Fest Amber Lager
Weeping Radish Bavarian Restaurant

Fest Amber LagerFest Amber Lager
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From:
Weeping Radish Bavarian Restaurant
 
North Carolina, United States
Style:
Märzen
ABV:
5.7%
Score:
81
Avg:
3.46 | pDev: 10.69%
Reviews:
38
Ratings:
38
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 01, 2007
Added:
Apr 15, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by akorsak:
Photo of akorsak
Reviewed by akorsak from Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This is a 1 L growler purchased at the Manteo Weeping Radish. It is served in a seidel.

A: The beer is one of the darker marzens that I've ever seen, with deep amber colors and no sign of haze. The beer has a thick vigourous head on first pour but there is no sign of that any more.

S: The beer has a sweet malty aroma that has hints of cereal grains.

T: The lager has the requisite sweetness that I expect from a marzen. That sweetness though is complimented nicely by some darker malts, giving the flavor an added complexity.

M: The malts has flavorful, if not a little thin. I do find that some of those darker malts are a nice change of pace though.

D: Very drinkable. Weeping Radish makes fine German beers and this is one of them.
Sep 01, 2006
More User Ratings:
Photo of billybearcat
Reviewed by billybearcat from Pennsylvania

2.7/5  rDev -22%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3
I had a recent trip to OBX and found this brewery/restaurant while there.

I was not as impressed with this beer as i was with others at the Weeping Radish and was a little disappointed that it was not as good as I was to be told but what was generally a very knowledgeable staff member. To quote her "Fest is best"

Appearance was copper in color with no head. Few bubbles and appeared to be flat.

Taste was mild and clean Caramelly with a bit of a berry flavor. Slightly bitter finish but desirably so finish.

Mouthfeel: Not great. I think it felt a little flat not enough carbonation. Might have to give another bottle a try to have this be a honest review of the mouth feel.

Not as good as the other beers at Weeping Radish but still a fair beer. After trying the others there this one left me wanting in comparison.
Aug 01, 2007
Photo of Metalmonk
Reviewed by Metalmonk from North Carolina

3.92/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a moderate size light tan head atop an amber-leaning-toward-ruby body. The bubbles are mellow and take their time on their journey upwards.

The sweet malt aroma produces a caramel smell, with some alcohol getting through, as well as a buried yeast funkiness. Also reminds of juicy and overripe dark fruits.

Flavors are mild and satisfying. There seems to be some struggle between the malty sweetness, the mild hops nip, and the fruitier, funkier elements. I would like to see the latter come through a lot more. But as it is, caramel notes join up with the blood-orange and rotting peach flavors, with a funky, grainy swing. With an entirely acceptable tingle and weight in the mouth, we have here an interesting and satisfying beer.

[Only after I finished this bottle, my third in a couple weeks, did I notice it is clearly notched Best Before Oct. '04. Guess I picked up an old 6-pack, though it seems to have aged well.]
Apr 10, 2006
Photo of tgbljb
Reviewed by tgbljb from Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
poured a medium amber, slightly hazy, color with moderate slightly off-white head. Quickly fell to thin coating leaving a bit of lacing on the side of the glass. Smell is of lightly roasted malt with a little caramel mixed in. Taste is very light , with only light caramel notes and some hoppy bitterness at the finish. An average beer at best. Easy to drink but unremarkable.
Feb 19, 2006
Photo of Gavage
Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

3.53/5  rDev +2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Appearance: My last bottle from my late summer trip to Outer Banks. Pours a copper color with a short 1/2" head. Some lace spots develop through the drink.

Smell: Very faint caramel candy sweetness.

Taste: The flavor is mild and somewhat refreshing. Caramel, hint of ripened red fruits, and decent bitterness are the lone components the tastebuds pick up.

Mouthfeel: Crisp at the start and finish. Medium bodied.

Drinkability: Decent drinkability. Overall an above average brew worth seeking out in the OBX area.
Jan 03, 2006
Photo of deejaydan
Reviewed by deejaydan from Michigan

3.38/5  rDev -2.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Pours a crystal clear amber color, with a head with large bubbles in it. Aroma is of slighty toasted grains, slightly carmelly. Taste is malty upfront, with a finish of hops. To be brutally honest, it is well balanced, but almost to the point of being boring. Mouthfeel is bland, almost watery. It's okay, it's probably a very good session beer, but a tad boring.

