Copperhead
Valkyrie Brewing

CopperheadCopperhead
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From:
Valkyrie Brewing
 
Wisconsin, United States
Style:
Märzen
ABV:
Not listed
Score:
84
Avg:
3.61 | pDev: 6.65%
Reviews:
17
Ratings:
18
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Aug 25, 2015
Added:
Sep 12, 2002
Wants:
  0
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by NeroFiddled:
Photo of NeroFiddled
Reviewed by NeroFiddled from Pennsylvania

3.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Carefully decanted off the yeast at the bottom of the bottle, Viking's CopperHead pours a clear orange-copper body with glowing golden and orange highlights. The short but creamy head of white rises and drops quickly, leaving little lace behind.

The nose is buttery and nutty, but also a touch fruity and honeyish. It's quite unique, and reminds me of Beer Nuts or some other toffee and nut candy.

The buttery diacetyl returns in the flavor, along with more tart and berry-like fruit. Toffee character is strong as well, and it finishes drying with a distinct note of nuttiness and a hint of citrusy fruit. Midly bitter, but balanced. The yeast pour masks the buttery character a bit and dulls the toffee aspect.

Very unique. I find it odd, but compelling. Unlike any beer I've ever had, and probably worth trying for its uniqueness.
Mar 18, 2007
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by harpus from Alabama

Aug 25, 2015
Photo of SykDoc
Reviewed by SykDoc from Wisconsin

3.3/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Poured from a bottle into a pint glass. It pours a copper color and forms a 1/4 inch tan head that reduces to a nice lacing around the edge. Very minimally hazy and minimal visible carbonation, with no sediment.

The aroma is primarily a malty sweetness with some bread components and a heavy alcohol presence.

The taste comes across as almost like watermelon. There is this fruity sweetness up front and followed by a more nutty component.

It has a medium/light body and has a certain lightness to it. It goes down cleanly and leaves a mild tang and dryness at the finish. Carbonation is a bit light.

Overall, this is a decent beer and is reasonably drinkable, but a bit too sweet/fruity that does not come across as balanced.
Jan 18, 2010
Photo of Wisconsin
Reviewed by Wisconsin from Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
12 ounce bottle into a pint glass

A - Pours a dark red, rust color body that is somewhat hazy in appearance. A half finger head that is white and bubbly fades to a lace after a couple of minutes. When held up to the light strings of carbonation are visibly racing up to the top of the glass.

S - Faint smell of malts and spices. A hint of cinnamon is present as well. Overall not a bad smelling beer but the problem is that the smell is so faint. You really need to put your nose to the beer to get anything from it.

T - A decent malt body with some faint fruity spice notes. Again, like the smell, there is some potential here but nothing that really blows you away.

M - Medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. A slightly above average malt body welcomes you initially. As the beer settles in, there is a slight shot of carbonation along with some faint fruity notes with a hint of spice or clove. The beer exits too quickly. Just as soon as the clove and fruit notes show up, there gone. Finish is decent, but has me looking for more.

D - While this beer isn't an earth shattering beer in any regard, it does make for a very easy drinking session beer. There is nothing wrong with this brew but there is something lacking that is making it great. This seems to be the case for a couple of the Viking brews I have had. There is potential in quite a few but something is missing from making them great. Overall, though this is one of their better offerings.
Nov 28, 2009
Photo of paco1029384756
Reviewed by paco1029384756 from Illinois

3.3/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
Pours a deep amber color with a very small white head.

Scent of spices, cinnamon, sugars, light malts, and a hint of clove. Good, but a bit of a deviation from the norm.

Taste of weak grain, light malts and a bit of spice. Not offensive, but pretty bland.

Mouthfeel is medium light bodied with very little carbonation.
Aug 16, 2009
Photo of Ragingbull
Reviewed by Ragingbull from California

3.72/5  rDev +3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
This beer poured a copper color with a light prickle and a wispy head. The nose is very strong and is what you might call "boozy" in that it smells like liquor. The flavor proves to be much lighter than the nose. There is a light and effervescent mouthfeel. The flavor is surprisingly light and the prickle kind of takes it over. There is a slight twist to the finish. My friend who was having one with me described it as similar to a cider at the finish and I think that just about nails what I referred to as a "twist."
Apr 16, 2009
Photo of Lordsloth
Reviewed by Lordsloth from Wisconsin

3.85/5  rDev +6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
12 oz. bottle, poured into a Surly pint glass.

