Magic Hat Brewing - Hex Ourtoberfest

Tonight I've picked out a brew from Magic Hat Brewing called the Hex Ourtoberfest.  Magic Hat is located in South Burlington, Vermont, and these brewers are oddball guys that brew plenty of oddball beers.  Steve and I have only reviewed one beer from them thus far, the Blind Faith IPA from their IPA on Tour series, which turned out to be fairly average in the world of IPAs.  This Hex Ourtoberfest is a unique approach to the Oktoberfest genre, using some interesting ingredients like cherry-wood smoked malts and malted rye.  Definitely not going to be a traditional Oktoberfest! 

The beer registers a moderate 5.4% alcohol.  The label depicts a table full of demon-like men drinking pints of beer in a halloween-style bier garden - creepy and typical label from Magic Hat.  The beer is a dark, dirty-penny copper color with a light layer of lace that recedes right away.  The aroma is light and faint, with subtle notes of caramel and herbal tea, along with a spicy note and a lingering metallic smell.  You know how your hand smells after you hold a handful of pennies?  That's what I keep smelling here in the background. 

The beer starts off with a big wave of caramel malts that are simultaneously infused with spicy rye.  Behind that comes a layer of hop bitterness that carries more spices with it, along with an earthy herbal flavor.  More drinks reveal more herbs and grasses in the hop profile.  The finish leaves a sweet biscuity malt flavor that lingers for a bit.  The carbonation was on the heavier side, with a creamy texture. 

Overall Rating:  This was an odd brew from Magic Hat, I'm not really sure what to think!  It's certainly not a bad beer.  The malt backbone is pleasant, and the rye adds a nice component to brew.  There was something that seemed a little off....I can't quite pinpoint it, but it's an odd metallic-like flavor that throws things off I think.  If you're looking for an outside-the-box Oktoberfest brew, than this is a good one to try.  B-

Bell's Brewery - Octoberfest

First off, I'd like to talk about something that's been bugging me tonight.  Is anyone else annoyed with the marketing strategy for Coors Light beer?  They market their beer as tasting "super-cold", with these annoying commercials with ice-trains crashing through buildings, and this blue bar on their bottles showing how super-cold the beer is.  How can anything taste super-cold?  The colder the beer, the less you actually taste it, everyone knows it's a farce designed to mask the awful taste of the beer.  And of course it's refreshing, if you serve it at 33 degrees.  Anything that cold could be considered refreshing.  Coors, I'm sick of hearing about how cold your beer is......it tastes like shit, regardless of its temperature.

Tonight I'll be drinking an Oktoberfest bier from Bell's Brewery in Comstock, Michigan.  This is their late-summer seasonal, and registers 5.5% alcohol.  The beer is a slightly hazy, dark golden amber color with a big layer of white head.  The aroma is hugely malty - sweet buttery biscuits, caramel/toffee and a spicy hint in the background.  The taste starts off with lightly toasted bread.  Grainy, sweet maltiness that screams Vienna-malts.  Herby and earthy, but with the slightest bit of tart apples coming through towards the end.  Through the finish there is a bit of noble hop bitterness and spice to dry things up. 

Overall Rating:  Another great Oktoberfest!  Simple, smooth, with loads of malts and a nice light hoppiness to balance things out.  Put this on your list for this fall - definitely worth a try!  B+

Avery - The Kaiser

Happy Monday Beer Enthusiasts!

This morning, Duns and I had a scientific conversation about hoppy beers.  It started by me sending him a brief email saying I had an extreme and immediate urge to consume something hoppy.  He replied explaining to me that he always has this urge.  For some reason, this didn't surprise me.  However, he went onto explain to me why this urge was ever present with him.  He believes that hops release the same endorphins that spicy foods release causing your body to experience a "food high".  Since Duns doesn't like spicy foods, his endorphin rush is always satiated by hoppy, lupulin-packed beers.  Scientifically speaking, I don't think you can obtain more conclusive evidence than this.  In fact, I believe this to be the reason why breweries tell us to pair spicy foods with hoppy beers.  It's like a double whammy of endorphins to your brain!!!  Best marketing ploy ever.

