Beer of the Weekend #294: Oktoberfest

I swear this is the last märzen of the year. Though I am burnt out on Oktoberfest brews right now — especially since most of the versions I tried this fall have been very disappointing — I saw tonight’s brew on the shelf at John’s and wanted to fit it in for the hell of it.

The beer tonight is Oktoberfest, brewed by the Lakefront Brewery, Inc. of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


Serving type: One 12-ounce bottle. There are two date notches on the side of the label, one for “OCT” and another for “Wk1.”

Appearance: Straight pour into a pint glass. The color is medium amber with copper tones. Three fingers of dense, buttery head left a half-finger of bubbly foam and a thick ring around the edge.

Smell: It has a nice, sweet floral and malt scent. Pale malts, grassy/floral hops, caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, powdered sugar, and something candy-like from my youth that I cannot pin down. (What the hell is it?) It also smells a bit like Meier’s Sparkling Pink Catawba. (Perhaps that is it.)

Taste: Basically mirrors the smell, but the flavors feel subdued and distant. It is mostly malty: pale malts and caramel dominate. Floral hops provided a nice, barnyard smoothness. Again, it is very similar to Meier’s Sparkling Pink Catawba.

Drinkability: It lacks the robustness I want, but I suppose it is heading in the right direction. It is smooth and very drinkable, though it lacks a little flavor and smells a little too candy- and child-like.

Fun facts about Oktoberfest:

-Style: Märzen.

-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.

-Serving temperature: The beer’s Lake Front webpage suggests an “Ideal serving temperature” of 48-50ºF.

-Alcohol content: 5.7 percent ABV.

-Food pairings: Here is the recommendation from the beer’s webpage: “A good pairing for the hearty German fare served at Oktoberfest parties in Munich: rich sausages and pretzels, buttery spaetzle or creamy soups.”

-A Lakefront logo sweatshirt available at the brewery’s online merch store features a special pocket to hold your beer.


I think I am more embarrassed than anything.


The Quiet Man’s grade: C+.

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