Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest, SNBC, Chico, CA. In all my years of drinking their beers, I am certain that I've never had this, and in fact, didn't think it existed. Thanks to a fall sampler pack, i get to try it at last. Let's stop mourning summer, and embrace the gifts of fall.
12 fl. oz. lager. Alc 6.2 % by vol.
Lightly hazes, copper-y brown color, slight beige head, leaving some lace.
Aroma: cereal, grains, rich, dark maltiness, a touch of brown sugar and caramel.
Taste: mild hop presence, classic marzen malt flavors. A modicum of malt sweetness, but expertly balanced. Just rich enough, with that brown sugar and molasses touch coming back with every new sip, staying clean and lean. Wonderfully crafted for the season.
I've said before that I am at a loss at times when describing Oktoberfests. They are what they are, and they don't have a lot of variations in the style. A good one has what it has to have, a bad one simply doesn't. This one, like all good ones, goes all the way, gives you just enough flavor to please you all the way through the pint, and not too much to keep you from getting another.
Here's what the label tells us: "Our take on the classic festival beer has a silky malt flavor with an initial sweetness that sets up the interplay of mild toffee-like notes and floral hops." Also, this: "Everyone loves a great party, and there are few quite as famous as Germany's Oktoberfest. Inspired by that rollicking celebration, we bring you our variation on that classic festival beer. Oktoberfest is medium-bodied and rich with malt flavor, but maintains a crisp finish marked by floral hops."
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