Revolution Oktoberfest

The Stats
Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
ABV: 5.7%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.77/5
- Untappd: 3.68/5
- RateBeer: 3.42/5

"Classic German-style Oktoberfest Lager that goes down smooth with a pleasant, toasty, malt flavor. The addition of traditional German Magnum and Hersbruker hops provide a crisp balanced bitterness and spicy/earthy aroma to round out this robust beer."

Pours out rusty orange/copper in color with a transparent body and two fingers of white head.

This has a generic, watered-down lager scent with some wet grass and hay. I'm picking up some wet grain and cereal too, but there's a a decent toasty quality that I like.

The taste yields some flavors that were absent from the aroma. I'm getting lots of apples on this and even some citrus and orange. The taste still retains a lot of that barnyard and wet hay from the aroma, but I think it add a funky quality to the beer that I am enjoying. I must say there is almost a smokey, tobacco flavor going on, but it plays off of the toasted notes I got from the aroma. A subtle spice kick with black pepper rounds out the flavor profile with more of the oat and cereal taste on each finish.

Mouthfeel is light with good carbonation. It is as easy to drink as you'd expect for 5.7% and the hefty amount of flavors make it easy on the palate.

Things started off shaky with Revolution Oktoberfest, but it finished strong. This has a surprising amount of complexity for the style which alone makes it worth a look if you see it at your local store.

Rating
7.8/10

Banded Horn Oktoberfest

The Stats
Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen
ABV: 5.2%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.83/5
- Untappd: 3.53/5
- RateBeer: N/A

"A timeless copper lager with sensational hop-malt balance. Notes of toffee, caramel, and biscuit mingle to celebrate the season. Classically brewed with German Munich, Heidelberg, and crystal malts, and German Hersbrucker hops."

Pours deep copper in color with a transparent body and a finger of off-white head.

The aroma is packed with sweeter caramel notes and pipe tobacco. Some wet hay is also tossed in as is a tiny bit of sweet orange.

The taste has a pine tree and wood character that I did not get on the aroma. For even more complexity it also has hints of maple and smoke. Like the aroma, the taste yields some sweeter malts which seems to stay with me at every stage and that tobacco taste has also returned. I'm also getting a taste of honey...not the song...but that would be interesting...ok, I'll stop. Also in here are some mossy, earthy notes with moments of spicy hop goodness. It's pretty complex for the style.

Mouthfeel is light-to-medium. but not too robust. Those woody and smokey flavors stick to my tongue after each sip and this one drinks rather easy.

Banded Horn has produced a terrific Oktoberfest that is more complex than most I have come across. I was surprised by the range of flavors for the style and at 5.2%, this goes down easily and just goes to show that a low abv Markzen can still be savory and unique.

Rating
8.3/10

Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest (2017)

The Stats
Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
ABV: 6.1%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.98/5
- Untappd: 3.73/5
- RateBeer: 3.61/5

"Each year, we partner with a different German brewer to explore the roots of Germany’s famous Oktoberfest beers. This year, we’re collaborating with Germany’s Brauhaus Miltenberger, whose approach to the classic style we’ve long admired. The result is a festival beer true to their style—deep golden in color with deceptively rich malt flavor and balanced by traditional German-grown whole-cone hops."

Pours a dark, golden color bordering on copper with a mostly transparent body and a finger of white head.

It smells like the Fall. Leaves and grassy notes are big and then there's a citrus quality to the aroma too. A sweet malt flavor like honey or caramel is a nice touch and there's some bready/cracker flavors deep down.

Intense sweetness is immediately noticeable up front on the taste. This pops with a surprising amount of juicy mango and lemon peel. Not far behind are grassy hops to bring this one back down to an earthy feeling. A definite "outdoorsy" bouquet of fresh-cut grass and barnyard hay remind me of a sunny Autumn day. Not only grassy, but this has lots of floral character and the back end tosses in some herbal and spicy notes.

Mouthfeel is light, but never watery. It feels lighter than 6.1% and is very drinkable. Mouthfeel is calm with little carbonation and as flavorful as it is, it finishes clean.

This edition of Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest was packed with flavor while retaining high drinkability. This seemed to run the gamut of hop flavors while containing just as big a contribution of sweet German malts. One of the better Festbiers I've had.

Rating
8.6/10

Tree House Traverse

The Stats
Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen
ABV: 5.50%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.71/5
- RateBeer: 3.4/5 (2 ratings)

Over the last few months, Tree House has been experimenting with different styles in small batches. They are well known for their hoppy beers and big coffee stouts, buy lately they have rolled out more traditional German styles. Naturally for the Fall, they had to do an Oktoberfest beer which comes in at a light 5.50% and is brewed with Munich and Vienna malts.

Pours a deep amber red with a murky body. Got a finger of off-white head.

Aroma contains some dull red grape, lager yeast, dark fruits, and a touch of caramel.

The initial flavor I pick up is multi-grain bread followed again by those subtle dark fruits and some very sweet malts. There's also an apple cider tinge or even some apple seeds with grape skin. A crisp lager taste envelopes the taste buds and makes this a refreshing brew for sure. As it warms, the malts take on a toasted flavor which acts like fresh-baked bread.

The body is a bit fuller than most Oktoberfests and has more complexity in its flavor as well. No thin or watery feeling and it is an easy-drinker for sure.

Traverse is one of the better Oktoberfests I've ever had as it doesn't fall into the same old bland taste and smell that characterizes the majority of the offerings from other breweries. If they brew it again next year, I won't hesitate to pick up another growler.

Rating
8.0/10

Jack's Abby Copper Legend

The Stats
Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen
ABV: 5.70%
Current Ratings...
- Beer Advocate: 3.78/5
- RateBeer: 3.44/5

Oktoberfests used to be the dominant beer come the Fall, but pumpkin beers have seemed to have usurped them as the king of Autumn. I've recently tried immersing myself in the Oktoberfest style and I figured a local favorite would be a nice place to dive in.

Pours a hazy dark orange, (dare I say) copper color with two fingers of white head.

Aroma has a crisp lager scent with sweet caramel notes.

The taste has a lot of sweetness - particularly of toffee. Right after that is the aforementioned caramel from the aroma. The label says it uses Noble hops and I can detect some spiciness throughout, but also something similar to beeswax or honey right off the comb. The back end has almost an herbal, green tea, or even fresh mint kick to it. It might be weird to say it tastes like autumn, but that's what I'm going to go with. Some light crackery maltiness is also here to finish the job.

Mouthfeel is a little under carbonated, but not exactly flat. It doesn't give the beer a syrupy texture either, but it does come out feeling lighter than its abv would suggest. In any case, it is still robust enough to be highly flavorful and highly drinkable.

Copper Legend is a solid entry into the Oktoberfest world, but as a brewery that specializes in lagers, I expected a little more from Jack's Abby. Oh, I'll gladly throw multiple bottles back on a cool Fall day, but I can't help but feel it didn't reach its potential. However, this is still packed with flavor and goes down smooth. Can't ask for more than that.

Rating
7.9/10