Thanks though to the Great Pumpkin for this one!
Oct 25, 2005
Photo of GnomeKing
Reviewed by GnomeKing from Pennsylvania

4.1/5  rDev +18.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
One of the best examples of the style. I tend to think Marzens are a little bland. This one has a sharp, in-your-face hops bite that might actually benefit from being dialed down a bit. There are some grainy tastes here. Not biscuity or toasty, just like a nice, fresh roll. The mouthfeel is a tad creamy, a little full...at least relative to others in the style.

Smooth and flavorful, it's a nice session beer, if you can find it. Up here in Philly, I've only seen it at Flanigan's Boathouse in Conshohocken. Definitely worth a shot, especially for those like me who sometimes don't have a lot of faith in Marzens.
Oct 25, 2005
Photo of hyuga
Reviewed by hyuga from North Carolina

3.3/5  rDev -4.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Amber-orange with a big off-white head that settles, but stays well enough.

Sourdough bread crust aroma with hoppiness that's metallic in a way, but not necessarily bad.

Good malt flavor, bready and sourish, backed up by a slight hoppiness that makes the mouth tingle. Only problem is there's not much of that flavor. Finishes a bit on the dry side for this style.

Mouthfeel is pretty smooth. The light body isn't what I'd prefer, but the carbonation is good.

This is something you could drink a lot of without thinking about it, and it has decent enough flavor, but there are too many 'festbiers out there that are better.
Oct 05, 2005
Photo of Citadel82
Reviewed by Citadel82 from New Jersey

3.47/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
This is the first Weeping Radish brew that I have tried and I have to say it is tasty. Pours a nice clear light copper amber. Aroma is mildly floral and caramel malt. Taste is balanced sweet and biscuit on the tip of the tongue drying out nicely and retaining a bit of the malt as it winds it way to a short dry finish.
Oct 04, 2005
Photo of JayQue
Reviewed by JayQue from Virginia

3.11/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
I bought 6-packs of the four brews on sale at the Weeping Radish Brewery in Manteo NC. The Fest Amber Lager was not as good as the Gold Helles. It pours a nice light amber color with a good head that lingers for a while and leaves a little lace at the end. Has more of a smell than the Helles but not particularly interesting or complex. Taste was a bit weak and watery, not unpleasant but not great either. The Fest leaves a slight metallic aftertaste which I think affects drinkability. The Altbier on tap and the bottled Gold Helles Lager are better choices. If I was buying a mixed case again, I would probably leave this one out.
Oct 01, 2005
Photo of sabrills70
Reviewed by sabrills70 from North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A nice clear amber with a 1 finger head, decent longevity anf good lace. A nice malty marzen aroma first hits with some minor fruit and a hint of smokiness. A nicely balanced beer. Malty as a Marzen should be but not overly as many are. A slight hop floalness remains in the aftertaste. Higher than normal carbonation. Dry and very drinkable. Overall a nice beer. Give it a try.
Sep 08, 2005
Photo of kegerator
Reviewed by kegerator from Maryland

4/5  rDev +15.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
one of more liked fest style beers
pours out medium brown in color with a 1/2 inch head that sticks around for a bit of time. leaves some lacing.
smell is all malt, caramel, brown sugar notes with hints of fruity sweetness.
taste is about the same. its smooth and easy to drink and finishes fairly crisp in the mouth. its slightly medium bodied and a nice all around fest beer
Aug 08, 2005
Photo of mmmbeer
Reviewed by mmmbeer from Massachusetts

3.75/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
On tap at the brewery - served at the proper temperature in a 12 oz. pilsner glass. It is an orangey/brown (chestnut?) color and is topped with a 1/2" off-white head that leaves nice lacing at the beginning but none halfway through. Smells of raisins, toasty malts, caramel, and dark fruits. The flavor is the same with some spicy hops. It has a medium to light body that is kinda tingly in the mouth. A decent fest beer.
Jul 22, 2005
Photo of blitheringidiot
Reviewed by blitheringidiot from Pennsylvania

3.48/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3
Label Lingo and bottle babble: Freshness notched April 05. Blue & white Bavarian fest motif. 12 oz browner from a contract-brewed bottle out of Clipper City in Baltimore, MD.

Dark amber orange pour pleasant appearance with plenty of effervescent bubbles topped off with a slight antique white head cap which quickly settles but retains.

