Schooners Oktoberfest

Brewed by Schooners Grille & Brewery
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Antioch, California USA

The pour creates a thin, light beige head that sips atop a crystal clear body of a most stunning color array: exquisite deep mahogany, ruby and deep fiery orange/brown. Beautiful, sedated. the aroma is loaded with bready German malts, just piling out of the glass. Dark malts extrapolate deep-seeded dark fruit notes from one of the most complex expressions of the style I’ve encountered. Mild hops disperse across the waves of grain. The nose is neither too sweet nor too raspy, just enticing and fresh, full of life and ambition. Alcohol is nonexistent, so are any flaws. The flavor is pleasant, mildly to moderately bitter, a perfectly integrated spice topping to dress a malt base of intricate detail. Malt is laden with toast, caramel and Viennese tradition. Sweetness is medium and delectable. The finish is malt-centric, hops fluttering about in a sweet descension to nothing but raw caramel long after the finale. The mouthfeel is very lowly and softly carbonated, a variety of which would lend to excessive and joyful Autumnal quaffing. The palate is soft even though its weightiness is substantial. Just incredible, a feat that will be hard to topple in this category. Certainly, this doesn’t adhere to any traditional stylistic guidelines, and that’s okay. This beer accellerates at pushing the envelope. When it’s all said and done, it’s still closer to a Märzen than any other style. Awesome. I would absolutely love to have access to this on a regular basis, in Autumn or otherwise.

Presumably this is the same as what they call their Marzen, which I sampled on tap at the brewery. Leathery brown with moderate head. Nice toasty, bready malts in aroma, moderate caramel. Lightly sweet (but not too sweet), intensely rich malty flavor. Toast and caramel. Finishes creamy and smooth with appropriately light bitterness. Amazing!

Bottled. Clear, burnt copper color. sweet malty aroma with some dark fruit. Very clean and somewhat light flavored. Malt flavor with a bit of fruit. Quick, clean finish.

Courtesy boboski. Pours a nice glowing red-copper color with a broken off-white head. Aroma is a meld of sweet malt, spice, cut apples, and light hints of brown sugar. Easy palate - medium-bodied, lightly carbonated. Taste is mildly dry throughout and contrasted by varying tones of spice and hops and a hint of sweetness that provides nuance and balance. An interesting, well done brew.

Thanks Bobo! Pours an etheral rusty brown color. It truly reminds me of fall in New England. Aroma is awesome. Hints of toasted pumpkin, hazelnuts, gingersnaps, toasted grain and a bit of sweet malt. Flavor is rich and toast, some of the nuttiness is comes through in an elegant and refined manner. Excellent beer.

Sof and delicate mouthfeel with good up front noble hop bitterness that may be too much for the purists out there but makes me want more with each amazing sip.

This Marzen poured a deep yellow gold color from a fresh growler. Small sized white foamy head. Aroma is caramel and malty, Medium bodied Marzen. The malts are caramel and fruity, semisweet. The hops are earth and floral, there is also a nice rye bread like spiciness here that is quite nice. Nice carbonation. Good balance. A very drinkable Marzen. Mouthfeel is full. Finish is clean and smooth. Aftertaste is slightly sweet.

Beautiful dark amber pour with a hint of deeper red tones with a cream colored head. The nose was sweet from caramel malt and some apparent dark fruit, as was the flavor, with a touch of biscuit, earthiness and a medium full mouthfeel.