Big Axe Salivator Doppelbock

 Big Axe Salivator Doppelbock. 7.9 %, 24 IBU, Big Axe Brewing, Nisswa, Minnesota. 

Clear, caramel-toned, nice slice of tan head atop.

In the nose: sweet and malty. Toffee and caramel. Delightful.

In the mouth: rich and delicious. Warm, full-bodied, more flavors of toffee, caramel, nougat. Liquid candy bar. I am enjoying this treat and will probably go back for more. Yu-um. 

Traditional German style winter lager with rich flavor.  This brew is defined by intense malt & bread notes, along with mild hints of caramel, chocolate and a slightly sweet finish.

Headflyer Pröst Malone Festbier

 Headflyer Pröst Malone Festbier.

5.8 %, 20 IBU, Headflyer Brewing, Minneapolis, MN. 

Did you know that there are at least 24 other beers with this name? You can’t keep a good pun down, it seems. 

Clear, bright golden hue, voluminous ivory head.

In the nose: sweet and malty, classically hopped. Bready, earthy, inviting. 

In the mouth: sweetness slaps the palate from the start, but kept from cloying with just-so balance. Delicious. Medium bodied, easy drinkability. 

I may be turning into a fan of festbiers, you never know. 

Grab a stain and say congratulations- smooth malt vibes and toasty notes that hit better now than ever. Pröst Malone is here for good times, cold pours, and no more thirstin’.

Modist The Time Is Nigh Festbier

 Modist The Time Is Nigh Festbier. 

5.2 % ABV, Modist Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

It’s time for my first Oktoberfest of the year. I’ve had this one in years past, but not one to drink at home and review. 

Clear, bright golden hue, full, lace-leaving ivory cap.

In the nose: fragrant and floral, absolute delight.

In the mouth: smooth and slightly sweet, delicious and malty. I don’t detect much from the oak-aging, but Modist seems to oak-age all of their lagers. This one is clean, crisp, and ultra downable. Quite tasty, too. 

Festbier brewed with German Barke Pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts. Kettle hopped with Bravo and Hallertau Mittelfruh. Then lagered and aged in our Oak Foeder for 4 weeks.

Steel Toe Worn Sole Imperial Alt

 Steel Toe Worn Sole Imperial Alt.

8.5 % ABV, Steel Toe Brewing, St. Louis Park, MN. 

Dark brown color, slim tan head, nearly opaque.

In the nose: cocoa, coffee, caramel. Slightly sweet.

In the mouth: more of the same on the palate, rich and robust. Practically delicious. Full bodied. This brings to mind the king of this style, the Urrige Doppelsticke. That’s a compliment. 

It’s been gone for a bit, and I deeply regret not buying more than one six pack. So very tasty. 

Aromas of dark caramel, toffee, raisin, and slight spice. 

Schell’s Northland Gold

 Schell’s Northland Gold. 

4.9 % ABV, Schell’s Brewing, Nee Ulm, MN.

Clear, bright golden hue, large white head. 

In the nose: fresh, clean, slightly malty, thoroughly noble.

In the mouth: crisp, light-Schell’s Northland Gold bodied, easy drinking. Classic Helles lager. Minor hopping. Exceptionally refreshing. I don’t mind this one at all. 

Introducing Schell's Northland Gold, a delightful Session Lager crafted to perfection for moments of easy enjoyment. This radiant beer pours a deep golden hue, capturing the essence of the Northland's rich landscapes.

Arbeiter Oktoberfest

 Arbeiter Oktoberfest.

5.6% ABV, 24 IBU, Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Clear, copper colored, fine white head..

In the nose: clean, malty, semi-sweet.

In the mouth: unmistakable Märzen flavors right off the bat, crisp, clean, easy going, malty, quite tasty. Medium bodied and a good drinker. Goes down oh, so nice. 

This moderately strong, rich, and malty yet highly drinkable lager style was traditionally brewed in Bavaria in the month March (März or Märzen in German) and allowed to rest, or lager, in cool caves all summer long to be enjoyed in the fall. Before modern brewing equipment, much less refrigeration, the summer months were simply too warm to properly brew lager biers, so they had to brew a lot of beer through the winter and spring to get them through to the fall when temperatures cooled to allow brewing to commence again. Since they already had this Märzenbier on hand in the fall, they began serving it at very early occurrences of the annual celebration of the royal wedding that eventually became the Oktoberfest many of us are familiar with.

Rush River Oktoberfest Beer

 Rush River Oktoberfest Beer. 

