Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest

Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Chico, California USA

This one caught me off guard. Poured a very dark brown color with a small amount of tan head. Aroma was very mapley and yeasty, with hints of brown sugar. Almost smelled like syrup. Flavor was almost exactly like it smelled, maple syrup, yeast, and hints of sweet malt undertones. Overall, I thought this was just so so.

Pint on draught at American Flatbread in Burlington. Very, very dark, maple-walnut, more or less clear, with a very creamy near-white head that lasts forever and forms a gorgeous thick lace...light mapley, caramel nose with roasty graininess, bitter grass/herbs...body is lightly smoky and at first, when cold, rather cardboardy and lactic towardst the finish. This seemed very unpleasant to start with but after allowing it to warm for 10 minutes, a nice subtle licorice-chocolate character comes out, dark pumpernickel breadiness appears, and the near-chalky finish smooths out and sweetens. Still not among the brewery’s finest offerings, but attractive enough at a proper temperature.

On draught at Redbones, 10/6/2005. One finger head, nicely formed. Creamy, beige colored. Beer is borderline transparent/transluscent. You can see through it, but it’s still not clear by any means. Color is an auburn, deep burnished copper. Aroma smells of light grass clippings, at first. Spicy hoppiness in there as well (almost a cinnamon note). Fairly weak aroma strength. Flavor is bready, very spicily hopped, nutty and has bits of dry toffee. Well-malted and very fresh tasting. Minute bubbles somehow provide a very zesty carbonation. It ripples across the tongue as the hops combine with the bready/doughy malt to create a wonderful balance. Brown bread, bits of lightly toasted malt. Nice lacing. Hoppy to the last drop. As expected from these masterful brewers, they do not use American hops. Very little yeast presence, if any. Medium body, quite dry on the end. Tingly, zesty mouthfeel.

Draft. Deep copper color with a small off-white head. Nutty malt aroma. Nutty malt flavor with some roastiness and spicey hops. Easy drinking with lingering malts. Not as ’clean’ as many other octoberfests.

Draft: Dark copper color, with an off-white head that produced light lacing. Really light smells and tastes of malts. Slightly watery and light. It looked the part but expected more in the aroma and taste.

Draft at Sippin’ by the River 2005 - Pretty good for an Octoberfest - it had that expected/welcomed hop character that Sierra Nevada is known for. This was probably the 1st hoppy Octoberfest that I’ve had and I hope to have some more...soon!

Draft at Sippin by the River ’05. Lots of brewers sporting their fest beers. Sierra with an honest example of the style. Great malt, easy on the hops, clean fermentation.

This was a very good smooth beer but I was expecting more taste. It had virtually no aftertaste but it didn’t have that full taste to it. Not a bad beer but I was expecting more.