Online Tasting: Oktoberfest! (September 19-20, 2020) - Tasting Thread

Discussion in 'The Bar' started by TongoRad, Sep 19, 2020.

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  1. DiUr

    DiUr Pundit (751) Aug 14, 2014 Spain

    Always an underdog and always spot on, last year I did even put it along with Hofbrau (everyone´s favorite including me) as the winner. And well you just can´t resist THAT big, blue can (traditional or not). It comes like that since forever around these parts, for some reason. Cheers!
     
  2. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,161) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Good afternoon everyone! Glad to see this thread chugging right along! I am sneaking a quick one in here in between errands and chores around the house. This is Ettaler - Mythos Special Märzen. This is a new märzen to me thanks to @zid.

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    Pours a darker copper color - completely clear. The beer has a nice thick 2 to 3 finger white head that dissipates steadily until just a thin layer of velvety white foam remains on the top of the beer. That remaining velvety head shows excellent retention lingering on the top of the beer. Aroma is rich and sweet with strong notes of dark bread, dark fruits and some lightly toasted malty notes. The aroma is remarkably rich for a märzen - almost reminiscent of a bock or doppelbock in that regard.

    Taste follows the nose with some rich bready notes, dark bread, lightly toasted, rather sweet, but there is a spicy hop bite on the back end that provides some relief from the sweet malts. Again, its quite rich for a märzen. This one was distinctly better a bit warmed up. Feel is quite chewy and hefty. Although its a 5.5% beer, it just presents as a bigger beer than one would expect. Bright, crisp carbonation. Semi-dry on the finish.

    Overall this is a delicious beer and one I really enjoyed. However, its not one I want to drink a lot of, so in that sense, its perhaps not the best festbier.
     
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  3. adrock314

    adrock314 Pooh-Bah (1,939) Apr 14, 2006 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Victory Festbier. I found this a little underwhelming. I remember really enjoying it in the past. Not bad by any stretch of the imagination. Cheers!
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    look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 3.75

    Deep, bright orange pour. Very clear. Head quickly dwindles to a thin layer.

    Faint bready aroma. Not getting much here.

    Tastes of sweet bread and caramel. Some biscuit-like flavor with hints of roast. Suggestions of hop bitterness provide some balance. A little underwhelming.

    Nice mouthfeel with some prickly carbonation. Finishes slick, oily almost.

    Solid overall, but left me wanting. This bottle isn't living up to my recollection of this beer in previous years.
     
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  4. DiUr

    DiUr Pundit (751) Aug 14, 2014 Spain

    Would really love to get my hands on some of those Hofbrau mini-kegs.

    *The Lowenbrau is going down FAST and I might not get a proper review (still one left).
     
  5. woodchipper

    woodchipper Grand Pooh-Bah (3,321) Oct 25, 2005 Connecticut
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    You have my vote for best stein so far.
     
  6. FBarber

    FBarber Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,161) Mar 5, 2016 Illinois
    Super Mod Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I love that beer journal! Where did you get it?
    Thanks! Ive got a set of 6 of them that each have a different scene on them. I'll be using some of the others through the tasting.
     
  7. brewskis

    brewskis Grand Pooh-Bah (3,397) Jun 8, 2012 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah Society

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    Dovetail Festbier. This brewery out of Chicago specializes in lagers and does them as good, if not better, than any other brewery in the city.

    Pours a lightly cloudy rich amber color with a three finger light tan head that sticks around for a while. Nice carbonation on the beer. 4.25

    Aroma is lightly toasted brown bread, biscuit, slight caramel, honey, hay, earthiness, grass, herbal tea. 4

    Taste is biscuit, toasted brown bread, honey, slight caramel, earthiness, fresh cut grass, floral, herbaceousness, slight apricot, very slight nuttiness. Nice balance between the malt and noble hop presence. 4.25

    Medium body. Creamy, crisp, slick, dry, and refreshing. Lively and nimble, but also robust. 4.25

    As expected from these guys, this is on point. An excellent representation of the style. Balanced, malty, dry, bright, and refreshing. 4.25
    Overall: 4.19
     
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  8. jonphisher

    jonphisher Grand Pooh-Bah (3,436) Aug 9, 2015 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Really good description @FBarber i had one of them last night :beers:
     
