Day 114: Maierfest Lager

Name: Maierfest Lager

Brewer: Rouge Ales (Newport, OR)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.6%

Thoughts: First of all, Happy Halloween! Second of all, it is the last day of this themed month! I can have whatever I want again! Never again will I make this mistake and limit my beer options. Anyways this month is going out on top with Rogue's Maierfest. If any American brewery could do a great Oktoberfest beer it would be the hop friendly, malt masters of Rogue. This poured a rich orange-gold with tons of texture and sediment. It was capped with a thinner soft, white head. The aroma was fresh and reminded me of toasty baked bread with a faint herbal hop note. Maierfest had a big toasty flavor with that lightly sweet pizza dough element. The caramel flavors are there but are not overdone, and a great dry herbal smack hits you right before the smooth lingering finish. A great beer and a great way to celebrate an end to an awesome month!

Rating: 86/100

Day 113: Weihenstephaner Original

Name: Weihenstephaner Original 

Brewer: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan (Freising, Germany)

Classification: Munich Helles Lager

Alcohol: 5.1%

Thoughts: I have yet to come across a brewery with a name as difficult to pronounce as Weihenstephaner. I still can't do it. Despite that fact this is well known for being  the Oldest Brewery in the World, and also one of the best breweries in all of the Fatherland. Their original bier pours a crystal golden yellow with a gigantic fluffy white head. The aroma was musty, mild lemon peel, and a smell that I could only label as sweet grain. But the taste! Oh the taste! It is a well rounded, incredibly structured piece of beer art! The beer is crisp, dry and refreshing. The body is soft and delicate. The spicy floral hops finish neatly. This beer is very drinkable. This is one of the finest Munich Helles Lagers I've ever had.

Rating: 90/100

Day 112: Clawhammer Oktoberfest Lager

Name: Clawhammer Oktoberfest Lager

Brewer: Highland Brewing Co. (Asheville, NC)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5%

Thoughts: Highland Brewing Co. is a fantastic brewery. This is the time of year when their beer really starts take form because they are so good at make beers that stand out during the fall and winter months. Their Oktoberfest is a prime example of this. It is a wee bit different, with a slight darker orange-gold body and a proper looking level of carbonation. The medium-high carbonation is balancing, and gives this beer a light crispness. The smallish off-white head has limited duration and leaves little lacing. The aroma features bready German malts with some spicy and herbal notes from the hops. The taste has an upfront dry, toasted caramel malt profile followed by brown sugar, grains, and spices, and ends with a crisp hoppy bite. Very well balanced. I liked it right up until the end.

Rating: 84/100

Day 111: Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen

Name: Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen

Brewer: Paulaner Brauerei (Munich, Germany)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 6%

Thoughts: I have had Paulaner's Original Munich on, but now I am trying the Oktoberfest Marzen on the recommendation of a reader/commenter. So if you learn anything by reading this post, know that I will listen to your comments or suggestions. This Marzen poured a simple amber color with a great heavy head that floated on top. The aroma really showcased the Munich malts that are used to make this beer. They are bready and grainy and similar to dried corn. A few sips into this beer I realized it tasted really solid and familiar. I could tell that there was quality and tradition in this beer along with the  caramel, grain, and malty notes. I think this was a good suggestion and a really fine Marzen.

Rating: 83/100

Day 110: Post Road Pumpkin Ale

Name: Post Road Pumpkin Ale

Brewer: Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 5%

Thoughts: When I picked this up at the store I had no idea that it was brewed by Brooklyn Brewery. It was not until I started writing the blog today and I needed to find out who brews it that I discovered this. The label doesn't look like a Brooklyn label, but is it a Brooklyn brew? It pours a darker, yet clear orange color that is topped with a fizzy head. The nose on this beer is fairly mild with hints of the usual pumpkin ale suspects. Nothing new yet but I the taste is usually the distinguishing factor. The taste seems to be mimicking other Pumpkin Ales, not making the style it's own. It is kind of like Will Smith in Ali. He does an incredible job acting, but it is still Will Smith doing a Muhammad Ali impersonation. It should be like Jamie Foxx in Ray, where the acting is great but you truly believe you are watching Ray Charles in action. It is still on the good side of the Pumpkin Ale spectrum. 

