Oktoberfest
Hop & Barrel Brewing Company

Appearance: Pours a clear, deep amber and bronze color with a moderate, sizeable off-white head. (4.00)

Aroma: Relatively strong aromas of toasted bread malt, bread crumbs. brown sugar, rye bread, caramel, and toast. (3.50)

Flavor: Flavor follows with flavors of toasted bread malt, bread crumbs brown sugar, brown bread, and caramel. Toasted flavors. Rather malty, sweet, alcohol burn and sweet malt. (3.25)

Feel: Moderate body, low carbonation. sweet and a slight alcohol burn left in the mouth. (3.25)

Compared to Lupulin Brewing's Oktoberfest 10/25/20: Pours a similar color with a stronger head. Milder aromas/flavors. More generic malts. More alcohol burn. Less flavors. Winner: Lupulin.

Compared to Stevens Point Oktoberfest 10/2022: Pours a darker color, stronger aromas. More toasted bread malts, brown bread. Less honey and orange citrus. Toastier with more bread and carbonation. Winner: Hop & Barrel.

Compared to Oso O-toberfest 10/2022: Pours a darker color, stronger aromas. More toasted bread malts, brown bread. Less smooth caramel and sweet brown sugar. Similar sweetness overall, but toastier here. Winner: Hop & Barrel

Overall: A plain, and sort of disappointing Oktoberfest. It's deep and toasted Marzen style, but the aromas & flavors are lacking. Sort of reminds me of Leinenkugals. The flavors are inept. The alcohol burn doesn't help it out any. Not a Marzen to seek out again. (Final Rating: 3.36)
2022 Update: Nice toasted flavors, much better than last year. Drinks sweet, toasty, nice flavors and sweet body. (Updated Rating: 3.92)

At the tap room, pours a clear and attractive deep amber, a thin head. Nose isn’t too developed...some caramel and bready notes. Taste is straight down the middle for a marzen, with a lot of warm bready notes and a faint herbal hoppy edge. Mouthful is nice: not heavy, but still substantial. Crisp finish.