice when you only have time for one. The noble hops provide authentic spice to counterbalance the sweetness of the malt. This is certainly among the top-tier of domestic Oktoberfest offerings that are nationally distributed. I enjoyed it from a 12 o.z. can poured into a Sam Adams pint glass.
463 characters
3.6/5 rDev -4.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.79/5 rDev +0.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.51/5 rDev -6.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5
4/5 rDev +6.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear amber color with a thumbnail length head. The head shows good retention.
Aromas of bready and biscuity malt, a touch of caramel. Spices evoke fall. Midway there are aromas of grassy hops and a touch of alcohol.
Clean toasty malt taste with moderate sweetness and a hint of caramel. There is a grassy and leafy hops presence that provides a bold presence and a bitterness that is assertive for the style.
Medium bodied with a moderate carbonation. There is an herbal finish. The mouthfeel is more smooth than crisp. A well hopped Marzen that becomes spicy and warming midway, and a touch of alcohol throughout.
Nice example for the style and perfect for a crisp fall night.
687 characters
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Pours a clear amber color with a thumbnail length head. The head shows good retention.
Aromas of bready and biscuity malt, a touch of caramel. Spices evoke fall. Midway there are aromas of grassy hops and a touch of alcohol.
Clean toasty malt taste with moderate sweetness and a hint of caramel. There is a grassy and leafy hops presence that provides a bold presence and a bitterness that is assertive for the style.
Medium bodied with a moderate carbonation. There is an herbal finish. The mouthfeel is more smooth than crisp. A well hopped Marzen that becomes spicy and warming midway, and a touch of alcohol throughout.
Nice example for the style and perfect for a crisp fall night.
687 characters
3.13/5 rDev -16.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
4.09/5 rDev +8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.25/5 rDev -13.6%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
A malty beer with toasty finish, a firm bitterness that sits in the back.
Taste rating in words: It's a heavy wet body suit, sticking to you as you try and run to the car.
172 characters
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
A malty beer with toasty finish, a firm bitterness that sits in the back.
Taste rating in words: It's a heavy wet body suit, sticking to you as you try and run to the car.
172 characters
3.75/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.93/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
(12 oz bottle, best by 11/09/18... poured into a straight-sided simple glass mug)
L: deep, tawny-amber liquid, crystal-clear; foam holds a cap for a couple minutes, no lace
S: herbal hops, brown bread crust, subtle dark caramel; little alcohol, mildly white vinous esters... overall intensity mellow
T: rich malt foundation, hard toasty edge on finish... mellow but firm bitterness with a roasted grain note giving it color... lingering sweetish bready malt essence... the beefier malt base seems unique among most U.S. examples, but still very much an American flavor profile
F: light-medium bodied with an extra bouncy jelly roll to its contour up front, though it drops off the back of the palate pretty level and dry... so its muscle seems a bit inflated, but its eventually dryness and light snap off is nice
O: was getting the urge lately to have a few o'fests - had a list of ones I hadn't tried/reviewed, found this first and quite happy with the choice - glad I sprung for a sixer
994 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
(12 oz bottle, best by 11/09/18... poured into a straight-sided simple glass mug)
L: deep, tawny-amber liquid, crystal-clear; foam holds a cap for a couple minutes, no lace
S: herbal hops, brown bread crust, subtle dark caramel; little alcohol, mildly white vinous esters... overall intensity mellow
T: rich malt foundation, hard toasty edge on finish... mellow but firm bitterness with a roasted grain note giving it color... lingering sweetish bready malt essence... the beefier malt base seems unique among most U.S. examples, but still very much an American flavor profile
F: light-medium bodied with an extra bouncy jelly roll to its contour up front, though it drops off the back of the palate pretty level and dry... so its muscle seems a bit inflated, but its eventually dryness and light snap off is nice
O: was getting the urge lately to have a few o'fests - had a list of ones I hadn't tried/reviewed, found this first and quite happy with the choice - glad I sprung for a sixer
994 characters
3.81/5 rDev +1.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Nice clear copper/carmel color. Good head when poured but went away quickly with minimal lacing. Malty, easy to drink with a nice finish. Smooth mouthfeel. 12 oz bottle into 16 oz tulip glass.
