Coney Island Freaktoberfest

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

22 oz. bottle received in trade from Daknole- thank you! Served in shaker- poured a surprising ruby red-brown color with one finger rose colored hear that bubbled away, medium carbonation. Aroma of musky wheat, caramel, and some mild hops. Hits the mouth with a low-medium body, malt is there but is quickly moved aside for a very odd sweet and musky sensation, middle is rather non descript, finish has some mild hop acidity with a red soda linger. All over the map, and it made me sad- Oktoberfest was nothing more than a footnote this year. Sad, very sad...

Bottle from BevMo: Poured a pinkish red hue with a thick foamy head that took minutes to settle down. As for the nose, there isn’t any aroma to really discuss, but I do notice a minor olfaction of faint malt. The flavor is empty too with no real beer like qualities but instead of taste of dye or food coloring just like St Patrick’s green beer. Leaves behind a weird aftertaste that isn’t pleasant but I like the fact it didn’t stain my teeth or turn my tongue red or pink.

ruby red, pinkish head. fine. vienna aroma, earthy and dry. bonus for style here. sweet and malt driven, probably seems more sweet from the artificial looking hue, but this beer is very good, gimmicks aside. second sip finds the hops hiding in the back. hello.

Bottle - Poured a muddled red with small tan pink hued head. Some citrus, bit of malts and spicy yeast on the nose. Earthy malt texture with some slight spice notes- hops. Kind of strange but good.

22 oz. Bottle. Pours a dark dark red. Not as aromatic as I would have thought. Taste is also very light. Hops and some malt dominate the taste but are not very strong. Decent beer.

Bottle shared by TheCaptain. Thanks Mark. This may be the strangest looking beer that I have ever seen. It pours a murky shade of red, and not like Flanders red, but red red. Very odd looking though I’m sure it is unpleasant. The nose is vaguely malty with a hint of spicy hops. It has a similar flavor though the hops may play a slightly larger role. Fuller in body than most O-fests giving it a bit of a syrupy quality. It seems that nobody else really likes it but I would drink it again.

Brewed in the USA... Halloween bash 2009. Pours red in color with a small off pink head. Aroma of malts, spices and caramel. Taste of malts, earth, spices and fruit. Mouthfeel is medium in body with a malty / caramel finish. Pretty interesting brew !!!

On tap at Toronado. This bright red beer poured with a cute pink head and not much aroma. There is a weak malt flavor that is slightly sour. Not much else.