Round Four: An Oktoberfest Outside of Oktoberfest, Because We Don't Play By NO Rules.

I'm have to express how happy I am to be doing another review on a seasonal beer.

You may remember my previous post about the Pumking Ale, and how I enjoyed that.
But, I have to be honest: Pumpkin flavor gets old fast.

Instead I wanted to investigate a fall beer without the gimmicks. A brew that has been crafted for centuries, but has only served to have gotten better.

Today I bring to you a review on Hacker-Pschorr's Original Oktoberfest
also known as the amber Marzen.

Look at that bottle... So simple, so elegant.

A quick background: When refrigeration wasn't a thing, beer couldn't be brewed in the Summer. Instead beers would be brewed in the Spring, and kept in remote and cold locations until the Fall. Many of these beers were brewed in March -hence the name Marzen- and when brewing could be continued again there were huge celebrations, or Oktoberfests.

In America we often see these celebrations as big German festivities with plenty of beer and German food. A general good time for all. And, let me tell you... the beer is fantastic.

The Hacker-Pschorr sports that it has been brewing since 1417, and was bottled in Munich, Germany.
It sticks very closely with older German recipes, and is brewed according to German Purity Laws of 1516

On to the Review!

The Oktoberfest pours a nice clear and bright amber. The head stays on the beer for a while forming up perfectly after about 15 seconds of waiting. I poured mine into a Stein/Mug, which is recommended for this kind of beer. You can also serve them in your standard pint glass. No big thing.

This is my Nautical Mug- shout out to moms who give great gifts!

The smell was dominated by this toasty malt, and reminded me a bit of biscuits. Very, very appetizing. 

The initial taste I can only explain as a powerful carbonation -it isn't carbonated mind you- but had the bite of a carbonated drink. The toasted malts came through very clearly, and after I said the word biscuits I was hooked on the idea. The beer subsided into a nice crisp finish, with hints of caramel.

The beer is filling, and leaves notes of malt and caramel swirling around your tongue. There was no hop bite, at all. 

I am very pleased with this Oktoberfest. I enjoyed it, and will be having more soon. I would say that the beer is heavy, and would not pair well with others. It's the kind of beer you stick to for the night.

I picked mine up at a Total Wine, and it was not overly expensive. The beer is available all year, here in America, so you can go out and get it right now. 

Please let me know what you think!