Octoberfest
Free State Brewing Co.

OctoberfestOctoberfest
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From:
Free State Brewing Co.
 
Kansas, United States
Style:
Märzen
Ranked #82
ABV:
5.4%
Score:
87
Ranked #17,739
Avg:
3.85 | pDev: 10.13%
Reviews:
33
Ratings:
142
Status:
Active
Rated:
Oct 15, 2023
Added:
Oct 13, 2002
Wants:
  2
Gots:
  27
This is a smooth, malty lager fashioned after the famous Octoberfest beers in Munich. Each year around this time, the Germans celebrate the anniversary of the marriage, in 1810, of the Crown Prince of Bavaria. Huge crowds pile into Munich to imbibe the pride of the cities breweries by the stein full.

Free State's Octoberfest is made from Pilsen malt, caramunich malt, lots of Munich malt, caramel pils malt and aromatic malt. These combine to provide a light amber beer with a smooth, clean malt character that comes through clearly. The hops are Perle for bittering and Hersbrucker for a mild aroma.
(O.G. - 13.5P/1054. Hops - 20 IBUs)
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Rymurr72:
Photo of Rymurr72
Rated by Rymurr72 from Kansas

4.62/5  rDev +20%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.75

Sep 26, 2015
More User Ratings:
Photo of MissouriMule
Reviewed by MissouriMule from Missouri

4.35/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
This is one of my two favorite US-brewed Märzen beers.

It pours coppery amber, probably too light for the breed. The head is a shade darker than off-white and quickly settles to an inch thick. It stays that thick persistently until the drinking starts.

The aroma is very light. There are malt, floral, and spice notes.

The taste is a balance of biscuit and bread from the malts. It brings to mind a good medium rye bread with just the right amount of caraway. The malt is more multidimensional than most US Märzens. The hops balance out the taste very well. The finish is dry. While I enjoy the taste, the malt may be too understated for Märzen purists.
Oct 15, 2023
 
Rated: 3.75 by dbauer from California

Sep 30, 2022
Photo of blueshawk69
Reviewed by blueshawk69 from Kansas

5/5  rDev +29.9%
look: 5 | smell: 5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5
For a more detailed review, see my Untapped account under the same user ID. I'll be filling out more reviews in the coming weeks/months/years but considering I'll have to rate another 6450 beers over here from Untapped, just look up blueshawk69 at the other site for now to see all of my detailed reviews.
Sep 19, 2022
Photo of ColoradoRich
Rated by ColoradoRich from Colorado

4.46/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 4.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
Lawrence KS brewed Marzen
Sep 03, 2022
 
Rated: 3.82 by WDJersey from Colorado

Oct 31, 2021
 
Rated: 3.55 by joran from Kansas

Sep 11, 2021
 
Rated: 4 by TylerJ from Iowa

Oct 30, 2019
Photo of rclangk
Rated by rclangk from West Virginia

3.87/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
8/2019 Hays, Kansas
Aug 24, 2019
 
Rated: 4.33 by mojohawk21 from Missouri

Aug 11, 2019
 
Rated: 4 by ryancl from Minnesota

Oct 22, 2018
 
Rated: 3.87 by Pacioli1445 from South Dakota

Oct 11, 2018
Photo of jkblr
Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana

3.73/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
12oz bottle bb 1/9/19 poured into a krug at fridge temp, no ABV listed on label. The beer pours bright orange tinted copper with light khaki head. The head recedes to a few bubbles and a pencil thin ring. The aroma is caramel malt and a little yeast. The taste is big Munich malt up front, a little sweet, but also bready with a slightly metallic firm hop bitterness on the end. Mouthfeel is thin to medium bodied, adequately carbonated and mostly dry in the finish. Overall, very good. A Marzen this sweet using caramel malt would be poor, but the Munich malt has a nice taste. Could be a touch drier, but worth drinking overall.
Oct 07, 2018
 
Rated: 4.41 by Rojohns22 from Kansas

Sep 29, 2018
Photo of Suds
Reviewed by Suds from Missouri

3.84/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Wonderful amber gold color with a tall white head. The aroma has a clean maltiness and a few grin notes. Medium in body, balanced, with plenty of complex malt notes. Full in body, and the hops come out in the finish. Not bad at all. Very drinkable.
Sep 24, 2018
Photo of smcolw
Reviewed by smcolw from Massachusetts

3.78/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75
Deep copper color--nearly brown. Clear. Excellent starting head which leaves some initial spotting on the glass.

Strong, sweet caramel nose. All malt.

Round, fully toasted, but not burnt, malt with lots of residual sugars. I don't get any hop whatsoever. The finish reminds me of toffee with dark toasted bread. The body is thinner than I expected but appropriate for the style. Neutral carbonation. Short aftertaste.
Sep 02, 2018
 
Rated: 4.42 by BAHartman from Kansas

Dec 25, 2017
 
Rated: 3.48 by Mark-Leggett from Missouri

Nov 04, 2017
 
Rated: 4.06 by ICTguy21 from Kansas

Oct 14, 2017
 
Rated: 3.39 by Branlott42 from Missouri

Oct 14, 2017
Octoberfest from Free State Brewing Co.
Beer rating: 87 out of 100 with 142 ratings