Thomas Creek - Oktoberfest Lager

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Oktoberfest Lager
Thomas Creek Brewing Company
2054 Piedmont Highway
Greenville, SC  USA
Est. 1998
www.thomascreekbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep, dark golden in color.
Malted barley grain scent like a well grained bread with trace amounts of sweetness and noticeable hops.
Tight and creamy one inch head.
Head retains nearly to the bottom leaving strings of lace.
Finishes malty with a touch of toffee sweetness and just the right amount of bittering hops.
Light, refreshing and sessionable; easy to drink.
Medium, soft carbonation. Medium mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
My favorite time of year is approaching. The time of the year when things are plucked from the ground in their season of harvest. Here is a favorite style of mine; the humble yet noble Oktoberfest.

Many brewers attempt it due to the popularity of tying harvest season and fall festivities et cetera, et cetera. It is also known as Marzen from the German word for the month of March,( the season in which it was originally brewed.) Lagered in cold cellars or caves, the fest bier was brought out for the fall harvests. It's origins actually begin with a particular marriage festival of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese. Since then it has grown into the single largest beer festival, held each year in late September thtough early October. With over 6 million in attendance, that's a mighty big hangover.

In general, while lagers and their yeasts are more difficult to work with, Thomas Creek has captured a very fine example in their bottle. Just the right color, smells and mouthfeel for the finest of lagers, the Oktoberfest.

Reap one soon and see what a great lager tastes like.

Shiner Oktoberfest

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Shiner Oktoberfest
Spoetzl Brewery
603 East Brewery Street
Shiner, TX USA
Est. 1909
www.shiner.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear amber color.
Biscuit and bready malts, not much in the way of hops presence.
Light fluffly near-white head with very little lacing.
Abundant amount of carbonation.
Medium malt taste and slippery/slick mouth feel on the finish.
Light to medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I do love a good Marzen style Oktoberfest beer. They are the beers that were a gateway into craft for me, so very long ago. I have tasted lots of them by now and it is interesting to see the American take on them versus the German take. There are usually a few variances.

For one thing, American style usually denote the word Octoberfest with the letter "c" as opposed to the letter "k" for the Germans. That's not always true, as in Shiner's case, but it is a generality that I have noticed. Another generality is the American styles are typically a bit more malt forward; that is to say they are also a bit sweeter as a result of the amount and style of malts used. German Oktoberfests are nearly perfectly balanced with hops and malts on the front end and just a touch of hop bitterness at the end. I would also say the German Marzens tend to be lighter tasting and bring you back for more. They finish cleaner, too.

As for this beer, sadly it does not impress me much. I know that Spoetzl is German in origin, but in the end it was a bit lackluster for me when it comes to an Oktoberfest beer.

Gordon Biersch - Marzen

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Gordon Biersch Marzen

Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
357 E. Taylor Street
San Jose, CA USA
Est. 1988
www.gordonbiersch.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper to amber color.
Malty sweet with whiffs of hops.
Caramel tan head that has little lacing.
Minimal carbonation.

Malty taste with slight hops finish.
Light to medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I really enjoyed Gordon Biersch's Fest Bier, which also happens to be in the Marzen/Octoberfest style. The trouble is, this one is a straight up Marzen, and it failed to deliver. It was a bit harsh and more bitter than expected for the style.  Could have been mishandled. Could be that it's about 6 months past Octoberfest deliveries. Hmmm. Will have to try another time this year.

So what's a guy to do when Marzens are one of his all-time favorite styles?  Nothing to do except go dig up one that will please. Sorry, not this time.

Paulaner - Oktoberfest Marzen

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Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen
Paulaner Brewing
Munich, Germany
Est. 1634
www.paulaner.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep golden color.
Dry grainy malt backbone and hops smell.
Off-white head that sticks around to the end of the glass.
Stringy lacing.
Light to medium body.  Easy to drink. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
One last bastion of Oktoberfest hanging out in my cooler. This one is the real deal from Germany, however, I felt it lacked a little bit of character. It was a bit more malty than I would care for in a fest beer, but still a well made brew just the same.

Paulaner has been making beer for a long time, so who am I to judge. I prefer some  of the other German Marzen's to this, but wouldn't turn it down just the same.

Beck's Oktoberfest

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Beck's Oktoberfest
Brauerei Beck & Co
(Anheuser-Busch/InBev)
Bremen, Germany
Est. 1873
www.becksbeer.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Caramel in color.
Malt, grain and hop aromas.
Rich, two finger tall, off-white head with good lacing.
Malty and hops taste in good balance with malts leading.
Good carbonation.
Light mouth feel, best if not served ice cold.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This Oktoberfest by Beck's is quite a tasty devil. The only thing missing is a bit more punch on the ABV.  Most Marzens are in the 6% range but this one weighs in a a scant 5%.  No matter.  It is such a delicious and easy to drink Oktoberfest style beer, that the lighter alcohol content will keep you going.