197 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Nice clear copper/carmel color. Good head when poured but went away quickly with minimal lacing. Malty, easy to drink with a nice finish. Smooth mouthfeel. 12 oz bottle into 16 oz tulip glass.
197 characters
3.09/5 rDev -17.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75
Best by 11/20/18
Pours a deep copper with a noticeable amber hue; semi-clear with good effervescence; a slight, off-white head recedes quickly, but produces steady patterns of lacing that hold up decently.
Aroma is loaded with heavy notes of earthy spice and lightly boozy caramelized malts; some dark cherries and woody notes are prominent in the background, as is a toffee-like sweetness.
Taste brings a blunt dose of boozy malt and seasonal spice, earthy and slightly herbal; smoked toffee, caramel, and more refined malty notes look to make an appearance, but are abruptly drowned out by the boozy flavors coursing through the palate.
Mouthfeel is hearty and the aforementioned boozy aspects have little effect here, giving off no burn; it is surprisingly clean toward the finish while maintaining a consistent stickiness on the palate throughout; medium-light body and medium carbonation levels make it reasonably easy to put back.
If it weren’t for the awkward booziness, this would be a solid American festbier, with a nice spice character; instead, the flavor is largely overtaken, and the beer as a whole is affected in some subtle but significant ways; I’m not sure if it was intended as an accompaniment to an ambitiously boozy 6.6% marzen, or simply a product of too much age, but it doesn’t leave a great final taste in my mouth.
1,354 characters
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 2.75
Best by 11/20/18
Pours a deep copper with a noticeable amber hue; semi-clear with good effervescence; a slight, off-white head recedes quickly, but produces steady patterns of lacing that hold up decently.
Aroma is loaded with heavy notes of earthy spice and lightly boozy caramelized malts; some dark cherries and woody notes are prominent in the background, as is a toffee-like sweetness.
Taste brings a blunt dose of boozy malt and seasonal spice, earthy and slightly herbal; smoked toffee, caramel, and more refined malty notes look to make an appearance, but are abruptly drowned out by the boozy flavors coursing through the palate.
Mouthfeel is hearty and the aforementioned boozy aspects have little effect here, giving off no burn; it is surprisingly clean toward the finish while maintaining a consistent stickiness on the palate throughout; medium-light body and medium carbonation levels make it reasonably easy to put back.
If it weren’t for the awkward booziness, this would be a solid American festbier, with a nice spice character; instead, the flavor is largely overtaken, and the beer as a whole is affected in some subtle but significant ways; I’m not sure if it was intended as an accompaniment to an ambitiously boozy 6.6% marzen, or simply a product of too much age, but it doesn’t leave a great final taste in my mouth.
1,354 characters
3.58/5 rDev -4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear, amber, color with a fairly thick, off-white, head that clings nicely to the sides of the glass. Smell is malty and caramel, a little on the weak side. Caramel flavor up front, with a little bit of white bread, and an earthy finish. Tiny note of hop bitterness that really doesn't add much to this. It's sweet, not sickeningly but definately sweet. Fairly crisp, flavor lingers for a short moment after the finish. Medium light body. American marzen style, not so sweet as many but a little too sweet for me.
522 characters
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Pours a clear, amber, color with a fairly thick, off-white, head that clings nicely to the sides of the glass. Smell is malty and caramel, a little on the weak side. Caramel flavor up front, with a little bit of white bread, and an earthy finish. Tiny note of hop bitterness that really doesn't add much to this. It's sweet, not sickeningly but definately sweet. Fairly crisp, flavor lingers for a short moment after the finish. Medium light body. American marzen style, not so sweet as many but a little too sweet for me.
522 characters
3.77/5 rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
3.75/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Oktoberfest from Left Hand Brewing Company
Beer rating:
3.76 out of
5 with
1,295 ratings
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