Appearance is good- a coppery, slightly cloudy, marzen-style amber/orange. Smell is good as well, a strong, comforting malty scent. Taste is a bit light, but makes a nice break from the really thick, strong beers. Still has enough taste to please the palate. Mouthfeel the same, a bit light- but that adds to the drinkability. A good session beer.
Jan 11, 2008
Photo of BuckeyeNation
Reviewed by BuckeyeNation from Iowa

3.72/5  rDev +3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Burnt orange with a dark coppery influence. The toasted ecru cap is on the smallish side, in spite of an increasingly elevated pour, but is hanging around long enough to make up for it. A short collar of lace looks to be the only glass coverage that I'm going to get. All in all, a pretty standard Oktoberfest look.

Copperhead colors outside the lines in terms of the usual Oktoberfest nose (why Viking calls it a dunkel martzen, I have no idea). That's a good thing since I don't get the typical Munich malt earthiness that turns me off more often than not. The aroma is sweet and buttery and malty and fruity and... I like it quite a bit.

Unfortunately, the flavor doesn't follow through on the nose's promise. All of the same elements are present, but they don't meld in quite the same convincing fashion. Part of the problem is that the beer smells bigger than it tastes. Sweet, buttery and malty usually imply something that fills the mouth and lingers for a bit. Copperhead slithers away a tad too quickly.

The flavor profile consists of toasted whole grain bread coated with a thin layer of orange marmalade (including the bitter peel) and a light sprinking of nuts. Citric sourness is more prominent than either sweetness or bitterness. It's an odd characteristic in a beer of this style and not an altogether welcome one.

A bigger beer would be a better beer in this case. More malt would allow the flavor and the mouthfeel to make a definitive statement rather than the halting, almost apologetic, one that they're making at present. The body is on the lighter side of medium and, if nothing else, keeps things impressively drinkable.

I've figured out that Viking beer is all over the map when it comes to quality. Copperhead is one the better offerings from these guys, but with a few minor tweaks, it could rise to the head of the (brewery) class. However, since it's their best selling beer, I doubt that any changes are in the offing.
Sep 28, 2006
Photo of CharlesDarwin
Reviewed by CharlesDarwin from Rhode Island

3.62/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Originally reviewed April 9, 2005. On tap at the Gitchee Gumee Brewfest 2005. A strong fruity aroma. The flavor profile contains supple peaches and honey over an even malt. Finishes quite dry in the smack, but it seems more oaky than hop origined. Overall, a quite enjoyable darker german lager.
Aug 07, 2006
Photo of demcorhip
Reviewed by demcorhip from Canada (ON)

3.7/5  rDev +2.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4
Appearance
Clear, deep coppery colour with slight reddish hue. No head formed during the pour, and essentially no lacings formed during drinking.

Aroma
Fruity/floral ester notes with caramel and faint impression of cinnamon. Reminded me of cinnamon buns. Very pleasant.

Taste
Good balance between fruity cherry?, sweet caramel maltiness, then a mild grassiness and cinnamon spiciness which, I'm assuming, comes from the hops. Very nice flavours present, their tasting was a pleasing experience.

Mouthfeel
Decent body, although carbonation would have contributed to a more substantial "presence". Lack of carbonation likely made this beer seem thinner and smoother than it would have otherwise.

Drinkability
Very easy and pleasant to drink due to the interesting flavours and the balance between them. This beer is also balanced in respect to its consistency, with decent body. This being said it could be a better beer, my main complaint being the lack of carbonation, which resulted in the lack of head, lacings, and would have contributed to a more substantial presence while in the mouth. Wish I still had a New Glarus Staghorn to compare this with. Definately worth trying, may have to buy/taste/review again when i can find something to go head to head with the Copperhead.
Jul 24, 2006
Photo of ADR
Reviewed by ADR from Pennsylvania

3.68/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
I was just saying that I'd missed this Viking brew, so I picked up a bottle at Lowertown Wine and Spirits. Clear darker amber appearance, good head generation for a Viking beer -- settles at over 1/4 of an inch of yellow foam, disappears into lightly clinging sheet laces in a minute. Caramel aroma, simple light toastiness and impression. Light and undercarbonated mouthfeel, just doesn't get much traction in that category. Flavor is overall malty but with a grape leaf fruitiness early on in the profile. Finishes with a slight hop sizzle, some apple notes and a good remnant of the malts, giving a decent balance. Not bad overall, I can say that I enjoy this one but the flavor has more top fermented features.
Mar 16, 2005
Photo of TastyTaste
Reviewed by TastyTaste from Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +9.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
Pours more of a dark orange color than a ruby color, with a small almost non-existant head. Smell is carmely sweet, and slightly bitter, with hints of cocoa. Taste is nice and malty, slightly sweet. This is about the closest thing I have had to Fat Tire, since the genuine article. Almost a trace of noticable alcohol, and a nice hops finish. Pretty good, but not mind blowing.
Feb 05, 2005
Photo of Skidz
Reviewed by Skidz from Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Pours out a bright orange amber and sits a beatiful deep orange-brown in the glass with a small off-white head, fading to a frothy skim on the surface. Head retention, not so great and kind of odd, but this is a winner in the tuliped glass (light golden-orange to a deep cherrywood).