6% ABV, Rush River Brewing, River Falls, WI.

Clear, bright golden hue, slim white head. 

In the nose: delicately sweet and malty, moderately hopped. Very noble.

In the mouth: smooth and supple, light bodied, easy drinking. Maltier and stronger than your average German lager. This tastes like a fairly accurate rendition of festbier, or Weisn, Oktoberfestbier, but I still like Märzens better. Give me that caramel-y goodness! 

Little Thistle Grabürschnitzel Oktoberfest

Little Thistle Grabürschnitzel Oktoberfest. Märzen-style. 

5.3% ABV, Little Thistle Brewing, Rochester, MN.

I had this beer for the first time about five weeks ago at the brewery. Took a pic of my pint and it for my Untappd check-in. The next day, we closed our night at the brewery again, and I bought two cans, and drank one in the hotel room. Took a pic, etc, etc. The other day, I sat down to write these note with the second can, poured it into an appropriate glass, and forgot to take the pic. That’s why I’m using the hotel pic, in the plastic cup. Oops, sorry. I’ll do better next time. 

Clear, copper color, prodigious creamy foam above.

In the nose: malty, bready, caramel, light spice, moderately hopped.

In the mouth: sweet, but balanced. High ease of drinking. Toasty, caramel-y, classic Märzen flavors. Medium bodied. An utter delight. 

Where’d I put my pretzels? 

Oktoberfest Lager with notes of caramel and toffee.

Fat Orange Cat Bavarian Kittens

 Fat Orange Cat Bavarian Kittens  Festbier.  

5.3 % ABV, Fat Orange Cat Brew Co., North Haven, CT.

Despite saying Festbier on the front, the side of the label states “Märzen style lager.” One more example of an Oktoberfest that won’t say Oktoberfest.

 Clear, amber hue, slim ivory head. 

In the nose: sweet and malty, earthy, caramel-y. Perfect Märzen nose.

In the mouth: rich, toasty, delicious. Liquid bread. Hearty and satisfying. Medium bodied when a long, malty finish. Quite likable. 

Unmapped Flannel Roots Fall Lager

 Unmapped Flannel Roots Fall Lager. 

5.4 % ABV, 29 IBU, Unmapped Brewing, Minnesota, Minnesota.

Clear, copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: malty, rich, caramel toned.

In the mouth: crisp, clean, earthy, malty, moderately hopped. Medium bodied, easily drinkable. Toasty, bready, delicious. They have packaged a Märzen Oktoberfest without going near any of those words. 

The following was found on Untappd, but does not appear on the can label: 

We brewed this copper-colored lager to welcome in the glorious season of Flannel (a.k.a. Autumn) and to celebrate the grand Oktoberfest tradition of Bavaria. This tasty marzen lager is light and refreshing, but it also has a lovely malt flavor to keep things interesting. Prost!

Dangerous Man Oktoberfest

Dangerous Man Oktoberfest.

5.9 % ABV, 20 IBU, Danger Man Brewing, Maple Lake, MN. 

Clear, copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: herbal, malty, sweet, earthy.

In the mouth: caramel tones, sweetness abounds, but nicely balanced. Minor hops, easy drinking, especially delicious. My kind of Märzen. 

Celebrate with our Oktoberfest Märzen beer! It’s a German classic with a toasty and bready backbone, enriched with malt sweetness and hints of caramel, all culminating in a crisp and clean finish! Prost!

Bent Paddle Munchin’’ Pretzels Märzen Party Lager

 Bent Paddle Munchin’ Pretzels Märzen Party Lager.

5.6 % ABV, 18 IBU, Bent Paddle Brewing, Duluth, Minnesota. 

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first year that Bent Paddle has packaged this Oktoberfest beer, although they don’t call it that on the label. They call it a Märzen Party Lager. They’re not the only one, Fair State also calls their Festbier “party lager”. What does this mean? Don’t all parties have lagers? (I said parties, not bottle shares.) I’ve noticed more and more beers will be labeled Märzen or Festbier (even when they are Märzens), and not Oktoberfest at all. This is probably a smart move for a style of beer being released in July.

Also, what kind of name is Munchin’ pretzels? Is it because munchin’ sounds like the German word for Munich? Why don’t we call it that? If we can say “munchin’”, we can say Munchen. And you know what they call Bavaria? Bayern. Sounds like something my mom would say. Don’t leave the Bayern door open.