  9. SudsDoctor

    SudsDoctor Maven (1,475) Nov 23, 2008 New York
    Society

    Going with an import for Okto #2. Had this one for the first time last year, and was so impressed I had to get it again this year. Very glad I did. It has remarkable depth for such a drinkable beer.
    Poured it a bit too aggressively, resulting in a foam overflow, but that seemed fitting and sure was pretty. Three-finger head and dense rings of lace right from the top of the mug. Multi-dimensional aroma: grassy, bready, spicy. Multi-faceted in the flavor department: perfectly calibrated sweetness, bready/cracker malt balanced by mildly spicy hops. Mouthfeel and carbonation almost perfect. 4.25.
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  10. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,820) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Last year I attempted a blind tasting of 5 imports to BJCP guidelines. This year I decided just go by overall enjoyment. I was going to pit the top 3 imports vs my top 3 American versions, but I haven’t had one of my favorite American made Oktoberfests yet, so I trimmed it to my top 2 from each side of the water so far. These were my results.
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    I will include tasting notes, but first, some overall observations.

    Obviously, these picks are all subjective to my tastes, which lean more and more toward a lighter body/high drinkability and subtle flavors. And without beating a dead horse, yes. I expected Sierra Nevada to be in my top 3 this year. At least state side. Also, shout out to @invertalon for his blind tasting. Inspired me to grab the Hi Wire.

    Anyway, Hofbrau actually placed 3rd last year for me technically, but has been my favorite for a number of years. Combine the fact that I have had a case (and keg) or 2 the past few years with the pale style, it’s hard to hide it even when you can’t see it. And I couldn’t see it, but it was the second cup and I knew it immediately. I actually guessed the rest before I looked at the bottom of the cups, and I had flipped the Bitburger and Hi Wire, but picked out the Columbus Brewing.

    As far as 3rd and 4th are concerned, they are pretty interchangeable for me. The biggest knock I had on the Columbus Fest is the lack of depth compared to the rest, but it is really well balanced and really drinkable. Which is also what I love about the Bitburger. To the notes...

    Hofbrau: Doughy/yeasty aroma. A slight skunk (good way) and light pepper. Sweet crackers with a rustic water and straw. Flowery backdrop. A touch of lemon citrus. Full, yet light bodied and crisp finish that isn’t overly dry or bitter.

    Bitburger: Nutty and caramel aroma. Almost a pumpernickel like bread. Lots of cloves and baking spice in aroma. Almost too much, but doesn’t come through in flavor as strong. Nice spicy hops, some red apple, and a dry finish. Really easy drinking.

    Hi-Wire: Carmalized sugars stand out in the smell. Honey like. Pretty bready. Nice toasted bread taste. Some floral notes. Substantial bitterness on the back end with a lot of lingering grains.

    Columbus Brewing: Lighter on aroma and flavor, but really nicely balanced. Toasted bread crust, grassy/floral hops and earthy. Also some butterscotch and brown sugar. Low bitterness. Very dry finish. Just a touch watery/thin.
     
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  11. Gutes_Bier

    Gutes_Bier Maven (1,339) Jul 31, 2011 Germany

    This was my favorite one back when I lived in HD, sorry you didn't dig it as much as I did. Then again the Spaten I had at the Fest was also pretty sweet (and I liked that one, too), so I guess just a difference in taste.
     
  12. seakayak

    seakayak Pooh-Bah (1,757) May 20, 2007 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Happy Oktoberfest, BA's!

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    Founders Oktoberfest Marzen, 6.0%

    Look: Medium copper with a thick lively head, leaving heavy rings.
    Smell: Light caramel malts and floral aromas, honey and ripe apple.
    Taste: Toasted rye crackers and light caramel, brown bread, apple.
    Feel: Thin and dry, loose and slippery, goes down fast.
    Overall: A very good Marzen that I'd have again.

    Prost!

    [​IMG]
     
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  13. Beer-A-Lot

    Beer-A-Lot Pooh-Bah (1,937) Oct 4, 2012 Virginia
    Pooh-Bah Society

    And so it goes. Nice crisp Oktoberfest bier with fair amount of bitterness. Very tasty. Always thought Bitburger was a decent sessionable beer, but this is a nice surprise.

