2019 Imported Oktoberfests Blind Tasting

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by WesMantooth, Sep 2, 2019.

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  1. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,844) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Having been inspired by @invertalon ‘s blind tasting last year, I decided to put the (available) imports to the test. Without getting too nerdy, I did decide to pretend I was qualified to judge them by the BJCP guidelines rather than personal preference.
    [​IMG]
    Tasting Perimeters: I had my underage daughter pour them into glasses that I marked on the bottom (she said “this one smells really bad”. I did not look). They were all in shaker pints, and I used pretzel thins in between each beer over the course of about 45-50 minutes.


    The contenders:
    [​IMG]
    The initial pour:
    [​IMG]
    The midway point:
    [​IMG]

    The results:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    The notes:
    I went back and forth on 1vs 2 and 4 vs 5 quite a bit, so either could be “best” or “worst” easily. And there isn’t a huge separation from 1-5.

    I took notes on all of them. Without giving full reviews of each, I noted that the Paulaner was the best nose, a little maltier, and had a crisp/dry finish.
    The Spaten was the most skunky, with a darker toasted bread, and was very full/creamy, but had a dry finish.
    The Hofbrau had sweeter grains and was more skunky in taste than aroma, and had a lingering floral flavor.
    The Hacker had the weakest nose, good creamy body and flavor, but fell really flat in the finish.
    The Ayinger to me was the “most American” (pretty sure I don’t have to quote myself at this point since they are all quotes, but wanted emphasis here) with a rich, toffee like aroma, nuttiness (nice), and baking spice.

    The summary:
    I was surprised by this, but not in the way I thought I would be. I have been disappointed in a Ayinger the last couple years, and thought to myself, “Yes. It’s back. 1 or 2 is definitely Ayinger” (quoting my thoughts again. Nice.) I was wrong. It still drinks more like most American versions. Even if the better ones. Too sweet/rich, with a caramel like flavor.
    The Hofbrau was obviously a dead giveaway knowing it was a pale/blonde/Fest because I didn’t have another, but even though it was probably my favorite overall last year, it would fall in the same place whether to style, or overall enjoyment.
    The Paulaner has been one of my least favorites the last few years, so to see it as a top 2 was one of the most surprising aspects.

    Prost!
     
    #1 WesMantooth, Sep 2, 2019
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  2. CanConPhilly

    CanConPhilly Grand Pooh-Bah (4,421) May 17, 2012 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Well shit, based on your results I gotta track down that Spaten.
     
    #2 CanConPhilly, Sep 2, 2019
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  3. MacMalt

    MacMalt Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,322) Jan 28, 2015 New Jersey
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Great comparison!
     
    #3 MacMalt, Sep 2, 2019
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  4. cheeseheadinMinneapolis

    cheeseheadinMinneapolis Pooh-Bah (2,011) Sep 20, 2017 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    I have drank so many Ofest beers in the last 30 days that I am burned out on them........My taste buds can hardly tell the difference from one or the other now.
     
    #4 cheeseheadinMinneapolis, Sep 2, 2019
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  5. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,844) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I was kind of pissed because I grabbed a single in KY before a Reds game, and it is usually the hardest to find.
     
    #5 WesMantooth, Sep 2, 2019
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  6. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    @WesMantooth, thank you for your effort here and reporting on your results.

    You clearly caveated that: “I did decide to pretend I was qualified to judge them by the BJCP guidelines…”

    My interpretation of your results is that you ‘dinged’ the Ayinger since you perceived some caramel flavor, is that correct?

    Given that the BJCP style guidelines dictate:

    · “Caramel aroma is inappropriate”

    · “Noticeable caramel…flavors are inappropriate

    I can understand why you would ‘ding’ Ayinger.

    If instead the Brewers Association style guideline were utilized, the below is stated:

    “Low level caramel character is acceptable.”

    If one were to evaluate Ayinger per the Brewers Association style guideline then the aspect of a caramel aroma/flavor would not be “inappropriate” (using the BJCP language). Of course if the judge deemed the level to be above the “low level” threshold then some points could be ‘knocked off’.