Grainy leafy honey malt scents with some mixed cake spices.

First Swigs: Spice wafer malts dominate overall with light hops balance. Clean lingering maple syrup biscuit finish. Some Eggo waffle maltiness eventually becomes the main flavor.

Medium bodied that becomes buttery with solid carbonation.

Last Swigs: Breakfast Waffle malty amber lager that actually has bold flavor. Thanks to Shapudding for the bottle. Not my favorite style, but a good Amber Lager, especially here in Yuenglingville. Probably a bit more of a Summer than Winter brew.

Beer is good. Happy beering.
Nov 24, 2004
Photo of merlin48
Reviewed by merlin48 from Kentucky

3.63/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours a clear amber body with plenty of active carbonation in view. Small, offwhite head is shortlived but deposits some nice patchy lace. Aroma is caramel malt with a background of herbal hops of the noble variety.
Mouthfeel is light medium with moderate carbonation.
Taste is dominated by caramel malt sweetness, but is backed by an adequate herbal hops bitterness. Taste thins out toward the finish, but the aftertaste is clean and well balanced.
This is a decent American Oktoberfest, and is most likely much better when fresh from the brewery. This one is contracted out, but Weeping Radish is very underrated as a southern brewery. Their products are definitely worth checking out.
Nov 23, 2004
Photo of mntlover
Reviewed by mntlover from Tennessee

3.88/5  rDev +12.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bottle says best before OCT 2004 but think it will be fine. Nice clear amber brew with a off white head average size feed by lots of little bubbles. Aroma of caramel malt lightly sweet with light hops eminate also pretty much it. Taste is crisp little on the light side bready flavors flood the mouth just lightly sweet not overly done like some american versions. Active carbonation excites the mouth for a few seconds then it mellows out and the malty bread flavors show themselves finished with light floral hops, nice clean finish. Taste might not be quit a 4 but the way this beer feels in my mouth making me bump it up a notch. Mouthfeel is good like way it feels nice burst of carbonation fading to malt then fading to hops then just clean light floral left longly on my tounge. Drinkability is good overall a great Oktoberfest might not be the best tasting but the way it feels and finishes makes it seem like it is.
Nov 06, 2004
Photo of shapudding
Reviewed by shapudding from Pennsylvania

2.86/5  rDev -17.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Clip dated April '05, picked up when I was down in NC recently but not during my tour of the brewery.
Poured out a nice honeyed amber. No real head to speak of, just a dusting/clouding, with a thick, creamy khaki ring. Nice malty scents. Right amount of carbination for the style. Almost feels a bit medium bodied, not really creamy, but there is some body to it. Very balanced in the flavors, maltiness sits on your tongue and leaves alot of the flavor there. Bit of sweetness to it, but not much. Decent drinkability for lager likers, as there is nothing extreme about it, just standard malty lager that you can have as a nice session.
Oct 30, 2004
Photo of abcsofbeer
Reviewed by abcsofbeer from Virginia

3.21/5  rDev -7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from an October 04 freshness date bottle. Poured a reddish amber with ample carbonation. The head was a thin white that left little lace. The aroma is weak, but smells like a pilsner, kind of grassy and a little hoppy. The taste is mildly hoppy with a citrus background. There is a distinctive metallic taste in the aftertaste. Not a bad lager. Would drink again.
Oct 27, 2004
Photo of Gusler
Reviewed by Gusler from Arizona

3.5/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
The beer departs the 12-ounce brown bottle a deep amber color with a portly frothy light tan head and the residual lace a covering sheet upon the glass. Nose is crisp sweet malt, fresh and pleasing to the senses, start is slightly sweet with the grain profile adequate, top is light to medium in feel. Finish is briskly acidic with the hops delightfully spicy and the aftertaste dry, a fine drinking beer.
Oct 06, 2004
Photo of Boto
Reviewed by Boto from Connecticut

3.45/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
12oz. bottle: This beer comes out of the bottle a somewhat orangish color. But the head: was it huge. I even had this beer foaming out of the bottle after opening. All of the examples in the sixer were the same. The aroma is somewhat sweet, with notes of caramel and nuts. A somewhat smokey/musty quality to it also. The taste is good: Sweet caramel malt and a little nutty. Good once the head died down.
Sep 21, 2004
Fest Amber Lager from Weeping Radish Bavarian Restaurant
Beer rating: 81 out of 100 with 38 ratings