I happened across this beer while in a remote part of central Florida this weekend.  A favorite haunt of mine, it's a small German bakery and deli on a country road in a town named Yalaha.  I ordered my sandwich and was blown away when I saw the German beer selection.  Having just missed their Oktoberfest-tivities, the fridge was well stocked with Marzen beers. Need I say more?  It went well with the German ham and Swiss cheese sandwich, oh yeah, and the German potato salad. Mmmmm.  Good eating and drinking for the Reaper! Muahaahaahaaaa!

Harpoon Octoberfest

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Harpoon Octoberfest
Harpoon Brewery

306 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA USA
Est. 1986
www.harpoonbrewery.com
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Reddish to copper color tone. 
Faint malt nose with trace hop aromas.
Off white, fluffy two fingered head that dissipates very slowly.

Head lacing drapes down entire glass.
Moderate carbonation.
Light to medium bodied; easy drinker. Super easy to session. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A fine example of the Marzen/Octoberfest style.  Once again, the folks at Harpoon have given us a straightforward and non-interpretative brew that nicely matches the style.  Leading malts, though faint, are finished nicely with a dash of bittering hops.  It balances nicely between the sweetness you desire and hops finish to bring you back for more. While most Octoberfest beers are at the 6% or slightly higher ABV mark, this one is easily sessionable at a mere 5.5% ABV.

As the beer warmed, more of the characteristics of the malt made their presence known.  Let this one warm on you.

Left Hand - Oktoberfest

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Left Hand Oktoberfest
Left Hand Brewing Company
1265 Boston Avenue
Longmont, CO USA
Est. 1994
www.lefthandbrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber and translucent.
Malty sweet smells. Minimal hops aromas. Notes of caramel.
Tan colored, two finger head that lasts to the bottom of the glass.
Rings of lacing down the side of the glass.
Rich roasted malt and chocolate tastes, moderate carbonation.
Medium to full bodied mouth feel; pleasantly warming aftertaste. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Left Hand makes some darn fine brews. This one is no exception.  There is however a malty sweetness to it that I don't expect of an Oktoberfest style. Let's just call it a modification. This does enhance the flavor and makes for a great brew, but as for a traditional Oktoberfest style, I found it probably wouldn't make a session beer for my tastes.  The sweetness is fine, but keeps coming. Maybe a bit more finishing hops would change my mind.

All in all, I really liked the beer and would recommend you try it to see what Marzens can be, given variation and interpretation by each brew house.

Hofbrau Oktoberfest

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Hofbrau Oktoberfest
Hofbrau Brewery (Staatliches Hofbräuhaus)
Platzl 9
80331 Munchen (Munich), Germany
Est. 1589
www.hofbraeu-muenchen.de
and 
www.hofbraeuhaus.de/en

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden yellow color that's clear but translucent.
Malt and hops zip in the nose with malts leading.
White, one-fingered head that leaves spotty lacing.
Moderate carbonation.
Light bodied. Very easy to drink.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
The Oktoberfest originated in 1810 in Munich Germany as a wedding celebration for the crown prince Ludwig of Bavaria.  This product was created especially for this event and is brewed usually for the Oktoberfest, now the largest beer festival in the world. Hofbrau Munchen is one of a selected group of breweries granted the privelidge of supplying the Oktoberfest with their products.  Using the highest quality ingredients HB's Oktoberfest specialty has its own distinctive and unmistakable taste. 

...so says the back label of this delicious Oktoberfest. It is a fine example of the style.  Soft maltiness greets you upon the first sniff and at the tip of your tongue.  A light bodied, easy drinking sip will slide down the back of your throat and reveal just a touch of hops on the finish, smoothing out any over sweetness from the malt. It makes the beer easy to drink, but hides a slightly elevated ABV at 6.3%.  If you think about Oktoberfest, in Germany, what you are looking for is something light, tasty and also gets you, umm shall we say, in the fest mood.

Some might be inclined to say that it is just average for an Oktoberfest, but remember who the maker is - - Hofbrau. They have been at this for quite a long time.  The style has varied greatly by other brewers. This will bring you back to center, so you judge how others have tinkered in the style.  Put this beer on your 'must try' list for Oktoberfests to serve as an example of what the style is supposed to be like.

Note of caution: This is best served fresh, lest the green glass bottle 'skunk' the beer.  Happily, that was not the case with this batch.

Saranac Octoberfest

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Saranac Octoberfest
F.X. Matt Brewing Company
811 Edward St, Brewhouse Square
Utica, NY USA
Est. 1888
www.saranac.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper amber color.
Malt and dry spice on nose with hint of hops.
Off white, almost tan, two finger head with irregular bubbles.
Malt and hops are balanced but not too pronounced.
Average carbonation.
Light to medium body. Gets better as it warms.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Today marked the beginning of the Autumnal Equinox. The official beginning of fall. Football, raking leaves, pumpkin and spice in the air - - - and all that...

