Oktoberfest
Shovel Town Brewery

L - poured a deep amber color with a one finger, near tan head. Fair lacing.
S - smell of dark bready notes. Toasty.
T - follow the nose, but with some sweetness.
F - medium mouth field with a semi sticky finish.
O - A solid, enjoyable beer. Glad I had it.

 

2021-11-19
16oz can served in a stemless wineglass. If there's a date, I cannot find it. Received from @WunderLlama in NBS BIF #14 shenanigans.

Pours a dark brass / amber color with a fairly small head. Smell is fairly hoppy -- lots of grass and leaves, a little bit of grain tea and a fair amount of grain husk.

Taste is less on the hoppy side. Lots of grain, almost a wine grape sweetness, grass / leafiness is still there but not dominant.

Mouthfeel is medium tending toward heavy. Overall, nice beer.

A slow pour released a finger of beige soapy foam with average retention and blotches of lace. Clear reddish copper color.

Bready smell (baked dark wheat, toast and dough) with mild floral/herbal hops and a general graininess.

Semi-sweet with mild bitterness, bready malt and grain steal the show. Caramel sweetness is balanced away by toasted malt and a slowly rising spicy bitterness. The finish is moderately paced, as flavors drop off a lasting spicy bitterness and toasted wheat build and linger on.

Medium-light bodied with plentiful carbonation. A little more wheat than most, this makes it a little more quaffable. Marzen looks and taste with more of a Festbier feel.

One that eluded me for a few years. Always missed their Ofest events.
No can date, assume Marzen and not festbier given the color
Pours a med frothy 1 finger head with good retention, plenty of messy lacing, very clear auburn reddish color

Nose light biscuity malt, grainy, toasty, toasted bread crust, no caramel but a touch nutty, light herbal hop

Taste brings more toasted biscuity malt, grainy cereal biscuit with some toasted bread crust, a touch nutty again, hint of caramel but not a sweet flavor, toasted reddish malt, light bitterness with some herbal earthy hop, drier finish, bit more bitterness

Mouth is med bod, med higher fizzy carb, mild soft lager

Overall not bad, thankfully not a super sweet syrupy Marzen like most American versions, although still a bit too much on that heavy toast like malt, but otherwise good

 

Purchased a single can from Craft Beer Cellar. First time I've seen a canned Oktoberfest from Shovel Town. I'm a big Oktoberfest fan so was happy to welcome a new entrant into the mix. Shovel Town seems to do a fine job with a variety of styles and this one is no exception. No distribution in my home state but hope to get back to CBC soon to pick up a 4-pack.