Oktoberfest
Tustin Brewing Company

On tap at Tustin Brewing Company in Tustin, CA.

Pours a dark, copper hue like an old penny that your grandmama gave your for good luck. Smell is non-existent like this chick in Long Beach who just “ghosted” me (I’ll remember you girl). Taste is really disappointing considering what Tustin has brought to the table lately. It’s definitely not bad, but it’s just a lil too mild. Think Edgar Allen Poe without the opium. It’s good, but not the best.

Peace!

On tap at the Promenade Beer & Wine Festival held in Downtown Long Beach in Long Beach, CA.

Pours a clear orange with a foamy off-white head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small streaks of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, caramel, and biscuit aromas. Taste is much the same with caramel and toffee flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of hop bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is an above average beer that is drinkable but somewhat boring for the style in my opinion.

 

It's almost Christmas time, but there's an Oktoberfest on-tap at Tustin Brewing. Is it any worse than seeing the many spring ales that will fill the shelves in three weeks time? Enough chit chat, on to the beer:

This one goes the way of amber orange with yellow hues mixed in the body, topped with a ½ inch soapy head. Its retention is fine, leaving whisps of lace around the glass. The nose is relaxed per style; modest toasted malt and caramel arise from the beer, nothing overpowering as some O-fests can get.

A toasty O-fest; lovely toasted malt base with accents of bread crust, minerals, and a splash of orange. The overall taste is balanced well between the flavors, and the addition of a lighter-medium body with crisp carbonation adds to the enjoyement of the beer.

Better late than never. A honest and very drinkable Oktoberfestbier.

 

On tap at Bruery Provisions.

Appearance is spot-on for the style, amber with a golden tint and a frothy white head.

Earthy noble hops are prominent on the nose, along with sulfurous lager yeast and lightly toasted malts. As it warms there's a slight diacetyl presence.

Diacetyl is much more noticeable on the palate, giving the beer a buttery slickness that detracts from the mouthfeel. The beer does have a nice Vienna malt character, lightly toasted and caramelized and a strong but integrated earthy/herbal hop flavor. The finish is lacking crispness, diacetyl mars what would otherwise be a good beer.

A: Pours a light amber with a full off-white head, good retention, leaving some nice lace.

S: Sweet caramel toffee, some light noble hopping, a bit grassy.

T: The hops are more to the forefront than in most Oktoberfest. The Munich malt character is tasty if not completely integrated with the hops. I enjoyed it, but it seemed like it was going in 2 different direction.

M: Smooth, light to medium-bodied, frothy.

D: A solid fest. This is a hard style to get to be really good, but this is more than acceptable.

On-tap at Tustin

A: The pour is a crystal clear light copper/bright orange color with a fluffy white head that clings to the side of the glass.

S: The nose is of toffee and a mix of floral and spicy hops. There is a slightly nutty aroma to the beer as well, but it's quite mild.

T: The flavor is more of the same with a slightly creamy toffee flavor that is the base of the beer. Again, hints of nuts, but moreso floral and spicy hop notes and a mild bitterness.

M: The body is fairly light with a lively carbonation.

D: Marzens/Oktoberfests get a little overdone at this time of year with just about every brewpub doing one, but this was a decent enough example.