Tonight's brew is from Avery Brewing.  Duns went on a brewery tour of Avery back in April and was very impressed with what he saw.  Avery is one of those breweries that seems to have every type of beer you can think of.  Just between Duns and I, we have reviewed 11 of their beers!  Check out the Review Archive for a full list of reviews including one of our personal favorites, Maharaja.

Avery's Kaiser is an Imperial Oktoberfest.  As you have seen in the past week, both of us are big fans of the Oktoberfest style.  My favorite so far has been Hacker-Pschorr's Oktoberfest.  I like the classic examples of the style.  If they are too big, smokey or hoppy I generally am not a fan.  So I'm going out of my comfort zone getting an imperial version of my favorite Autumn-time marzen.

The Kaiser has little to no head.  Nice, deep amber and brilliantly clear.  Very malty aroma with a mild hop presence that seems subdued.  Other than the darker than normal color, I wouldn't be able to tell that this is an imperial example of an Oktoberfest.  The taste... well, thats where this brew shows its true colors.  A nice body, bold, but hot on the way down.  This could use some age to lose the heat.  Plenty of bready and caramel flavors persist throughout with a mild hop bitterness and plenty of alcohol warmth.

Overall - I really wanted to like this beer.  But the heat from the alcohol just brought me out of it.  All the flavors were there to make this a great beer.  In fact, I think it is a great beer, but just not right off the production line.  If I let this bottle age for a few months I'm sure it would live up to my expectations.  Grab a bottle and cellar it until Christmas or Thanksgiving.  You will be happy that you did!

Paulaner - Oktoberfest Wiesn

Wow, I'm beat.  This morning I ran a 5k race for the first time ever and holy crap was it harder than I expected.  I started out running with one of my buddies, trying to keep pace.  After about a mile I threw in the white towel and said "Yup, can't go as fast as you".  I finished, while only taking a brief break for about 10 seconds to ensure two things: One, not vomit everywhere (note to self - don't eat Cheerios before a 5k), and Two, ensure that I could continue to breathe.  I finished my first 5k in about 28 minutes which I thought was pretty darn good.  Of course, after any significant personal accomplishment one achieves, I celebrated with beer!!!

The men on the front of this can are a
 future representation of me in 20 years.
 Clothing included.

Paulaner releases an Oktoberfest-themed mug + beer package this year.  They provided us with a 1 liter Oktoberfest-style mug and a 1 liter can of Oktoberfest Wiesn.  Paulaner's Oktoberfest Wiesn, while not an original Oktoberfest Marzen, has been produced for a number of years.  In fact, it's been around since the start of the Oktoberfest festival in 1810!  The whole reason us Americans are able to enjoy this specialty beer is because Paulaner was kind enough to release it to the States for its 200th anniversary.

This mug is absolutely huge.  When compared next to a 12 can the Paulaner brew looks like an offensive lineman next to a high school freshman high jumper.  While I don't wish all beers came in this size of a can, there are certainly many delicious brews I can think of that I would love to have the opportunity to buy a six pack of liter cans.

Monks Blood is a 12 ounce can.  Need I say more?

The color is brilliantly clear and colored of straw.  Aromas are pleasantly floral with a bit of a malty backbone.  Very nice.  The taste is amazingly clean with hints of hop bitterness and malty sweetness throughout.  Every flavor is balanced and easy to pick out.  A nice body with mild carbonation brings this simple, yet flavorful beauty home.  Absolutely delicious.  I'd drink this every day.

Its... glorious!!!

Overall - I think its clear that I am infatuated with this beer.  I wish I had this on tap all the time.  Its hoppy, but not overly hoppy.  Its malty, but not extremely sweet.  The entire product is clean and extremely enjoyable. If you are not an owner of a 1 liter Oktoberfest-style mug then this is where you should get it.  The mug is awesome, but the beer is even better.  Grab this limited release package while you still can!


Update! - Apparently my wife thinks I look like this picture...