I wish I had some pretzels, but I don’t. I almost bought some today, but there was a man standing in front of them in the grocery aisle and he was taking too long. so I didn’t buy any. So here I am having a party lager at home taking notes with no pretzels to munch. Maybe if I put on some polka music, it’ll be okay. 

For 60 Minutes, I’m Andy Rooney.

Clear, Amber/copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet and malty, nobly hopped, bready…pretzel-y?

In the mouth: more sweetness on the palate, but well balanced. Smooth and maltalicious. (That’s a real word I made up just now.) A lager for communal enjoyment, for schnitzels and spaetzels, and yeah, the twisty bead stick. This one goes down nice and easy, chock-ful of Märzen-y goodness.

Münchin' Pretzels is a classic Märzenbier that boasts a rich amber color and a medium-bodied mouthfeel. Brewed with traditional German malts and hops, this beer offers a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness. The aroma is characterized by notes of toasted bread, caramel, and a subtle hint of hops. The flavor profile is dominated by a delicious bready malt character with hints of caramel, making it an excellent choice to pair with traditional German cuisine, especially soft pretzels and sausages. Prost!

Malty | Bavarian | Festy

Modist Gifts of the Sacred Father Doppelbock

 Modist Gifts of the Sacred Father Doppelbock.

8.5 % ABV, Modist Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Clear, dark reddish brown, lush, creamy head on top, looking good.

In the nose: caramel and toffee notes, just slightly sweet. Hits the mark.

In the mouth: smooth and lovely, with the slightest hit of alcohol at the top.  Clean, rich, delicious, abundant with malty flavors. Caramel is king, of course, but it’s never too sweet. Nice balance. All in all, an exceptional doppelbock. Quite yum a dum dum.  

Doppelbock brewed with decoction mashed pilsner, Vienna and Munich malts. Kettle hopped with German Hersbrucker then fermented and lagered with German lager yeast.

Luce Line Schnapsidee Märzen

 Luce Line Schnapsidee Märzen. 

5.7 % ABV, 25 IBU. Luce Line Brewing, Plymouth, MN. 

Clear, deep amber hued, large, lively, ivory head.

In the nose: malty, caramel-toned, toffee-ish. 

In the mouth: we’ll-balanced Märzen flavors, malty, but not too sweet. On the solid side of delicious. Exceptionally smooth and drinkable. Medium bodied, minor to no bitterness, long, malty finish. Crisp, clean, delightful. 

Schnapsidee is our annual ode to Oktoberfest. This German style Marzen is brewed with a blend of German malts and German hops before it is fermented low and slow with a unique German yeast strain that is ubiquitous with the style. 

Revolution Oktoberfest

 Revolution Oktoberfest. German-style lager. 

5.7% ABV, Revolution Brewing, Chicago, Illinois.

We’re getting close to the end of the new Oktoberfest beers I tried this year. One more to go after this one.

Clear, amber hue, slim white head.

In the nose: malty, grainy, classic. 

In the mouth: sweet, caramel-y flavors dominate the palate. Noble hops here for balance. Nice and toasty. Light bodied and easily consumed. Pairs well with tubas and bratwurst. Tasty märzen goodness. 

A stein full of traditional Märzen offered in anticipation of those days filled with sausage, pretzels, and a table full of friends. Our brewers put all the time and care into this long-lagered beauty using traditional German ingredients and methods. Smooth, toasty flavor and the inviting aromas of hearth-baked bread, finishing with just enough Noble hop character to keep you coming back for another round. One of our most popular food-pairing beers, or worthy of a hearty "prost!" on its own. 

Earth Rider Festbier

 

Earth Rider Festbier.

5.7% ABV, 30 IBU. Earth Rider Brewing, Superior, Wisconsin.

Oktoberfest can be a confusing festival, for some. Not everyone knows that the main event in Munich starts in September and ends in early October. They wonder why they can’t find any at the middle of the month. Further confounding is that there are two styles, the original märzen and it’s current replacement in the Munich tents, Festbier. If it’s German, you know what you’re getting, for the label will either say märzen or festbier. With American versions, it’s not always clear. Most American craft beer Oktoberfest beers will be märzens. Sometimes, though, the label will say Festbier, and it’s actually a märzen. Let’s get it together, people!

This one from Earth Rider is called Festbier. The label is blue with some white, the only colors an Oktoberfest label needs. A woman plays accordion in front of some tents. So, which one is this?

Clear, pale golden, slim, but lasting ivory head. 

In the nose: clea, bright, floral, malty, lovely lager aromas.

