St. Arnold Oktoberfest isn’t true to its style, but is still a tasty treat in its own way
When the Fall season arrives, indivuals thoughts often turn to things associated with the season. Some dream about colorful trees and afternoon walks in the cool outdoors. Others think about Halloween and the prospects for costumes and/or trick- or- treating. Beer lovers, on the other hand, fantasize about a large mug filled with seasonal beer and the style associated with the Fall season is, of course, Oktoberfest/Marzen. One interesting example of a Fall seasonal is St. Arnold Oktoberfest, an award- winning beer from Houston’s St. Arnold Brewing Company.
Beer Bio:
Style: Oktoberfest/Scottish Ale
Calories: Unknown
Carbs: Unknown
Alcohol Content: 6 percent by volume
St. Arnold Oktoberfest is a copper/orange colored brew with a moderate amount of carbonation and an interesting nose that combines hints of yeast and sweet caramel. The foam level on this beer is very nice and it holds its own as you consume.
The flavor of St. Arnold Oktoberfest is nice and agreeable, with a combination of taste sensations that includes caramel, brown sugar, toffee, and even a touch of vegetable and spice. The finish of this beer emphasizes the taste of earthy hops and is quite pleasant.
St. Arnold Oktoberfest is an interesting beer product and one of the more unusual qualities is that it is labeled as Oktoberfest but is actually an ale and tastes little like a traditional Oktoberfest beer. Marzen is normally brewed as a lager and has a distinct taste. St. Arnold Oktoberfest offers some of the characteristics of a Marzen, but it is brewed as ale and is almost a style all its own. Notice that, in the description above, I label this beer as Oktoberfest/Scottish ale? That is because it is often listed as an Oktoberfest, but its qualities lead you to believe it is a different style entirely. It isn’t surprising that this beer was entered into the 2010 Great American Beer Festival as a Scottish ale- it likely would have lost points if submitted as an Oktoberfest because it isn’t completely true to the style.
Speaking of the Great American Beer Festival, St. Arnold Oktoberfest picked up a Silver Medal in this year’s contest. This is certainly a tribute to the taste and quality of this malt beverage. I don’t necessarily consider it outstanding, but it is easily better than the average beer and is worthy of trying. St. Arnold, in fact, picked up three medals in this year’s 2010 GABF, matching its previous record.
Overall, I must say that St. Arnold Oktoberfest is an interesting beer with an interesting taste. Don’t try it expecting a true blue Marzen style beer. If you do, you will be sorely dissapointed. But if you try it with no particulr style bias in mind, you will likely come away enjoying this flavorful malt beverage product from the good people at St. Arnold.
Rating: 8 Cheers out of 10
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