Just because I have a big nose doesn't mean you need to hate! :-D

Great Lakes Brewing - Oktoberfest

Tonight, we have some important college football airing on national television - Iowa State vs. Connecticut.  I expect everyone to watch the game, and of course, root for Iowa State.  So in the interest of good football, I'm going to keep tonight's review short and sweet.  I'll be drinking an Oktoberfest from Great Lakes Brewing in Cleveland, OH.  It's that time of year, and Oktoberfest's are popping up all over the place, so you can expect us to write about quite a few of them over the next month or so.  We may even have a little Oktoberfest competition, along with a poll, to determine the best Oktoberfest brew of the year....so stay tuned.

This beer is going into my 1-Liter stein (Maakrug in German).  I know, one little 12oz beer looks ridiculous in that beastly mug.  But when I do Oktoberfest, I do it right!  And I'm always looking for excuses to bring this thing out of the cupboard.  The beer is a clear, brilliant copper color, showcasing a nice off-white foam that doesn't recede.  Nose is full of bready malts, complimented by a faint lemony spiciness.  The flavor takes those aromas and manifests them almost exactly, even magnifies them a little bit.  Creamy texture carries the initial flavor of baked breads, some farmhouse grass, and some buttery sweetness.  In the background is a hint of spice, and a little surprisingly there is a hint of alcohol in there. 

Overall Rating:  This Oktoberfest is the real deal.  Great brew, good example of the style, although it does have a little spicy kick to it.  Add this to your Oktoberfest list this year!  B+

Summit - Oktoberfest

Woohoo!!!  The Oktoberfests are here!  The Oktoberfests are here!!!  Wait... whats that you say?  Its the 1st of August and breweries are already starting to produce this marzen style treat?  Your damn right they are!  Well, not every brewery is starting to release them.  But Summit is!!!  In fact, due to a shortage of their Summer sampler pack Summit Brewing made the decision to release their Autumn sampler early.  And for people like me this was like seeing the bright white light behind the 12 pack in the beer store fridge.  It was simply glorious.

If you cant tell already I have a bit of a thing for the beers that are generally released in the Autumn months.  There is nothing better than a chilly afternoon with a delicious Oktoberfest style beer in your hand.  Aside from warming up on the couch in front of a fire with a nice, bold stout I can think of no better place I'd like to be than outside on a cool Autumn day with a cooler full of Oktoberfests by my side.

On Saturday I posted my review on Summit's Unchained #07 series Honeymoon Saison.  Since I have a delicious Autumn sampler sitting in my fridge I am going to declare this week Summit Brewing Week!  Its almost as awesome as Shark Week but instead of deadly flesh hungry fish you get delicious craft beer!  Its also Summits 25th anniversary this year which gives us all the more reason to give this Minnesota based brewery a week of its own.

Oh baby!

I don't think Dunz has any Summit beer in his fridge at this time so Summit Brewing Week will be contained to my posts only.  That is unless Dunz can run out to the store and find a few Summit brews we haven't reviewed yet!   I hear they have a killer 25th Anniversary IPA that was just released...

Summits Oktoberfest boasts a rich, caramel hue and fluffy off-white foam.  The head quick recedes only to leave a thin lacing in its place.  The aroma is rich, bready malt with touches of caramel and toast.  Maybe some faint earthy hops are mixed in there but its tough to tell.  Creamy, biscuity, malty, bready all come together to form a delicious flavor profile.  The carbonation is moderate to low and levels out with some time. Right away its a bit sharp.  But after a few sips you start to get a nice, smooth malty brew.

Overall - I don't know if its the anticipation of my first marzen brew of the season getting to me here but this Oktoberfest was simply fantastic.  Flavorful aroma and taste throughout.  The finish was clean and ensured that I would be back for another sip in short order.  I'm sad there are only three in my sampler.  I guess that just means Ill need to pick up another!

German Beer Tasting at the History Theater

Today certainly is a winter weather day. We are expected to get around 12-16 inches of snow with 2-5 foot snow drifts! Shoveling my way out of the front door is not going to be a good time. Although, a fire and a few beers will definitely be in order which I cant complain about. Good thing this is all hitting today since last night was The Christmas Schooner play and our German beer tasting. The play was great. Lots of excellent singers and very impressive young actors. The family in the play is of German decent which made for some pretty funny, dry humor. If you are in the area and haven't seen or heard about it you can find more information about it here. Go check it out! One of my wifes students is actually the lead kid in the play!

