Penn Oktoberfest

Brewed by Pennsylvania Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA

From a 12 oz. long neck brown bottle with a blurb and unnotched freshness date on the back label, but I know this is the fall ’06 release. Poured a clear reddish/amberish orange with a foamy, fluffy off-white head that settled into a thin sudsy lacing, minimal amount of sticking. Aromas of lightly toasted grains with a subtle roasted maltiness, a berry fruitiness, floral and earthy hops. Good carbonation and a crisp, smooth light-medium bodied mouthfeel. Pleasant tasting, toasted grain and a light caramel malt, a berry fruitiness, a soft spicy, earthy hops with a touch of honey, slight flashes of alcohol, and a dry sweet malty finish with a little fruitiness and metallic malts lingering in the palate. Not a bad Oktoberfest, easy and smooth drinkability, a nice seasonal offing from Penn.

Clear light amber body with a thin tan head. Sweet aroma, some caramel and light malt. Sweet somewhat spicy flavor, some light malt and hints of fruit.

This is a beer that depends on the batch. Some years this is the best beer I have ever drank then other years its just a good beer. Regardless its great to cook all pork dishes with and I could not imagine watching a STEELERS game drinking anything else. If they are in the super bowl then I switch to St. Nick Bock.

Barrel Draught from the jug at the GABF, Colorado Convention Center 30/09/2005 Golden coloured and hoppy with banana fruit aroma and flavour. Crisp malt finish.

2005 Bottle. Not strong, nor weak oktoberfest. This beer reeks of mediocrity. Keeps slight, dense head. Well balanced spices. The palate is weak. Not the worst oktoberfest i’ve had but not even close to the best.

Update: Nice aroma. Sweet flavor that was very smooth. Nice mouthfeel. Very drinkable.

Oktoberfests never really do anything for me. There are some sweet malts, a bit of alcohol warmth, some roastiness, and not much hops. Yay.

Penn Oktoberfest pours to a deep amber color with a nice, white head, and a good carbonation. The nose on this beer is a delight. Strike up the ompah pah band, your in Germany. Deep toasty, nutty, malt aromas flood the nose. There is just the right amount of hop aromatics in the nose as well, but you really can smell those wonderful malt aromas. The palate delivers more of the same. What a great depth of malt flavor and character. More toasty and nutty malt flavor. This mouth feel is slick, round, and clean. This beer finishes with more great malt flavor then is balanced with a good hop bitterness. This is an outstanding domestic example of Octoberfest/Marzen. This beer is the perfect match for German fare. I would match this with a big plate of grilled bratwurst, saurkraut, spatzel, and pumpernickel. Prost!

Bottle. A clear amber pour with a thick light-tan head. Hints of cinnamon and nutmeg in the aroma. Smooth, well-balanced and full of caramel. A solid oktoberfest taste-wise. Some grains are present along with some caramel, toffee and brown sugar. This is very drinkable.