Rating: 80/100

Day 109: Warsteiner Premium Verum

Name: Warsteiner Premium Verum

Brewer: Warsteiner Brauerei (Warstein, Germany)

Classification: German Pilsner

Alcohol: 4.8%

Thoughts: Warsteiner is a pretty big brewer, even by German standards. They make a few styles of beer, but like most German brewers they are known for one beer. In Warsteiner's case it is the German Pilsner. I picked up Warsteiner because I have only had it twice and both times were in Europe. Once in Mannheim, Germany and once in Nice, France, and both times it was delicious! I wondered how it would fare in the US. It pours a very sudsy pale gold with a head that seemed to increase with every sip, which I found unusual but appealing. The aroma was nothing special. It was just the usual biscuity malts and clean cut grass that popped up out of the gigantic foamy head. As I tasted this pilsner I noticed that it hit on all the spots on my palette. It had a slight sweetness, a little bit of tartness, a hint of bitterness and some dryness on the finish. I really think that this is a great beer to drink while you eat, because it is light, not overpowering and maintains it's quality pretty easily. Nowhere near being a great beer, but a good beer? I think so. Also, it should only be poured in a big frosty mug!

Rating: 81/100

Day 108: Blowing Rock Oktoberfest

Name: Blowing Rock Oktoberfest

Brewer: Boone Brewing Company (Boone, NC)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.6%

Thoughts: I'm always excited to see a new beer come out of NC, and even more excited when that beer is an Oktoberfest. Even if this beer is brewed by a company in Pennsylvania for a company in North Carolina I still count it as an NC Beer! This Marzen poured a clear dark amber/orange with a thick beige head on top. The retention is weak, but it left some lacing on the glass as I drank it. It smells earthy, but a little dull as there just isn't much happening. The mouth feel is creamy, but with just enough carbonation to give it a little zip. I wasn't expecting much in the flavor, but I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Nice caramel kick at the onset, full bready hops throughout, and it finishes slightly bitter sweet. This is balanced and plenty drinkable. I could have a few more of these for sure, but it is nothing more than average. 

Rating: 76/100

Day 107: Terrapin Pumpkinfest

Name: Pumpkinfest

Brewer: Terrapin Beer Company (Athens, GA)

Classification: Fruit/Vegetable Lager

Alcohol: 6.1%

Thoughts: I am getting tired of Marzens and Pumpkin Ales. So good thing I picked up a beer that tries to be a combination of both. I am going to be honest, I may not pick up another Marzen or Pumpkin Ale until October of 2017. I have never wanted to see November more and I will not be having anymore themed months, because it really limits my choices. Sorry for the griping, but here is what I got out of Terrapin's Pumpkinfest. It pours a stark chestnut with with a lovely cream colored head. The smell reminds of pumpkin puree that you put into a pumpkin pie. It isn't heavy on the spices but it is definitely pumpkin. So far there has yet to be any sign of Marzen in this beer, it better show up in the taste otherwise Terrapin are liars. And now that I have said this I can say they are not liars. This beer taste like a smooth, nutty Marzen and then suddenly shifts into a spicy, sweet pumpkin beer. There also seems to be a touch of honey which really kicks it up a notch. I like this beer. I like the flavor, I like the mouth feel and I like the concept. Kudos to Terrapin for a quality, well-crafted October combo beer. 

Rating: 84/100

Day 106: Reissdorf Kölsch

Name: Reissdorf Kölsch

Brewer: Brauerei Heinrich Reissdorf (Koln, Germany)

Classification: Kölsch

Alcohol: 4.8%

Thoughts: The Wife and I went to Tyler's in Carrboro today which is the first time either of us have been there despite it being just down the street from UNC Chapel Hill where Laura went to school. It is   the same Tyler's as the one in Durham, just smaller in size and beer selection. Because of that I was left with only two options for this month's theme, and one of them was out. So I went with this, which is not featured at Oktoberfest, but it is German and therefore deemed appropriate for today's post. It was served in a lovely German pint glass with a lovely golden hue and a bubbly white head. It had a clean, bready aroma with whiffs of minty hops. Like most beers of this style it was smooth and very drinkable, but the taste was much more complex than I expected. It had pale, sweet malts that tasted slightly grainy and the hops were piney, dry and crisp. The flavors meshed together like ass and titties. This is the best kölsch I have had on the blog, which I feel is saying something because there have been some really good ones. I recommend this beer for pre-dinner drinks because of it's lightness and palate cleansing ability. 