But, you aren't reading this blog to hear about a musical... you want to know about the beer! Or at least that is our assumption... Prior to the play Dunz and I had the opportunity to taste six beers of German origin. While we wont write a full review on each beer we were able to take some solid notes about each one while tasting it. My wife also took notes that we will include since I am almost positive she has at least three times as many taste buds as I do. That woman can taste damn near anything thats included in a beer.

Our first beer was a Pilsner brewed by Warsteiner called Premium Verum. It was very clear, clean, crisp and refreshing. Something that I would love to drink on a warm summer day. The noble hops were present but not a bold characteristic in this brew. The pils malt and lager yeast made for a very smooth and clean finish. Our first taste of Warsteiner's Pilsner seemed slightly tart but quickly went away after the malt and nobel hops hit your pallet. I could drink a number of these beers. Nice, mild, very quaffable. Overall - 5/6.

Next up, one of the few breweries in Germany who's flagship beer is a dark beer! Kostriker's Schwarzbier is a deep, opaque ruby red when held up to the light. The nose has a mild roast and a slight coffee and chocolate smell to it along with some fruit up front. The flavor was a little thin, even for a lager. The flavor profile is mild. Im now starting to think all of our American craft beers have blown up their flavor profiles so much that European brews seem dainty in comparison. However, this beer is still clean and easily drinkable. A good option for an everyday beer when you are in the mood for something with darker beer characteristics. Overall - 4/6.

Following our Schwarzbier comes an Oktoberfest from the Monks! Marzen Fest brewed by Weissenohe has been in one form of existence or another since 1050! Talk about a historic beer. This orange/amber beer seems slighly cloudy which leads me to believe its not filtered. Plenty of malt in the nose with some caramel and hop aroma coming in at the end. The flavor is nice, not bitter at all. Malt is what makes this brew. Very smooth, low carbonation allows you to drink a lot of this beer without feeling full. Thats what an Oktoberfest brew is supposed to do, right?! One more taste brings some bready characteristics to this 5% abv fest bier. Overall - 5/6.

Our fourth beer in this seemingly fantastic German lineup is Hacker-Pschorr's Munich Gold. A Helles style beer (apparently made to compete with the already dominant Pilsner style in Germany). Pours golden with a very slight haze to it. A sweeter aroma is present in this brew along with a bit more body than the pils we tasted earlier and slightly more bitter. Seems to be a beer for people who want more malt characteristic and want to avoid the sometimes "skunky" flavor you get from Pilsner malt. (Want to know why some pilsners smell that way? Find more information here. Warning, geeky beer stuff following that link!). Good beer, better suited for your fall or spring climates as far as I'm concerned. Still a well brewed beer. Overall 4.5/6.

Second to last we have an Eisbock brewed by Kulmbacher. An Eisbock, style wise, is left to sit at sub 32 degree temperatures after fermentation is finished. This forms water crystals in the beer which are then scooped out and set aside leaving a more potent brew for consumption. Our example was a potent 9.2% abv but you wouldnt know it without reading the label. The aroma was a complex raisin, fig, caramel mix that melded together very nicely. The first step emphasized those aromas on your tastebuds and gave an extra sweet and alcoholic warmth to the finish. This deep mahogany colored brew is very nicely done. My favorite for the session. We were able to purchase any of the beers we drank during this session half off during intermission of the play and we both chose this Eisbock to drink. Overall - 5/6.

Finally, we finish with Paulaner's Hefe-Weizen. A nice, cloudy orange which is to be expected with unfiltered wheat beers. A fruity, citrusy aroma is prominent upon first whiff. The taste easily backs this up. A well composed beer that will have Blue Moon fans immediately won over. A quality beer for anyone looking to diversify from American attempts at the style. Also, my wifes favorite of the night. Overall - 5/6

The History Theater is having another beer tasting similar to this one on March 25th, 2011 where they will taste beers of the Twin Cities. Expect local brews from the smaller guys in the area. Sorry Summit, I think you have reached "big craft brewery" status around the area since you were not mentioned in the line up.

Thanks for reading our German beer tasting experience. Let us know what you think in the comments and feel free to pass our blog along to others! More followers means more comments which also means better reviews because you are telling us what you want!

Prosit!