Left Hand Oktoberfest

Brewed by Left Hand Brewing Co.
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Longmont, Colorado USA

A creamy, sandy head falls slow and spackles glass above a mid-hazed, bronze-tinted-orange body. I can sense mild oxidation in the aroma, but it seems only to add to the sweet caramels and sour, grassy hoppiness. Cereal grains follow. Mid-bodied with a slight sugar-cloy, flavor is balanced but the scales tip sweetly. Malts dominate, sweet & sour lingers. Alcohol shows late but simply makes me smile. Good, not quite great. I will enjoy this when offered, but I’ll still bring out the Kaiser when we sit around the fire this autumn.

<font size=-4>I have no recollection on where this bottle came from, although I guarantee it’s been cellaring for at least 6 months.<font size=-1>

Pours an orange amber colour with a decent amount of fruit and spice in the aroma. A mouthfeel that is full with an obvious toasty character. Nice all around, but not my favorite.

Another Oktoberfest in October, no fests. The espresso brown and creamy head is smooth to the touch, polished, lidding an auburn-red body who’s distinct depth and clarity gives the impression of the beer glowing. Copious little pearls of carbonation also make this a lively looking beer. The aroma is a mimic of any pale lager, with the added touch of apple juice, a tinge of cooked ham and a complementary burnt apple and burnt caramel sugar. The Left Hand Oktoberfest strikes the tongue with a jarring mass, and the taste itself slightly floral with a bitter and acrid aftertaste. Luckily the beginning of the taste is sweet, exhibiting apple, smoked ham oak chips and a generous helping of alcohol to burn away the preceding sip’s bitterness. After that, though, you’re back to bubbly astringency - carbonated baking soda, practically.

Medium brown with a light tan head. Sweet and fruity aroma of caramel and apples. Flavor, as expected, on the sweet side, lots of caramel and cookie, with quite a bit of toast. Light herbal and spicy notes in the finish.

Bottle. Pours a deep orange with no head. Aroma was a little fruity, a little sweet but not strong enough. Taste was sweet and mild with some dried fruits. A smooth and refreshing oktoberfest.

12oz bottle. Pours a nice auburn color with a slight haze, highlights of deep golden orange, and medium-sized (but short-lived) off-white head. The aroma is all malts - caramel, toffee, and sticky liquid malt extract. There is a subtle orange candy and spice note, too, but it is very subtle. The flavor starts bittersweet with a subtle hint of tartness (perhaps that’s what smelled of orange candy). It doesn’t taste like an old or bad bottle, and the tartness is slight and not unpleasant. Anyhow, the beer’s flavor is very malty and has a decent bit of residual sweetness in the front of the palate. By mid-palate the sweetness fades and is replaced by a very nice bready, toasty malt character. There is a soft, spicy hop note that appears at mid-palate, and the finish has some spicy and fruity (dare I say orangey/citrus) hop notes. The finish is full and malty and provides a nice balance of rich malt character and noble hop bitterness. The mouthfeel is crisp and full - slippery but tickly with bubbles. Overall, a very decent oktoberfest (in case I overstated the tartness, I’ll make sure to note that the beer, overall, is quite authentic tasting).

pours nice amber color with off white head,malty light hopp nose.nice light carb mouthfeel.Sweet up front,llight bitter finish.Finish quick.I would like to try this beer fresh.

Not a bad marzen, but not a great one, either. The appearance is the strong point, as it pours a dark orange, but the head fails too quickly for top marks. Nose is pretty standard for the style. Flavor is malty, slightly sweet. This might make a good session beer. RE-RATE: Hmm...I’m not sure what I was thinking in describing the color as ’’’’dark orange,’’’’ as it’s much more a typical ruby tinged brown, and very lovely...really an attractive marzen. Perhaps this beer varies from season to season, but I also find that the flavor is hoppier than I had previously written, and this hoppiness gives it a greater depth. The nose is still the weak point, though I find that my original 3.3 score is too low, and have adjusted it up a notch. I could have a few of these, I think.