Yesterday marked the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest.  177 have been held in that 200 year span in Germany, the country of origin. Well, I say, " HIP HIP HOORAY! BRING ON OCTOBERFEST!"

Marzens are my favorite style because they are flavorful, easy to drink, light in ABV and they throw the biggest effin' party for beer around the world, just to celebrate this style.  They go well with footbal in the backyard, lawn chores or that get-it-in while you can last days at the beach.  When done right, they are enjoyable with great food of any style or straight out of the carton on their own.

Saranac makes one that is pretty close to the high water mark, even for an American made Octoberfest. Saranac's Octoberfest is made with a generations old recipe right from the motherland, so it should be good. And it is.  So good, in fact, they truly have "Limited Release" on the label.  That's important as some brewers make this style all year long. In days of yore, these beers were crafted in March (Marzen) and lagered all summer awaiting the fall celebration.

So remember, there may only be 92 days until Christmas, but it's the most wonderful time for a beer!

Abita - Amber Beer

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Abita Amber Beer
Abita Brewing Company, LLC
Abita Springs, LA USA
Est. 1986
www.abita.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber color.
Soft caramel malted barley, easy floral notes of hops.
Two and a half finger head, caramel in color.
A good amount of small ring lacing clings to the glass.
Medium bodied, silky smooth.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Abita states this amber is a Munich style lager. Ah-ha! That squarley places it in the Märzen-Oktoberfest classification.  Pale and Crystal malts, soft understated yet surprising hops.  Clean and refreshingly easy to drink. It's a sleeper of a beer.

Abita produces this beer in small, cold filtered batches.  Cold filtered that is, with the Abita Springs artesian water.  Care and quality are among the important details that go into this beer and it surely shows.  No additives, nothing un-natural.

Truly worth picking up a sixer, maybe more. So, what are you waiting for?

Gordon Biersch Fest Bier

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Gordon Biersch Fest Bier

Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
357 E. Taylor Street
San Jose, CA USA
Est. 1988
www.gordonbiersch.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.6 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Orange tinged and dark amber color.
Malty sweet with whiffs of hops.
Caramel tan head that has some staying power.

Minimal lacing on glass.
Malty and sweet candy-like taste with just a bit of hops finish.
Light to medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

How can this be anything but good? It even has 'Bier' in the name.

Mmmm, dark malty goodness. Just the right splash of hops on your tongue to remind you what a Marzen is all about. These guys have a Marzen in their arsenal already, so what's the difference between that and this FestBier? The traditional Marzen it appears is brewed year round while this is a seasonal, more contemporary brew. The Marzen is also noted elsewhere to be paler, but I will let you know when I find one!

Bell's Octoberfest Beer

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Bell's Octoberfest Beer

Bell's Brewery Inc.
8938 Krum Ave.
Galesburg & Comstock MI USA
Est. 1985
www.bellsbeer.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Orange/amber color.
Some maltiness and sweetness, but seemingly void of hops.
Caramel tan head that dissipates slowly.

Minimal lacing on glass.
Malty, sweet molasses taste with slight hops finish.
Light to medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A close up of an autumn maple leaf turned orange graces the front label. A plain, yet distinctive harbinger of the fall season. The brew inside also helps remind you that harvest time is one of the best times to enjoy beer.

Bell's Octoberfest states on their website, two important facts that might have had an effect on my experience with this brew. The first is that they do not distribute to FL, but a local 'spirits' shop had an ample supply of their harvest liquid. The second is that the beer should be refrigerated at all times to retain its optimal taste and experience. Well...this was a one-off from the do-it-yourself six pack aisle shelves, so that wasn't happening.

Anyway, the beer survived in spite of these obstacles and I'm pleased to report it's fine in keeping with the tradition of Marzen style beers. So, my friends, ask not for whom the Bell's pours; it pours for you!

Flying Dog - Dogtoberfest Märzen

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Dogtoberfest Märzen - Seasonal
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, MD USA
Est. 1983
www.flyingdogales.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich, amber orange color.
Roasted malt and hops smell, some fruity sweetness detected.
Caramel malt taste with tangy hops finish.
Off white, one finger head with good lacing.
Medium bodied flavor and light and refreshing mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
My favorite time of year is right now. "Harvest time" for the Reaper and the goodness of Märzen/Oktoberfest brews. It's easily my favorite style of beer, and I make no bones about it! These are perfectly placed between hoppy IPA's and your standard ale. But so much more flavor with sweet caramel maltiness and hops in balance.