Rating: 86/100

Day 105: Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest

Name: Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest

Brewer: Hacker-Pschorr Brau (Munich, Germany)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.8%

Thoughts: I have heard a lot of really good things about Hacker-Pschorr and I have read a lot of reviews praising them. However, I did not like this beer. It tasted stale, musky and the smell was dead. I think I may have gotten a bad batch, which is unfortunate. I will grade this beer on my experience today, but I will most likely go back to it in the future. I'll chalk this one up to a loss, but it counts toward The Beer Year.

Rating: 63/100

Day 104: Coney Island Freaktoberfest

Name: Coney Island Freaktoberfest

Brewer: Shmaltz Brewing Company (San Francisco, CA)

Classification: Amber Ale

Alcohol: 6.66%

Thoughts: This beer is a gimmick. The alcohol content is the mark of the beast, it pours a bright red, and even the bottle says it is a gimmick. I guess you have to take this beer with an open mind. If you are feeling like a beer snob then the unnatural reddish tint, uncomfortably fruity smell and unbalanced alcoholic and bitter taste will make you hate this beer. But if you are looking for a fun beer to drink on Halloween then look no further. It has the color of blood, the smell of candy and the sugary, malty taste that could complete your spooky evening. I tried to base it on my experience which was watching soccer at home while surfing the internet and I can totally see both sides. If you have a few extra bucks it is worth a try, but other than that I would leave it alone. 

Rating:  73/100

Day 103: Punkin Ale

Name: Punkin Ale

Brewer: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, DE)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 7%

Thoughts: Everybody wants a shot at an October themed beer, whether it is an Oktoberfest or a Pumpkin Ale. Well Dogfish Head is no exception. This is their Pumpkin Ale offering. I wonder if they can put a Dogfish Head spin on it. This beer pours a slightly murky copper color that looks more like sweet-tea with some foamy carbonation on top. As you can see in the picture the bottle says this beer is "A full-bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon and nutmeg." This really stands out in the smell, but in the taste I think it hinders it. I think that all those spices and flavors don't mix as well in this beer as they do in other beers, but at the same time none of them stand out. My point is if they took one or two of those things out it could make this beer better. Also I think the alcohol could be contained a little more. Otherwise this is a terrific beer. It is definitely one of the better pumpkin ales around.

Rating: 85/100

Day 102: Mother Pumpkin Ale

Name: Mother Pumpkin Ale

Brewer: Blue Point Brewing Company (Patchogue, NY)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 6%

Thoughts: To start off with I totally forgot to take a picture of the beer in a glass, but after 102 days I think that is the first time I forgot ... Not bad! It pours a clear copper colored brew with a 2 finger foamy white head and laced nicely. This beer smells of cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove and pumpkin.It was very nice and a calm smell for what I have gotten used to with other pumpkin ales. Mother Pumpkin Ale had a very definitive taste as it was full of more cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove and pumpkin, but with an added mild biscuity malt. The mouthfeel was light to medium bodied and had a descent carbonation level. It was a highly drinkable brew, but not enough punch for me. It's definitely a worthy brew in the sense that it is very approachable - I think I'm just used to the bolder flavors.

Rating: 81/100

Day 101: Abita Fall Fest

Name: Abita Fall Fest

Brewer: Abita Brewing Co. (Abita Springs, LA)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.4%

Thoughts: Monday Night Football is on and I need the Jets Defense to pull out a miracle ... and Revis returns an INT 100 yards for a Touchdown. This is pretty interesting and I am not in the mood to write tonight so this will be short. Abita could have done better, but this is a decent beer. I wish it had more of a flare to it, but I would have it again. 