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  14. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,848) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I'm right in between "hosing the gunk off of stuff" and "cooking some sausages", so it's the perfect time for beer #2-
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    Hofbrau Freising Festbier

    It's more of a pale copper color than gold. Taste reflects that with a light baguette crust quality, but fairly subdued. It finishes sweeter than I'd like as well, giving hints of white raisin and honey. Hops need to be searched for, just barely present. Honestly, it's kind of bland and insipid; and I had high hopes for it as well, considering how much I enjoyed it in past years. Easy to drink, but lacking punch, somewhere between a B- and a B.
     
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  15. sethmeister

    sethmeister Savant (1,099) Feb 21, 2007 New Hampshire

    OK just got my pretzels baked and the brats are on the stove. Cracking a Bitburger.

    Bottle says 03 27 2021 L513H

    Pale golden amber shade with a very creamy ecru head. Slightest bit of haze.

    Scent is very light. Bread and a floral hop note.

    Taste is on the sweeter side but with a nice hop bittering. Getting some nuts caramel and toffee as it warms.

    Mouth is light but creamy. Finish is nice but not as crisply delineated or as dry as the Hacker-Pschorr (my favorite so far this year.)

    Drinkability is very good.
     
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  16. StoutElk_92

    StoutElk_92 Grand Pooh-Bah (3,781) Oct 30, 2015 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    Moving into my domestic/national Oktoberfest beer, I'm now having the newly canned Founders Oktoberfest. Picked up a 15pk for around $16, and I'm happy to have these for the cooler seasons. Since I finished my German selection rather quickly I decided to double up on this one, which I've already done once or twice.

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    why have 1 when you can have 2?
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    This beer pours a bright clear amber orange with some golden yellow glowing at the bottom, and a creamy frothy white foam head that recedes to a thin ring. Smells a bit coppery, toasted, malty, rich, sweet, fruity, an interesting almost pumpkin spice-like note appears, slight dried apricot orangey citrus, caramel, toffee, dark bread crust, nutty toasted grain, with earthy floral herbal hops. Tastes a bit more rich and full, slightly sweet, toasted nutty grain, charred toasty bread crust, light caramel, mild toffee sweetness, fruity dried apricot, dark amber honey, with a hint of spice and earthy herbal floral hops. Feels heavy, medium bodied, a bit thick and slick with moderately low smooth carbonation. Overall an interesting Oktoberfest beer, a bit rich and almost sweet, kinda heavy and robust, not as dry and crisp in the finish as I might like, but a pretty solid flavor profile nonetheless. A pretty nice Märzen from the people at Founders. Pairs well with a spicy sausage pretzel too. Prost! :beers:
     
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  17. TongoRad

    TongoRad Grand Pooh-Bah (3,848) Jun 3, 2004 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Thanks for such an excellent post. I guess I should have opted for the Bitburger this year, based on the reviews it's getting so far.
     
  18. BeerVikingSailor

    BeerVikingSailor Grand Pooh-Bah (3,593) Nov 19, 2009 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Beer and pretzels - who woulda thunk it?

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    getting my B vitamins today - haha

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  19. nc41

    nc41 Initiate (0) Sep 25, 2008 North Carolina
    Trader

    I kinda blew this one, I had a Jacks Abby Copper Legend sent to me from @WunderLlama. I was in Ipa heaven and blinded by the light of greatness, and I forgot to take a pic. But I’ve figured out how to work around my Amber/marzen issues, I put it into the freezer for 15 minutes prior to popping it, it kinda mitigates the natural sweetness and it’s still cold at the bottom of the glass. Super nice pour, but they all pour nice imo, the first sips I’m really enjoying, I don’t get bread, but the malt is upfront, finish is silky smooth. My problem with these styles is as it warms it turns sweet for me. Luckily it’s a 12 Oz can, but I’ve seen 16oz cans on the shelf here, and the first time ever for Jacks Abby beers. So I’d give it a nice thumbs up and maybe a 4. Thanks for the beer, and tomorrow football Sunday will be epic with some great NE hoppiness.
     
    ChicagoJ, Glider, AlcahueteJ and 18 others like this.
  20. WesMantooth

    WesMantooth Grand Pooh-Bah (4,820) Jan 8, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I would definitely go with B- And I quite enjoyed that one last year
     
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