    Cheers!
     
    #6 JackHorzempa, Sep 2, 2019
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  7. cjgiant

    cjgiant Grand High Pooh-Bah (6,584) Jul 13, 2013 District of Columbia
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Just to be clear, the results were based on BJCP as best you admittedly could, and the results ended up mirroring your personal enjoyment as well?
     
    #7 cjgiant, Sep 2, 2019
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  8. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,844) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    True. It was more of a subtle toffee that was a little more noticeable in aroma than flavor to me, and not necessarily off-putting. Only in direct comparison to the others.
     
    #8 WesMantooth, Sep 2, 2019
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  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Was it consistent with the verbiage of the Brewers Association style guideline (“Low level caramel character is acceptable.”)?

    Cheers!
     
    #9 JackHorzempa, Sep 2, 2019
  10. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,844) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    That was one of the more surprising results to me. I always been objective enough to separate to style vs to taste, but these happened to fall in line accordingly.
     
    #10 WesMantooth, Sep 2, 2019
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  11. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,844) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    I would say so.
     
    #11 WesMantooth, Sep 2, 2019
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  12. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    You might be interested in knowing that for the European Beer Star Award categories there is similar verbiage to that of the Brewers Association style guidelines (emphasis in bold by me):

    “Malt character: slightly roasted rather than strongly caramel (though a low level of light caramel is acceptable)”

    Again, thanks for your effort here.

    Cheers!
     
    #12 JackHorzempa, Sep 2, 2019
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  13. cheeseheadinMinneapolis

    cheeseheadinMinneapolis Pooh-Bah (2,011) Sep 20, 2017 Wisconsin
    Pooh-Bah

    Roast? well so far this year the only two Ofest beers that I have noticed any roast flavor is Schells and Stevens Point. The roast note is faint but there. On the Schells its there towards the finish and it comes out more when it's rather warm.
    https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/786/38224/
     
    #13 cheeseheadinMinneapolis, Sep 2, 2019
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  14. SABERG

    SABERG Grand Pooh-Bah (5,001) Sep 16, 2007 Massachusetts
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for the great work
    Cheers
     
    #14 SABERG, Sep 2, 2019
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  15. zid

    zid Grand Pooh-Bah (3,132) Feb 15, 2010 New York
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    I'm easily confused. It sounds like you ranked these beers, but how did you rank them? Am I missing the obvious?
     
    #15 zid, Sep 2, 2019
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  16. officerbill

    officerbill Pooh-Bah (2,228) Feb 9, 2019 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Couldn't find The Hacker anywhere, but I've had the other four and I agree that Hofbrau is the better beer.
    It's too bad you didn't include Benediktiner. The Hofbrau is slightly ahead on flavor while the Benediktiner is slightly ahead on “spend the whole day with”.
     
    #16 officerbill, Sep 2, 2019
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  17. Tilley4

    Tilley4 Pooh-Bah (2,811) Nov 13, 2007 Tennessee
    Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    The Hofbrau and Ayinger are much different but amazing in their own way... depends of my mood.. everyday drinker? HB...deep malty richness? Ayinger....
     
    #17 Tilley4, Sep 2, 2019
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  18. steveh

    steveh Grand Pooh-Bah (4,174) Oct 8, 2003 Illinois
    Society Pooh-Bah

    On my fourth six-pack myself, and was lucky to have pulled them from closed cases.
     
    #18 steveh, Sep 2, 2019
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  19. Zorro

    Zorro Grand Pooh-Bah (3,258) Dec 25, 2003 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Doesn't see any bad beer there.
     
    #19 Zorro, Sep 2, 2019
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  20. ATL6245

    ATL6245 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,984) Aug 16, 2018 Georgia
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for posting this. I like to do these kinds of blind tastings to test myself and they are never as easy as it sounds. To me, it's hard to compare Festbier to Marzen because they are two different styles. And seeing Festbier visually different, makes it really hard to not have some level of bias. On the enjoyments side, I prefer the Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen myself.
     
    #20 ATL6245, Sep 2, 2019
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