Rating: 78/100

Day 100: Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen

Name: Oktober Fest-Marzen

Brewer: Brauerei Aying (Aying, Germany)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.8%

Thoughts: Germany does not really do the whole craft brew thing, but they have well established breweries that brew in much smaller amounts than the big boys. Ayinger is one of them. They are an old school German brewer based deep in the heart of Bavaria. They make a lot of different beers that are celebrated by people all over the world, but this is one of their best. This Marzen pours a dark, rich gold with a frothy head that ribbons and laces around the glass. The aroma is supremely fresh and full of grain and herbs. It was so German it made me want to put on my lederhosen and take over Poland. The taste has top notes of green tea, hops, and woody malts. Underneath there seems to be a little more sweetness from vanilla notes and maybe some banana. This Marzen is completely unique to me. It doesn't smell, taste or look like any of the other Marzens I have had, but it is better than all of them. The best part of this beer is the remarkable finish. It is subtly dry, faintly alcoholic and perfectly balanced. It is hard to really understand the principles of breweries like this because they are in a different culture and in a different era, but one thing I do understand, they make great beer!

Rating: 89/100

Day 99: Gordon Biersch FestBier

Name: FestBier

Brewer: Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. (San Jose, CA)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.3%

Thoughts: Today the wife and I were in Raleigh all day because I had an event at work and she was my date. So we decided to go grab some lunch during the event and we went to Village Drafthouse for a beer and some tasty foods. I searched the extensive beer menu and the first couple of beers that I wanted were out, but the waiter recommended this and he looked like a trustworthy guy. When it came out I was a little disinterested by its opaqueness, but I was jumping the gun. This light golden brown brew was topped with a delicate head. I immediately stuck my nose right in the glass and I was rocked back on my heels by the toasted malts, sweet fruit and peppercorn nose on this thing. I quickly followed it up with a few sips and garnered clean, crisp biscuity malts, earthy herbs and a lingering apple taste. It was not what I was expecting. This beer was complex and engrossing and all types of good. The month is halfway over and this is the best beer that I have had during it. I had never heard of Gordon Biersch Brewing Co. before today, but I will be looking for them in the future. 

Rating: 88/100

Day 98: Aviator OktoberBeast

Name: OktoberBeast

Brewer: Aviator Brewing Co. (Fuquay-Varina, NC)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 7.2%

Thoughts: After work today I went a bar that is really close to wear I wok, but isn't really known for having an outstanding selection of craft brews. However, they do have some local breweries with rotating taps. When I arrived I thought I would end up having something I had already had, but Aviator had their October seasonal OktoberBeast on tap. Despite being served in a Coney Island Freaktober glass (This will be on the blog later in the week) it poured a ruddy orangey-amber with a soft white head. The smell was somewhat simple with basic malts and a syrupy nose. I want to preface what I say about the taste with this: I feel that some breweries do certain seasonal beers because they can make money off of people being sentimental and wanting a drink to match the season. This may have fallen under that spell because the taste was a bit skunky even though it had nice hops and decent earthy follow through. I felt that if Aviator put their heart and soul in to this beer it could be really good, but as it stands it is definitely lacking quality. 

Rating: 77/100

Day 97: Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Name: Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Brewer: Weyerbacher Brewing Co. (Easton, PA)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 8%

Thoughts: On Weyerbacher's website they claim that this beer is to The King of Pumpkins as the pyramids are to the Pharaoh. Well, that seems a bit drastic. And even though they are clearly kidding I am taking that statement to heart as I review this beer. This Imperial Pumpkin Ale pours a royal reddish copper with a great sediment-filled head. The smell led me to believe that this extreme claim could be true. It was pungent, compacted and oozing brown sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. The taste started out similarly with loads of spices and a great pumpkiny flavor, but then came the aftertaste. It was riddled with alcohol and unsweetened malts. It was a bit of a letdown after so many great characteristics. I thought this was going to be the pumpkin ale to rule all pumpkin ales, but it ended up being the King of nothing great, like Rhode Island or Somalia.  

