Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest

Brewed by Avery Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Boulder, Colorado USA

Had half a glass courtesy of a friendly guy I met at the Pizza Port bottle shop who had just cracked this open. Light amber color with small white lace. Sweet sugary aroma, malt presence is dominant over the hops. Not much going on flavor-wise; toasty malt with a crisp finish. High alcohol content is very well hidden.

Had this beer on 9/28/2006. Aroma is a faint malt scent with tones of alcohol. Color is a orange/brown with mild carbonation and thin tight head. taste is sweet and mellow. Starting with a body that goes down with a sharp feel. Finish comes in with a mellow caramel malt flavor backed by a mild bitterness and a strong alcohol taste on the end that seems to build as you drink. The alcohol feel on the end is a bit strong, but it gives you a warm feel and would be a good brew on a cold October day.

Wow! I would consider this a European strong considering the ABV but whatever. As an Oktoberfest, this is amazing (as any style it’s amazing). Aroma was strong alcohol and caramel. That scared me as I thought this was going to be a typical big mouth burner. Pour was a dark gold with a thin off white ring for a head. The taste was a great suprise. Strong caramel malt comes through all the way with molasses in the aftertase. Very wet mouthfeel. I would not take this beer to be higher than 7%. This beer is dangerously good.

22oz bottle: 2004 release-Pours a clear copper with a small off white head. The aroma is sweet with caramel and molasses and notes of clove. The flavor is malt driven with caramel and toffee being most noticeable. There is some alcohol noticeable. The mouth feel is excellent with a nice coating effect. Not bad for a 3 year old beer.

I was reluctant to have this beer included in my o-fest sampling, but it turned out to be a solid brew. Pours copper with a thin off white head. Smells of lots of caramel and biscuits with touches of earthiness. Taste is spicy with caramel and some citrussy qualities. Good beer but not even close to an o-fest.

22. Pours a crystal clear rubied amber with a thick, sudsy off-white head. Surprisingly neutral nose, especially from Avery. Very soft caramel and nougat notes, if even that. Soft medium body with light carb. Sour cherry and light vinous notes near the finish. Kind of a mess and not much in the way of a dimensional, characteristic flavor profile...can’t say I associate this kind of brewing with what I usually expect from Avery.

POurs a hazy copper color with a small white head. Smells of some sweet malts, and molasses. Not a very inspiiring nose. The taste is very malty as well. Maybe a little cinnamon spice and candy sugar. Interesting beer for an Oktoberfest. Swetter than most that Ive tried. Not a bad brew at all. Finishes clean with a sweet aftertaste.

Pours deep copper with dense head which remains through drinking. Toasty malt aroma. Slightly sweet. The after dinner Marzen. Kind of an odd, dusky malt taste. Reminds me of some of my brews gone bad. Finishes clean.