Smells nice and toasty, good malt profile. Touch of caramel and a hint of spicy hops. Fruitiness runs around with pears, fresh plums all soaked in maple syrup.

Tastes lightly malty up front and a big load of toasted grain flavors comes in quite fast. A pinch of caramel sqeezed in the middle somewhere. Hop bitterness provides a good amount of balance and leaves little in terms of flavor. Finish is comprised of an easy to handle bitterness and lingering grain husk flavors.

Medium-light body with very mild carbonation. Sandy in the mouth and feels quite watered down. Lacks the body of a true Oktoberfest beer.

A nice attempt for Oktoberfest, but I'm let down. It looks quite promising at first and has the nose to it, but the flavor isn't quite there. Seems like it was a bit young going into the bottles and could have used some more time, but what do I know?
Nov 28, 2004
Photo of feloniousmonk
Reviewed by feloniousmonk from Minnesota

3.3/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3
Clear, rich amber color...full, solid cream-colored head, slow to dwindle down...nice lookin'
big, malty nose, sweet, but with a certain...somethin' else...man, what is it?...oddly spicy and fruity, but which and what? ...very ripe, herbal, then we have malt riding back up and into control...interesting, and unusual. Huh, but mixed with Hey.
Taste: geez, it's happening again. Same unheard-of flavor, but a bit flat, not enough going on in the mouthfeel. tastes lovely, actually, but needs more carbonation, needs more spark on the palate.
Maybe I got a lackluster bottling, but I don't know...

having just read the only review lower than mine, I must say, Jim, you did it, you captured the essence of these flavors that I failed at, and I bow to you, sir
Aug 30, 2004
Photo of budgood1
Reviewed by budgood1 from Minnesota

3.25/5  rDev -10%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5
pours out a dark amber colour...a hard pour produce a head of little note....although the clinging bubbles left on the sides of the glass did leave some lace. odd aroma for a marzen type beer. first off it's quite fruity...oranges come to mind...followed by wooden notes, then fresh carved pumpkins...some smell best described as raked leaves...sort of captures the essence of fall and oktoberfest season. imagine that. anyway....upon tasting...more of the tree bark and raked leaves taste...chopped wood...roasted pumpkin seeds. wacky. it has a mouthfeel leaning on the flatter side, smooth, but without substance. finishes dry and leaves the senses yearning for more whiffs and tastes to figure out whatever else it can discern for autumn-like notes. i'm sure all this fall flavourfest is yeast induced....but how in the hell did they get a beer to taste this way?? this won't appeal to everyone, but the essence captured is genius.
Dec 12, 2003
Photo of tavernjef
Reviewed by tavernjef from Minnesota

3.8/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Color is a dark orangey peach skin color with a thin creamy colored head that subsides some as its consumed. Smell has a good amount of lightly roasted malts, somewhat fruity sweet, with light earthy grass notes. Taste is subdued off-sweet malts, fruitish in a sense, a bit of a roastyness pops in and out with some very light earthyness lingering in the finish. Very smooth and easy medium body, picks up some just past midway and ends with a light airy dryness. Not bad for a marzen but I like the Vienna Woods by a good margin.

Two samples at Autumn Brew Review poured from the bottle.
Sep 07, 2003
Photo of cokes
Reviewed by cokes from Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Produces a somewhat hazy burnt orange body. Clinging beige head is thin, but sticks around.
Odd nose of faintly toasted grains and some candied fruit sweetness. Not bad, just different.
This gets going with a lightly toasted malt flavor. Lurking in the background is the indistinguishable fruit sweetness. Seems impossible to nail down. Some of the usual Viking yeasty off-flavors are present, but do not hurt this one. Finishes quite herbal and tea like.
Nice and creamy in the mouth, but needs more carbonation.
Pretty decent overall.
Sep 17, 2002
Photo of Bighuge
Reviewed by Bighuge from Minnesota

4.02/5  rDev +11.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5
The bottle says Premium Ruby Lager. Their website calls it a dunkel martzen.

It's a clear ruby/scarlet in color. Not much of a head to speak of. Malt is predominant on the nose. Wood, hops and vanilla make up smaller constituents of the aroma. The taste of this beer is very smooth and drinkable. Not quite as carbonated as it should be. About medium to full in body. Taste is of toasted grains, caramel malt and bready accents. Some light flowery hop notes accentuate nicely. Very mellow tasting. Very nice.
Sep 12, 2002
Copperhead from Valkyrie Brewing
Beer rating: 84 out of 100 with 18 ratings