In the mouth: crisp, clean, light, ending dry. Distinctly hoppy, exceptionally light, smooth, drinkable. You can hoist a stein or ten, or take down a whole boot, if you want.Easy drinking beer, for sure, here. 

I like märzens better, for they pack more flavor than this leaner style. But if the tuba’s pumping and the leiderhosen’s jumping, who am I to quarrel? Roll out those barrels!

The life of the party! Earth Rider’s Munich-style Festbier is a golden lager with bready malt character and subdued floral-hop aroma.

Lift Bridge Maibock

 

Lift Bridge Maibock.

7.7% ABV, 21 IBU. Lift Bridge Brewing, Stillwater, MN.

It’s July, and you’re finally getting around to the maibock, you ask of me, the great procrastinator? Yeah, well, better late than never?

Clear, bright amber hue, slim white head.

In the nose: slightly sweet, malty, a touch grainy. Minor hops.

In the mouth: crisp, clean, delicious. Mostly malty, slightly sharp, higher alcohol peeking through. Medium bodied, soft, richly rewarding. I like a good maibock and this is surely one. 

Hoppier than traditional german, maris munich pilsner malts

Three Floyds Legendary Shader Weisse Beer

 Three Floyds Legendary Shader Weisse Beer.

5.5% ABV. Three Floyds Brewery, Munster, IN. 

Clouded, pale orange/ amber hue, small white head.

In the nose: there’s banana and bubblegum. Small doses of spice. Lingering citrus below it all, in true Bavarian style.

In the mouth: sweetness at the front, minor hops or bitterness, slightly fruity. Remarkably smooth and easy. Refreshing. Medium bodied, full of yeasty Weizen goodness. 

In this instance, the 3 Floyds motto rings false. It is normal. It’s a normal, balanced, true-to -style Hefe Weizen and I like it because of that. Here’s to occasional normality.

A traditional Bavarian-style Hefe Wiesse from space, with notes of banana, clove, and bubblegum.

Pivovara Medvedgrad Grička Vještica Doppelbock

Pivovara Medvedgrad Grička Vještica Doppelbock.

7.5 % ABV, Medvedgrad Brewery, Zagreb, Croatia. 

These Craotian beers showed up today. I've never had a beer from Croatia before. (Edit: not true. I had one called Karlovacki 19 years ago.)They're all German styles, and look, here's a doppelbock. You know I llove a good doppelbock. Why don't we drink it? 

Clear, crimson-hued, slim auburn head. 

In the nose: Rich, sweet malty flavors, caramel and toffee in charge. Beautiful. 

In the mouth: More caramel, toffee, brown sugar and butterscotch at play on the palate. Medium bodied, smooth, sweet and malty. Good balance, and easy drinking, though the higher ABV lo is increasingly encroaching. Floods the mouth with deliciousness and warmth.

Grička vještica (The Grič Witch) is a strong dark lager of a subtle ruby red color. It's flavor is light, rich in fine sweetness and of a pleasant aroma. The quality is ensured by the layering period of no less than 60 days. It is named after a legend of The Grič Witch, who was so beautiful as to enchant the people of Old Zagreb. 

Junkyard Laser Focus Altbier

 

Junkyard Laser Focus Altbier. 

5.3 % ABV. Junkyard Brewing, Moorhead, MN. 

And here we have the first appearance in the Nib of a 16 ounce can from Junkyard. No more crowlers. We still have some at the store, and there are a few I want to check out, so you'll still see one or two before too long. But, hail, hail, the coming of the cans. No longer forced to consume 25 ounces in one sitting, yay! It'll be cheaper by the ounce, as well. Nothing but good can come of this change. 

And I chose this altbier because, as I've said, I would prefer to enjoy Junkyard's efforts at classic styles, rather than the fruited sours and New England IPAs. They usually do a pretty good job at them, and I'd like to spotlight that, whenever I can. (I didn't pick up a pilsner called Grandpa Bill's Pils because, as I've also said, pilsners and lagers are not going to be my favorite styles. Just not happening. 

Clear, light brown, slim, off-white head above. 

In the nose: Malt forward. Nutty. Slightly sweet. Mild hops. 

In the mouth: Clean and smooth. Caramel flavors combine with nuts. Medium bodied. Excellent balance. Minor hops, mostly malty. Just on the edge of sweetness, but all is reined in with this one. Classic and cool. Tasty beer here. 

I like a good altbier and this is one. 

 Laser Focus is a deep-copper Altbier with complex, yet extremely well-balanced flavors. The malty richness, followed by hints of crisp, fruity esters will definitely leave you wanting more.