Flying Dog Dogtoberfest

Brewed by Flying Dog Brewery
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Frederick, Maryland USA

red orange with a slightly tan head with a sweet aroma. promanent malt flavor with a chocolate/molasses edge. mild carbonation. not an extremely dynamic flavor but a solid brew. toward the end of the glass the carbonation took on a fizzy quality that seemed to overwhelm the taste. had potential but didn’t quite make it there.

Pours a nice redish amber color without much of a head (and what head there is quickly disappears). Weak hints of caramel and toasted malt. It has a sharp sweet taste that is followed by a slight bitter aftertaste that dies quickly. It has a nice feel in the mouth.

Poured a bright copper color, with a finger of cream colored foam. The nose was of toasted malts with grassy hop notes. The flavor was like the aroma; Starting malty up front with a light molasses sweetness. Bold, firm malt strength pushes out a well-rounded array of toasty, caramel flavors. Hops enter next with grassy qualities that are sharp on the tongue. The finish was mildly bitter and clean. Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, with nice carbonation. This might be a little sweet for the style. It’s not a bad Octoberfest, just not great. The hop profile was a little off and the nose leaves much to be desired. Still, it was tasty. So, i’d have to recommend that you try one.

Bottle: Rich deep amber with a fading fizzy head and little lace. The aroma has notes of marzipan, toffee, carmel, over ripened apple and some grassy hop vapours. The taste is developed by sweet malts supported by a fruity acidic twang and a finish of herbal hops. A lighter body and sprizy mouth feel makes this an approachable "Marzen" for the novice but most hard-core beer geeks will find it very underwhelming.

An attractive, lightly amber brew with an almost non-existent head. Nose has a hint of roasted walnuts. Light marzen with a bit of understated matls and nutty hops, with a mild floral finish. Somewhat lacking in complexity, but better than most marzens.

Very good, very smooth, the aftertaste is non-existant. You taste the initial malty flavor and then BAM, nothing else. I guess thats good.

True, it is January of ’07 and I did buy this beer with a "sell by" date of December ’06, but when you walk into a Maryland air base comissary and there is a case stacker of Dogtoberfest prominently boasting a price of $13 dollars a case, I thought I would regret it if I didn’t then buy three cases. Did I need three? No. Did I want more? Yes. Do I spend more than a reasonable amount of my disposable income on beer anyway? Yes. A nice, plump amber liquid in the glass with a small white head that soon gets bored and settles down quitely to play its new Wii. Smells of your typical marzen, that is to say a very appetizing maltiness rich in light caramel and toffee accents. Definitely some Grapenut influence wafting up. Not fresh Grapenuts mind you, but the ones that perhaps have been lanquishing in a bowl of milk for twenty or so minutes; and in my opinion, that is the best way to eat them. Note to self, with my three cases of this stuff I should try actually eating Grapenuts with Dogtoberfest as a milk substitute. Very smooth on the palate, showcasing the medium-rich body of caramelized malts with a deft touch of buttery roundness on the swalllow. End product is a quaffable, mild beer whose quantity will hopefully seen me through a week or two.

I like this beer. Nice amber color, with a head that doesn’t really last that long. Smooth and easy drinking - not bitter at all. Not as strong tasting as the color would lead you to believe, but just right in my book. I like a good porter or stout better than this beer, though.