Oktoberfest Lager
Red Lodge Ales

 

This is copied from my Untapped review from my trip there back in August of 2022. This was enjoyed at the brewery. 3.25 rating.

Dark amber pour with a slightly off white head.
The aroma is minimal.
The flavor is malty, with a slight hint of caramel. There's a bit of bitterness on the back.
Decent body.
Standard American Oktoberfest.

 

 

Pours a clear, bright amber, with a medium large off white head.

Flavors are, to be simplistic, very toasted malts and a lot herbal hops. Light carbonation makes it easy going.

Pretty good, more hops than I anticipated but good.

 

 

 

 

 

Served on tap in a pint glass

Appearance – The beer is served a reddish amber color with one finger head of fizzy white head. The head has a great level of retention, slowly fading to leave a massive level of fizzy lace on the sides of the glass.

Smell – The aroma is light overall with the heaviest of the aromas being of a toasted smell along with some lighter sweet smells of a fruit nature with some cherry and apple as well as a hint of a caramel.

Taste – The taste begins with a rather sweet taste with it being a mix of caramel and some lighter fruits of apple and cherry. The caramel fades after the initial taste but the sweeter fruit flavors gain intensity as the taste advances, bringing an overall sweeter flavor to the brew. Right from the start there is also a toasted bready taste which takes on more and more grainy notes as the taste advances. Along with these tastes also comes some very light hop flavors of a more herbal and earthy nature. These hops remain rather light, and in the end with the mix of flavors, one is left with a rather sweet and toasted flavor to linger on the tongue.

Mouthfeel – The body of the brew is on the average side in terms of thickness and creaminess with a carbonation level that is rather average. Both are very nice for the style and complement well the fruit and toasted tastes well.

Overall – A fruity and easy drinking Oktoberfest. A nice brew overall and one to try if you get the chance.

 

 

 

on tap at the miner house in little old Colstrip, Montana. it took my by surprise to see a craft brew at this little pub. it also took me by surprise how good it is. an orange tinted brass color with a full inch of white head in a pint glass. classic looks. the nose is a little sweeter than some oktoberfest types, with a medium toast on the grains as well. the flavor is smooth and balanced, drinkable as anything, honey and vanilla are present as it finishes, but its not sugary, counteracting a german bittering hop in low dose. this is a session lager if ever there was one, being refreshing, satisfying, interesting, and delicious all at once. love the freshness, and remember drinking an oaked version at the brewery last year. this is cleaner than that one was, simple but not boring. a very well made lager, one I will look forward to having again. sucked back maybe four pints of this with no trouble.

edit: this is a staple year over year up here, one of the better made and more traditional takes around, i love the german yeast on this, the balance it has, and the high carbonation, it always just hits the mark, any time of day or not. they have a winner with this!

 

 

 

 

Appearance: This Oktoberfest pours a clear, pure amber color. There's a couple fingers of off white head that reduces to almost no lacing.

Smell: Malty and a bit caramelly with a bit of fruitiness. Very subtle flavors in this beer. Nothing really stands out.

Taste: Caramel and malts and just a bit of fruitiness up front. A touch of hops on the backside, but like the smell nothing stands out too much. Overall, a pretty nice, balanced flavor.

Mouthfeel/Drinkability: Medium bodied and pretty smooth, fine carbonation. This is a drinkable beer and solid example of the style. Wouldn't hesitate to have it again.