Coney Island Freaktoberfest

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
San Francisco, California USA

14oct08. tap @ TacoMac, Johns Creek. Bright red, just like Hawaiian Punch, tall pink fizzy head. everyone at the bar asked what it was. A very big, sweet floral aroma of hops. cooling aroma. Smells definitly not what it looks like. After the initial sip, the appearance will still throw you off. it looks like you’d be enjoying a tart raspberry lambic, no sir, you were wrong. This thing is all Märzen. Well balanced, lots of caramel malt flavors, very nice hop character. It just looks F’n crizay. It just ain’t right, you know! Absolutely rememberable! 7,5,7,5,15

This proves how much color can affect your opinion. When I first saw it coming out of the bottle. I was a beautiful malt bomb. It actually scared me! Then I busted up laughing. Thanks Jeremy. A moment to remember. Sweet honey malt with depth. Good but not great. One of my favorite breweries. Great Halloween beer. If you understand Jeremy’s humor. Then you can appreciate this beer.

Aroma is strong, mainly malty with a fruity, almost cider-like overtone. Pours a warm clear coppery red with a thick, pinkish-beige head. Flavor is crisp and malty with just a touch of fruit, an edge of hoppy bitterness, and a nutty hint. Texture and finish are satisfyingly smooth, and aftertaste has a whisper of sweetness as well as a little hop bite.

Bottle. Thanks Bartzilla! Surprised at the low scores for this one. I thought it was tasty. Awesome red pour. Rich, malty and nicely hopped. Reminded me of Arrogant Bastard.

This is a good looking red head. It has no distinct scent but it’s taste and palate make up for it. I was not sure if this was a gimmick beer with its blood red appearance but it is worth the try.

22oz bomber. Pours a bright ruby red, almost like a fruit punch. Love the Halloween blood idea. Very small, fizzy, pink head. Cool looking beer for sure. The aroma is better than people are giving this credit for. Very sweet caramel malts with a distinct candy cherry smell. Some grassy citrus hoppiness to it as well. The flavor is very nice for an "Oktoberfest," actually. Nice balance of sweet malts and a hint of cherry flavor with the sharp piny/citrus hop bitterness. No hint of alcohol whatsoever. Pretty full bodied and finishes really tart, dry, grassy, and sticky. Overall, really cool beer. Deserves a better rating than its currently being awarded.

Well, it’s certainly eye-catching. Pours blood red, with a pinkish head. And the label is just good, old fashioned nightmare fuel. Actually, every other aspect is fairly normal or an octoberfest,, but it does look weird.

Bottle from Wine & Cheese Place in (near) St. Louis, MO. Cherry red with a humongous pink head - now this really is freaky. Red dye #1 in my beer? Damn stuff even smells of red dye - pardon, of maraschino cherry. Near medium body with near creamy carbonation. Flavor is bitter noble hop over very light cherry and pale malt. This is bitter stuff, once your mind comes off the ceiling. Every sip is cherry sweet, but eventually it’s bitter as heck again. Served in a black mug it might pass as a normal and really good beer.