The brew masters at Flying Dog have crafted up a beauty here; a bit more hoppy (30 IBU's) than I am used to in a Märzen , but who's complaining? They have achieved a wonderful balance in this ale. Good dog!

The beauty of Märzen ales is they are as flavorful as any IPA, but make such a great session beer cause they are easy to drink. Especially now in September for the Fall festivals. So since it 'tis the season, stay tuned. There are more Märzen Octoberfest's in the lager dungeon to haul out for inspection in upcoming posts.

Stone Cold Fact: Märzen means 'the month of March' which is the time of year they are brewed. Lesser known, but equally important is they are cellared through the summer months then traditionally brought out in September, (not October), to celebrate the year's harvest. Of course, there is always enough made to keep drinking right through October, if you like. Me like!

Hacker Pschorr Original Oktoberfest-Märzen

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Hacker Pschorr Original Oktoberfest-Märzen
Hacker Pschorr Bräu
München, Germany
Est. 1417
www.hacker-pschorr.de

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Medium to dark amber brown color.
Light malted barley flavor and smell.
Nicely foaming head with very good lacing.
A bit of hops on the nose with an excellent finish.
Medium bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
S U P E R B ! Enjoy it soon, because I may personally buy the whole lot of it. No worries if you can't read the German writings on the website. Just open another Oktoberfest-Märzen and repeat as necessary until you can!

I have made no 'bones' about it that Oktoberfest-Märzen styles are my absolute favorite of beer. This one hits the bulls-eye 'dead' on. Nothing more to say, I won't even make fun of the name. Just go and get some before I get it all!

Michelob Marzen

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Michelob Marzen
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
St. Louis, Missouri USA
Est. 1852
www.michelob.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.1 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber, copper in color.
Hops and malt in fine balance.
Good foaming head with abundant lacing.
Medium bodied.
Delicious. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I will make no bones about it, this is one of my all time favorites. I found AB's Marzen a few years back. It was made in small batches and usually placed in the Michelob Winter Collection of beers. It became an instant hit and I have used it as a high water mark of a good Oktoberfest style beer. Nothing left to say but there's still 3 more left in the fridge...hooray!

Samuel Adams - Octoberfest

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Samuel Adams - Octoberfest
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Ruddy amber, almost orange hue.
Pleasant aroma of roasted malts & hops.
Adequate, long lasting head with good lacing.
Medium bodied. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Mmmmm, I thought as I passed the grocer's shelves looking for something different! There it was...the beer that had finally won me over with their "Brewmaster's Collection" that you've seen in my previous posts. I am a fan of 'Marzen' style Oktoberfest beers, so off to the lab to experiment.

At first blush the looks of the color and head were good indications there was another winner in the Sam Adams bunch. Upon tasting, however, I was less than thrilled. Oh, don't get me wrong. It's a fine lager worthy of purchase, but it's either my level of expectation of a Marzen style beer (oh, my favorite) and a bit of how the other Sam beers & ales had recently won me over. I give it a solid "B"...Jim, keep up the good work.

Warka

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Warka High Quality Beer
Mazowia, Poland
Est. 1478
www.fourcorners.ie

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.0% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber hue.
Hoppy head without bitterness.
Easy drinker, not overly filling.
Minimal lacing of head. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A real 'dead soldier', named Kazimierz Pułaski, adorns the label of this beer. He was member of the Polish nobility, and a military commander who and fought against Russian domination of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. When this uprising failed, he emigrated to North America, where he became a General in the Continental Army American Revolutionary War. He died of wounds suffered in the Battle of Savannah and has been called "the father of American cavalry".

Okay, enough with the history lesson. It was unassuming looking enough, almost like a Bass Ale. And it sounds like something Fozzie Bear from the Muppets would say, but the 7.0% alcohol content rocks it like a cavalry cannon ball! The Reaper likes the fact that it's a true 'war hero' beer, so let's salute this dead soldier in style...Nostrovia!

Spaten Oktoberfest

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Spaten Oktoberfest ur Märzen
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Munich, Germany
Est. 1397
www.spatenusa.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.9 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich amber hue.
Wonderful roasted malt smell & taste with only slight hop bitterness.
Perfect balance of hops to malt combination.
Some lacing of head.
Head lasts to bottom of glass.
Velvety smooth drinkability.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I give this "two thumbs up" just for having a brewer's malt spade (spaten) head for a logo. That is to say, "I dig this beer!" But there's more to it than fodder for a great pun in this blog. There's a GS straddling the spade...it must stand for guten schtuff !

Upon closer inspection I noticed that this is created in the Märzen style. These bottom fermented lager beers were made in March (Märzen) to keep until the fall (Oktoberfest). Märzen beers are some of the tastiest in the world. If you can't get a hold of Spaten, try a Michelob Märzen sometime. It's one of Anheuser-Busch's best kept secrets. Spaten is the real deal right from the old country! A great lager beer.