Rating: 80/100

Day 96: CBC Oktoberfest

Name: CBC Oktoberfest

Brewer: Carolina Brewing Company (Holly Springs, NC)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.6%

Thoughts: We have a NC Craft Brewer trying their hand at the fabled German legend, Mazen/Oktoberfest. Carolina Brewing Company, otherwise known as CBC, used basic Marzen brewing techniques and classic Marzen ingredients for their version of an Oktoberfest. This is what the results were. It poured a highly carbonated, clear amber color with a dissipating white head. The smell was very traditional with notes of caramel and sweet malts. This smell is starting to become a daily ritual, but it so enjoyable because this is becoming one of my favorite styles of beer. During the drinking of this beer I noticed how easily Marzens are to drink. Not just this one but the whole class. And it is still packed with tons of flavor and excitement. It has a big malty flavor with a subtle sweetness and a smooth, dry finish. It is a really solid beer and CBC should be really happy with this outcome. 

Rating: 82/100

Day 95: Erdinger Oktoberfest Weissbeir

Name: Erdinger Oktoberfest Weissbier

Brewer: Erdinger Weissbräu (Erding, Germany)

Classification: Hefeweizen

Alcohol: 5.6%

Thoughts: The original Erdinger Weissbier was the first beer I ever had. When I was 18 my family went to Ireland and the bartender recommended it as a good first time beer for me. Well, let's just say it is has since become my favorite beer. I will eventually have it on the blog, but today I am reviewing their Oktoberfest which is also a hefeweizen. Erdinger Oktoberfest pours a pale, hazy yellow with an immensely thick head. The aroma of this beer is high on the banana notes and low on the spice notes that you get with a traditional hefeweizen. The flavor is sweet and again heavy on the banana, and light on the clove and pepper that are common in the taste of most hefeweizens. This instead was a Marzen style beer made with wheat. The malts are present and balance out the sweetness nicely. This would explain why they are calling it their Oktoberfest. It is a pretty good beer, but I would rather have their traditional Weissbier. 

Rating: 84/100

Day 94: Ichabod Ale

Name: Ichabod Ale

Brewer: New Holland Brewing Co. (Holland, MI)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 5.5%

Thoughts: I really like the inventive name for this Pumpkin Ale by New Holland Brewing Co. Mainly because they didn't take the usually road and involve the word "Pumpkin". Yet, it easily maintains the Halloween/Autumn/Pumpkin vibe that this month is all about. This pumpkin Ale pours a gorgeous hazy pale pumpkin-orange. And despite the Legend of Sleepy Hollow involving the Headless Horseman, you can see in the picture that this is a heady brew. The smell was familiar, but not "beer-miliar". It reminded me of burning metal and was slightly off-putting. Very little spice was involved in the aroma as it was more malty and earthy. Tasting this beer I again noticed this burnt metal aroma, but I powered through it and got more of what i expect from a Pumpkin Ale. Notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and sweet caramel rested themselves on my palate, but the hops were kept in check. The absence of hops in this beer is clearly its downfall to me. They kept the spices calm and the malts sweet, but there is no attack-mode from this beer. If the hops were bitter or biting it would have added a new dynamic to this beer that would make it uncommon even among an already uncommon style of beer. 

Rating: 79/100

Day 93: Hex

Name: Hex

Brewer: Magic Hat Brewing Company (Burlington, VT)

Classification: American Amber Ale

Alcohol: 5.4%

Thoughts: Magic Hat is one of the biggest breweries I have had on his blog and I truly believe they make craft brew at a big brewer rate. I am a huge fan of them and #9 is one of my favorite brews. On this occasion I am trying their October seasonal Hex. Unlike other October specials this is not a Marzen, it is an Amber Ale. It pours a brownish rust color with an off-white, foamy head. There is a dense smell of dried, dark fruit along with a smoky, malty aroma. In the initial burst of flavor there is intense sweet caramel and toffee notes that distinguish this beer right away. It is quickly followed by more smoke and a biting finish. It is a very unique smell and flavor for an Amber Ale. As Magic Hat does with all their beer they left behind convention for a more progressive, fearless brew. Hats off to Magic Hat! Yeah, I know that's corny. 

