JosephsBrau Oktoberfest

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Palo Alto, California USA

Date: March 14, 2009
Mode: Bottle
Source: Ticker Tasting
Appearance: light copper, wispy white head, drippy lace
Aroma: sweet caramel malt aroma, light earthyness
Flavor: dry caramel malt flavor, light earthyness, light balancing earthyness
Aroma: 5/10; Appearance: 6/10; Flavor: 5/10; Palate: 6/10; Overall: 9/20
Rating: 2.5/5.0
Drinkability: 7/10
Score: *4

Bottle... Mostly clear golden ale with a small, creamy, off-white head. Malty nose with notes of toffee and honey. Sticky-sweet flavor with orange blossom honey and just the right amount of peppery German hops to almost strike a balance. Medium-bodied with lively carbonation. Short, crisp, clean finish. IrishBoy provided the bottle!

Pours copper with a white head. Smells of caramel and metallic. Tastes of sweet caramel with some floral hints and an earthy finish.

Orange to amber in color with a thin, wispy light beige head. Grain, caramel, toasted malt and and corn drift about lightly in the nose. Light caramel and toasted malt flavors. A little nutty. Touch of floral hops. A vienna to amber lager. A bit sweet at times with some honey creeping in. Fairly crisp in the finish and linger, but a bit sticky in feel at times.

Bottle from Trader Joe’s Cincinnati. Poured clear golden amber with an average frothy white head that diminished quickly with fair lacing. Moderate balanced bittersweet aroma. Medium body. Medium sweet flavor with medium bitter finish of moderate duration.

A very light aroma of malt. Thin white head. Amber gold color. Starts with carbonation, continues with that, then there is a comparative burst of sweetness, followed by some hop accompanied by malt. Not so bad for a lager.

Sampled from 12-oz bottle and shared by JK. Pours a clear light amber brew with a fast dissolving off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt with a touch of flowery hops and honey. Taste is medium bodied, with a semi-sweet caramel malt and honey flavor. Finish is a little gritty with a fast disappearing malt aftertaste. A little thin for a typical octoberfest but still drinkable.

Sampled on 11/1/08. This Marzen pours a medium amber color from a 12oz bottle. Small to medium sized white foamy head. The aroma is caramel and sweet but kind of mild. Light to medium bodied Marzen. The malts are caramel, bready and sweet. The hops are earthy and spicy. Touch of tobacco and some tea. Lively carbonation. It’s a little thin and watery and there is an off flavor I can’t quite place. Its not really unpleasant, but I do not think I ant to drink this one very often. Mouthfeel is thin. Finish is clean and crisp. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.