Beer of the Weekend #275: Oktoberfest
Tonight is the eve of October. OCTOBER!
Locally, this weekend is Oktoberfest overload. Tomorrow is the annual Iowa City Brew Fest, and this year it has been paired with the inaugural north side Oktoberfest along Linn Street. There will be fun, games, and beer (for a price). Also, starting tonight is Oktoberfest in Amana. It runs until Sunday, and I will likely attend after my Brew Fest duties are over.
Fittingly, the beer of the weekend is a märzen: Oktoberfest, brewed by the Green Bay Brewing Company of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Written on the carrier handle is “Green Bay Brewing Company,” and on the side is a little nerdiness about GBBC and what the brewers believe. However, take notice of the “H” and “Hinterland” on the bottle label. It stands for the Hinterland Brewery Restaurant, which is apparently run by the GBBC. BA lists the brewer as the HBR, but the true brewer, according to the carrier, is GBBC. Perhaps the GBBC is going through a transition between names, but for right now I will list GBBC as the brewer.
Serving type: Four 16-ounce bottles. No freshness date or batch code.
Appearance: Poured into a becker glass. I tilted the glass at first, but straightened it when it looked like the head was going to be pathetic. The color is medium caramel with amber tones. A cluster of bubbles topped a decently dense, two-finger thick head that dissipated quickly to leave the cluster of bubbles floating atop the liquid.
Smell: The aroma is robust. Lots of toasted and sweet caramel, plus a lot of earthy hop action. There is even grapefruit in there. Grapefruit from a märzen? Who knew? Needless to say, it is very reminiscent of amber ale.
Taste: The mouthfeel is really thin, but the flavor delivers something special. Sweet and toasted caramel are balanced well with earthy and grapefruit hoppiness. The hops do not really offer a massive bite, but do enough to let you know you are drinking a beer. Frankly, it does border on that hairspray-tinged-burnt-hair taste, but it is on the better side of that border.
Drinkability: Robust and a tad hoppy for a märzen. Tommy likey.
Fun facts about Oktoberfest:
-Style: Märzen.
-Price: $10.99/four-pack at the Binny’s Beverage Depot on Illinois Highway 83 in Willowbrook, Illinois.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.8 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: Typical Bavarian fare, I suppose. All BA recommends is German cuisine.
-Here is some website nerdiness:
-Oktoberfest is only available September through November, as it should be.
-On Sunday I will be heading up to Pikes Peak State Park and McGregor to enjoy the fall foliage. (The trees are turning really fast this year. At least it seems that way.) While up there, I may try to visit Prairie du Chien to find a sixer of New Glarus’ Staghorn Octoberfest.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
Locally, this weekend is Oktoberfest overload. Tomorrow is the annual Iowa City Brew Fest, and this year it has been paired with the inaugural north side Oktoberfest along Linn Street. There will be fun, games, and beer (for a price). Also, starting tonight is Oktoberfest in Amana. It runs until Sunday, and I will likely attend after my Brew Fest duties are over.
Fittingly, the beer of the weekend is a märzen: Oktoberfest, brewed by the Green Bay Brewing Company of Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Written on the carrier handle is “Green Bay Brewing Company,” and on the side is a little nerdiness about GBBC and what the brewers believe. However, take notice of the “H” and “Hinterland” on the bottle label. It stands for the Hinterland Brewery Restaurant, which is apparently run by the GBBC. BA lists the brewer as the HBR, but the true brewer, according to the carrier, is GBBC. Perhaps the GBBC is going through a transition between names, but for right now I will list GBBC as the brewer.
Serving type: Four 16-ounce bottles. No freshness date or batch code.
Appearance: Poured into a becker glass. I tilted the glass at first, but straightened it when it looked like the head was going to be pathetic. The color is medium caramel with amber tones. A cluster of bubbles topped a decently dense, two-finger thick head that dissipated quickly to leave the cluster of bubbles floating atop the liquid.
Smell: The aroma is robust. Lots of toasted and sweet caramel, plus a lot of earthy hop action. There is even grapefruit in there. Grapefruit from a märzen? Who knew? Needless to say, it is very reminiscent of amber ale.
Taste: The mouthfeel is really thin, but the flavor delivers something special. Sweet and toasted caramel are balanced well with earthy and grapefruit hoppiness. The hops do not really offer a massive bite, but do enough to let you know you are drinking a beer. Frankly, it does border on that hairspray-tinged-burnt-hair taste, but it is on the better side of that border.
Drinkability: Robust and a tad hoppy for a märzen. Tommy likey.
Fun facts about Oktoberfest:
-Style: Märzen.
-Price: $10.99/four-pack at the Binny’s Beverage Depot on Illinois Highway 83 in Willowbrook, Illinois.
-Serving temperature: 45-50ºF.
-Alcohol content: 5.8 percent ABV.
-Food pairings: Typical Bavarian fare, I suppose. All BA recommends is German cuisine.
-Here is some website nerdiness:
Oktoberfest pours with a deep golden color. This lager's head is thick and foamy which leaves a thick web of lace. The sweet caramel and brown sugar aroma balances well with a hint of grain. Very malty and lightly hopped, the flavor of rich caramel makes this Oktoberfest extremely drinkable.
-Oktoberfest is only available September through November, as it should be.
-On Sunday I will be heading up to Pikes Peak State Park and McGregor to enjoy the fall foliage. (The trees are turning really fast this year. At least it seems that way.) While up there, I may try to visit Prairie du Chien to find a sixer of New Glarus’ Staghorn Octoberfest.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B.
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