Oktoberfest
Summit Brewing Company

 

 

This is a 12oz. bottle poured into my Summit Brewing Co. pint glass. This beer is a clear medium amber with light carbonation. The head of foam is a pleasant surprise, a light tan, one finger thick cap that slowly receded to a thin layer, leaving a thick ring of lacing behind. With the low carbonation I did not expect the longevity of the head. Nice job!
The aroma is a nice sweet malty one. Not very noticeable from a distance but very pleasant before the sip.
The taste is slightly bitter in the beginning and the end with a little sweetness in the middle.
The feel is light with a slight alcohol bite at the end of the taste.
This is an OK marzen, easy to sip a couple.

 

 

Pours just lighter than amber and clear. Limited head but good lacing.

Aromas of bready malty grain, yeast, and a touch of grassy/earthy hops.

Similar flavors, with some fruity and spicy touches in midstream to go with the expected toasty bready malts and hop balance. Some style-defying booze warmth at the finish.

The brew is rather dry and abrasive for the style, owing certainly, at least in part, to the higher than usual ABV.

Not a bad brew, but too boozy and abrasive for the style.

 

Look: Burnt orange and completely clear. One finger of thick white head with excellent retention.

Smell: Bready malt balanced by fruity, bright hops. Mild orange peel note.

Taste: Mild malt that’s quickly overcome by floral hop bitterness. Lingering bitter aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Full, smooth body with high carbonation.

Overall: A little too much lingering bitterness on the tongue, but still nice.

I tried this at Smith & Wollenski's in downtown Minneapolis whilst there for a trade show. The beer poured a clear amber and had thin white head that did not leave much lacing. The scent had malt and grain notes. The taste was nicely balanced and easy to drink with sweet malt presence. The mouthfeel was lighter in body with good carbonation. Overall its a decent beer.

 

Pours deep gold to amber with plenty of foam that leaves laces while slowly settling to a collar. Delightful, delicate aroma of caramel malts and hop spice. Not as full bodied as expected. Malt and hops are very nicely balanced. A very good Oktoberfest.

 

 

Appearance: Pours a deep, but bright, auburn orange color. Like a dried orange or apricot color. A strong off-white head. SRM of 17. (4.00)

Aroma: Fairly light aromas. Mostly orange citrus, cream, toffee, and bread malts. Alcohol is detectable. Light toasted bread crust with caramel spice behind that. (3.75)

Flavor: Some chewy & resinous orange citrus with strong breadiness on the flavor. At the same time there is a strong, creamy, fresh baked bread and toffee sweetness. Little caramel and cinnamon. Some monkey bread. Finishes slightly sweet. (4.00)

Feel: Heavier bodied and creamy on the tongue. Medium carbonated, smooth, and creamy. Alcohol is detectable here. (3.75)

Compared to Mankato Brewery's Oktoberfest Festbier (2020) 9/13/20: Pours a similar color with a stronger head. More orange and alcohol aromas. Less toasty bread and spice. Stronger carbonation and candied fruit bitterness.

Compared to Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest 2020 9/24/20: Pours a darker and more amber color with a larger head. More orange, cream, brown sugar, bread. Less pine for sure. More bread and spice all around.

Compared to Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest 2021: Pours a lighter color. Milder aromas. More toast. Less pine for sure. More alcohol. Winner: Sierra Nevada.

Overall: A pretty good Marzen. Nice chewy and creamy orange citrus with toffee flavors. Showcases the fruit flavors, more than the German malt flavors, so definitely is Americanized. Some orange and strong toffee here. Not true to the German festbier style, but for an American Marzen, it's quite good. (Final Rating: 3.71)
*Compare to Odell or Founders*

Like many other uninspired oktoberfest beers by popular breweries, this brew comes across too sweet, cornsyrupy, and leaves an unpleasant bitterness behind. Flavor of teriyaki really comes through.

 

Subtly spicy taste and smell makes me want to guzzle it. Tasty and full of interesting possibilities. The aftertaste is a slight bit bitter. Very easy drinker. From a taster. 2018/11/25

 

 

 

 

Poured from 12oz bottle into glass. Stamped on label is '82120749'. 2018 edition.
Clear, pale amber colored body. One finger white head that reduces to interrupted islands and ring. Leaves behind rings of lacing.
Subtle aroma of toasty malts, and a hint of floral hops.
Taste of toasty, toffee laden malts, with a blend of floral, slightly spicy hops. No bitterness.
Medium mouth feel with a toffee/caramel note. Good carbonation.
A well done fest beer from a professional brewer. Expresses as a well balanced and well crafted fest beer. Represents well when sampled and compared to other fest beers. Nothing out of place but presents as a confidently crafted fest beer. Quite sublime but also quite memorable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2017 batch, from the bottle into a shaker pint. Pours a clear burnt orange with a thin head, minimal lacing down the glass. Smells strongly of malt with biscuit and earthy hop undertones. Taste is bready, strongly malted, with a hint of warming alcohol. This is a sweet, but not overly sweet beer. Medium bodied with a decent amount of carbonation. Overall, a great lager that should only taste better as fall approaches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Poured into a perfect pint.
L=Dark amber with a foamy head of about 1 inch.
S=Strong maltiness with a bit of mustiness.
T=A fair amount of maltiness, with a bit of sweetness and fruitiness.
F=A tad bitter, with a fair amount of body and carbonation.
O=Although I was a bit disappointed, this is a decent offering...try it if you like beers that are lighter and more bitter than a traditional märzen.