Rating: 85/100

Day 92: PumpkinHead Ale

Name: PumpkinHead Ale

Brewer: Shipyard Brewing Co. (Portland, ME)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 5.1%

Thoughts: I am claiming my official dislike for Shipyard Brewing Co. and I promise to withhold the use of their beers from stomach for the remainder of this year. This is the second beer I have had from them and both of them have been unfortunate cases of bad beer entering the vicinity of my gullet. This is their Pumpkin Ale offering and while it tastes like pumpkin and has an aroma of pumpkin, it doesn't at all taste like a beer. More like a cider or even a "Pumpkin Soda". But what really grinds my gears is there is absolutely no Autumn in this beer. It is a summer beer in so many aspects. If you did a blind taste-test of this beer you would probably like it, but I didn't. It lost a lot of points during the scoring because it has no purpose. If it is a fall beer it should be robust and have the ability to warm your balls on crisp fall night. My balls are still cold!

Rating: 71/100

Day 91: Franziskaner Hefeweizen

Name: Franziskaner Hefeweizen

Brewer: Spaten-Franziskaner Brauerai (Munich, Germany)

Classification: Hefeweizen

Alcohol: 5%

Thoughts: Last night the wife and I, along with some friends of our's went to a local German restaurant to celebrate Oktoberfest. We ordered schnitzel, bretzel, spatzle, bratwurst and of course BEER! Epic beer! You may not be able to tell from the picture but that is a enormous 36oz mug of frosty, delicious beer. The beer in the glass was Franziskaner Hefewizen which is another beer that will be at Oktoberfest this year. This beer pours a cloudy, radiant orangey-gold with a frothy, foamy head. The almost ethereal aroma was filled with banana esters, clove and citrus fruit. The zesty taste was complied of more banana, spice, grain and a puckering tartness that is so enjoyable. There is a moderate amount of alcohol, carbonation and hoppiness in the aftertaste. After I finished this behemoth of a beer and all the bratwurst I could handle I reveled in the fact that I was in the middle of a drinking experience. Despite the crappy service, I totally enjoyed it. 

Rating: 84/100

Day 90: Paulaner Original Munich

Name: Paulaner Original Munich

Brewer: Paulaner Brauerei (Munich, Germany)

Classification: Munich Helles Lager

Alcohol: 4.9%

Thoughts: Day 90! I am a 1/4 of the way through my year o' beer! Today I will be reviewing Paulaner, which is one of Munich's original breweries and is always represented at Oktoberfest. Their Original Munich is on tap today and I have heard good things about this beer although I have never had it before. This Munich Helles Lager pours a shiny yellowish gold with a thick, airy head. The nose on this beer is slightly fruity with crisp notes of grass and Pils malts. The taste is clean, clear and refreshing. There are notes of sweet malts, fruity hops and an overall feel that is exciting in a minimalistic way. The aftertaste is consistent which is important because sometimes a beer can change over the course of the drinking experience. This beer started out good and ended good. Danke Paulaner!

Rating: 83/100

Day 89: Brooklyn Oktoberfest

Name: Brooklyn Oktoberfest

Brewer: Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.5%

Thoughts: It has been 87 days since Brooklyn Brewery was introduced on this blog and I have literally wanted to have a new beer from them every week since then. I have held off because I wanted to share the wealth. However, this is a themed month here on The Beer Year (If you don't know what I am talking about check out the Sam Adams Octoberfest post). So this seems like a great time to get them back on here with their very own Oktoberfest. This Marzen poured a clear dark red color that really showed up when I put my hand behind the glass. It looked like Cheerwine. The head was thick and creamy with a faded tan color. The smell was aromatic and floral with plenty of caramel and malts mixed in. I admit that this beer was not properly chilled, only a couple of hours, but the taste was still lacking something. I don't think this was a particularly smooth beer and the nutty, tangy taste was choppy in my mouth. The aftertaste seemed a bit off. I can't put my finger on what it tasted like, but it wasn't all that great. This is a tough beer to make your own because almost everyone uses specific Munich Malts to brew it. However, Brooklyn claims their malts were grown specifically for them in Germany. Well, maybe they should get a new grower. 

