Brooklyn Oktoberfest
Rich, malty and clean.I first tackled Brooklyn Brewery’s Oktoberfest about this time back in 2007 and it’s probably been since that brief review that I’ve cracked a bottle of it open. Thanks to the good folks at the brewery, I received a couple of samples of the brew last week or so. Now, it’s time to revisit a tasty treat that I first had many years ago.
Looking back at that initial review, not much has changed besides the label artwork on the bottle and I don’t quite pick up as much of a nutty character as I did back then. The 5.5% ABV marzen leans nicely on it’s strong malt backbone while imparting a touch of hops from two Hallertauer varieties. It still reminds me of taking the dogs for their walk on a cool Autmun morning — well, at least the beer after said walk.
Appearance
The beer pours a rich, dark amber in color with a slowly dropping creamy, off-white head.
Aroma
There’s definitely a strong malt presence with hints of dark fruits, caramel, bread and a subtle sweetness. There’s not much of a hop presence on the nose.
Taste
Rich and malty, Oktoberfest carries a light sweetness to accompany the caramel and dark fruit notes. The crisp mouthfeel is refreshing and leads to a subtle hop presence that lingers nicely in the finish. I don’t pick up much of a nutty character as I first did in 2007. The beer is clean and well balanced.
Overall
I ended up giving this beer a higher rating that I did when I first came across it. Obviously my tastes have changed and matured to some degree, but when all is said and done Brooklyn’s Oktoberfest is an easy drinking, flavorful brew that I will be sure to include in future annual purchases of this and similar styles.
Rating: 3.75/5
This is a review of a promotional sample received from the brewery.