Beer of the Weekend #522: Okto Festival Ale
One of the editors at the LV sweet-talked me into writing a feature for November. The due date is Friday. Ugh! Why can’t I just say no?
The last beer in my seasonal sixer is Okto Festival Ale, brewed by the Widmer Brothers Brewing Company of Portland, Oregon.
Last week I moved many of my pilsner and wheat glasses into a different cupboard for storage and replaced them with my beckers. My beckers need love after a long spring and summer of disuse.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. “JUL 11 13” is printed in tiny text at the bottom of the label. I assume that is the bottling date.
Appearance: Poured into a becker glass. The color is medium, copper/amber. Two fingers of dense, fluffy, eggshell-colored head settled slowly, leaving spots of lacing and sudsy skim.
Smell: Floral and malty. The hops dominate at first and then give way to toasted malts, candy caramel, toffee, cherry licorice, and apple.
Taste: It offers a pleasing bitterness and medium-bodied mouthfeel. Much like in the aroma, the floral hops dominate and then partially yield to toasted malts, caramel, toffee, apple, cherry licorice, and maybe a little chocolate and butterscotch.
Drinkability: It is decent, drinkable, and in ways reminiscent of Millstream’s Oktoberfest.
Fun facts about Okto:
-Style: Märzen. On BA, it is classified as “Altbier.” According to the notes: “Classified as a German Altbier by the Widmer Brothers; brewed with an (ale) Alt yeast strain.”
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 5.3 percent ABV.
-IBU: 28.
-As a seasonal, it is available from August–October.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
The last beer in my seasonal sixer is Okto Festival Ale, brewed by the Widmer Brothers Brewing Company of Portland, Oregon.
Last week I moved many of my pilsner and wheat glasses into a different cupboard for storage and replaced them with my beckers. My beckers need love after a long spring and summer of disuse.
Serving type: 12-ounce bottle. “JUL 11 13” is printed in tiny text at the bottom of the label. I assume that is the bottling date.
Appearance: Poured into a becker glass. The color is medium, copper/amber. Two fingers of dense, fluffy, eggshell-colored head settled slowly, leaving spots of lacing and sudsy skim.
Smell: Floral and malty. The hops dominate at first and then give way to toasted malts, candy caramel, toffee, cherry licorice, and apple.
Taste: It offers a pleasing bitterness and medium-bodied mouthfeel. Much like in the aroma, the floral hops dominate and then partially yield to toasted malts, caramel, toffee, apple, cherry licorice, and maybe a little chocolate and butterscotch.
Drinkability: It is decent, drinkable, and in ways reminiscent of Millstream’s Oktoberfest.
Fun facts about Okto:
-Style: Märzen. On BA, it is classified as “Altbier.” According to the notes: “Classified as a German Altbier by the Widmer Brothers; brewed with an (ale) Alt yeast strain.”
-Price: $1.79/bottle at John’s Grocery in Iowa City.
-Alcohol content: 5.3 percent ABV.
-IBU: 28.
-As a seasonal, it is available from August–October.
The Quiet Man’s grade: B-.