Rating: 78/100

Day 88: Spaten Oktoberfest

Name: Spaten Oktoberfest

Brewer: Spaten-Franziskaner Bräu (Munich, Germany)

Classification: Marzen

Alcohol: 5.9%

Thoughts: Two Spaten beers in one week was certainly not planned, but the Beer Cards fell that way for me this week. This is Spaten's Marzen offering simply called Spaten Oktoberfest. This beer pours a simple amber color and is more see-through then other Marzens. The smell is again muted with hints of caramel, grains and sweet malts. Tasting this beer I was really hoping for a big taste, but after the smell I forgot that idea and expected nothing. The aroma was clearly foreshadowing. The taste was heavy on the bready malts and low on the bitter hops. It has a smooth feel to it with a decent amount of carbonation, but a humdrum finish brings it back to earth. This was a disappointing beer to be honest. It is a German Marzen, not an American one. It is almost like thinking that an American is going to be better at basketball than the Germans and Dirk Nowitzki shows up. Two Spaten brews and two poor scores. 

Rating: 76/100

Day 87: Cottonwood Pumpkin Spiced Ale

Name: Cottonwood Pumpkin Spiced Ale

Brewer: Foothills Brewing Co. (Winston Salem, NC)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 4.5%

Thoughts: Earlier this year Carolina Beer Company, which made Cottonwood Pumpkin Spiced Ale was bought by another NC Brewery, Foothills. There is nothing hugely important about that, but it does mean that that this beer could have been slightly tweaked in the months since it's new owners started brewing it. This Cottonwood Pumpkin pours a murky reddish brown with a bubbling head that thinly laced the glass. The smell hit my nose before the beer hit the table. The cinnamon, brown sugar and allspice infused aroma was hard-hitting and motley. I know I was in love with Harvest Time, but the taste of this Pumpkin Ale is even better. The spice is reserved, but the sweetness and malt flavor was dynamite! It was whole-heartedly brewed and incredibly well balanced. This is the new Pumpkin Ale to beat.  

Rating: 87/100

Day 86: Spaten Premium Lager

Name: Spaten Premium Lager

Brewer: Spaten-Franziskaner Bräu (Munich, Germany)

Classification: Munich Helles Lager

Alcohol: 5.2%

Thoughts: This is the first of the German beers that are featured at Oktoberfest in Munich. I have already had two on this blog, Augustinerbrau and Bitburger. They are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, so let's see where Spaten's traditional Premium Lager falls into place. This brew pours a clear standard gold color with a highly carbonated, foamy head. The taste is bland as well, but not because it is a poor beer. The carbonation and citrus wash over the tongue to create a crisp sensation. The aftertaste is dry with a little bit of bready malts. This beer is not bad like Bitburger but not great like Augustinerbrau, it is right in the middle of the beer spectrum. 

Rating: 75/100

Day 85: Harvest Time

Name: Harvest Time

Brewer: Big Boss Brewing (Raleigh, NC)

Classification: Pumpkin Ale

Alcohol: 5.5%

Thoughts: I have not had a lot of Pumpkin Ales in my life, but I can tell you that I love them. Big Boss's Harvest Time was my first Pumpkin Ale, which I tried a few years ago and deeply, madly fell in love with the flavor of it. It was on tap at the Flying Saucer in Raleigh and I wasn't going to miss my chance at this amazing seasonal brew. This beer pours a cloudy copper color with an orange glow to it. The aroma has a great spicy smell with load of clove and nutmeg to tickle the senses. Tasting this beer the first time a few years ago was an experience and it still hasn't lost it's charm. The distinguishing taste of Harvest Time was like drinking a silky smooth pumpkin pie with extra brown sugar baked into the top layer. A faint hint of alcohol and a tamed sweetness really makes this beer not feel like a dessert drink. It is such a drinkable beer and I would gladly have this over and over again. 

Rating: 86/100