Oktoberfest
Silver Branch Brewing Company

From the small can, it pours a clear amber color with a very large just off-white head that slowly reduces and leaves lacing. The nose gets some nice malty scents with some toasted notes. The mouth follows with a pleasant maltiness with some earthy notes.

 

Clear amber appearance with a large off white head that was fast to fade while leaving little in the way of lacing. Biscuit-like malt aroma without much input from the hops. Malts continue to dominate the taste, as in most marzens, but herbal hops move the needle a bit more than in the aroma. Lingering spiciness in the aftertaste. Medium bodied, moderately carbonated mouthfeel.

12 ounce can poured into a dimpled mug.

Pours clear and copper with a half inch of off-white fizzy foam that fades to a ring in less than thirty seconds. The nose is weak, subtle aromas of toasted grain and spicy hops disappear with the head. Taste is balanced slightly to malt, clean and semi-dry with low bitterness. Malty toasted grain and minor caramel flavors are complimented by herbal and spicy hop flavors. Mouthfeel is medium-light, a little frothy with enough carbonation for a nice crispness. Finish is short and easy making for a fast drinking mug. Nice Marzen that left me wanting a second.

 

Poured from the can into a pokal style glass, and also observed in a .5 L boot.

Beautiful shimmering copper brown body, with real nice clarity. Fine reams of bubbles that reach a khaki colored head, fluffy and light at three fingers and some creamy ring like lacing. Great looker.

Aroma hits all the basics real well, toasty, nutty, slightly caramel sweet and clean. Hits a little dusty powdery sense of yeast though, and hints dry slightly but pretty solid all around on the nose.

Very good palate. Simple caramel malt backbone, hit a good thick but not syruped body. Hits a little crispy toast and hinting even just a hair of toffee. Some of the dryness gives to a bit of nutty quality as well interestingly. Not much hinting bready or toasty notes taste wise, but all the other qualities are bang on nuanced and balanced nicely.

A good solid marzen.

 

Clear copper, thin white head. No lace or retention
Really toasty malt aroma!
Mix of toasty and caramel malt. A little sweet, but not cloying
I could stand it being a little bit more carbonated, and a touch drier
Pretty good and drinkable

2020 rereview (appearance and feel scores boosted):

Pale amber color, brilliantly clear. Pours a modest white head, tightly bubbled with some decent retention.

Toasty malt aroma, minimal if any hops. Very clean fermentation/lagering apparent in the nose.

A nice hit of toasty/caramel malty sweetness up front. Not overly sweet - definitely well attenuated despite the low stated (18 IBU) bitterness. Definitely has the flavor profile of a beer to be consumed in volume. Has a nice, soft slightly malty finish with a very slight drying.

Medium carbonation and body. Mouthfeel doesn't impact the sensation of this beer, nor should it.

Was slightly surprised that this wasn't bigger in hops, but makes for a very nice, easy drinking malt forward beer. Plan to drink a lot more of it before this seasonal beer disappears.

2019 review:
Pale amber color, very slight haze. Pours a nice white head, tightly bubbled with some decent retention.

Toasty malt aroma, minimal if any hops. Very clean fermentation/lagering apparent in the nose.

A nice hit of toasty/caramel malty sweetness up front. Not overly sweet - definitely well attenuated despite the low stated (18 IBU) bitterness. Definitely has the flavor profile of a beer to be consumed in volume. Has a nice, soft slightly malty finish with a very slight drying.

Low to medium carbonation (canned versions from this brewery seem a bit undercabonated). Low-medium body. Mouthfeel doesn't impact the sensation of this beer, nor should it.

Was slightly surprised that this wasn't bigger in hops, but makes for a very nice, easy drinking malt forward beer. Plan to drink a lot more of it before this seasonal beer disappears.