Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest

Running out of room in the beer fridge but will have to make room for a case of this one after having my first on Saturday. If you enjoy complex malty beers then this is must try. Hides the alcohol very well, extreamly smooth for such a young beer and will only get better which is very frightening. Next to the 2001 vintage of Reverend which Avery served up at their 11th Aniversery party last month this is the best beer I’ve had from Colorado (been to 20 of the brew pubs here). Cant wait for that Fall chill to roll in to try another. I have 60 or so different beers in the fridge now and while I was drinking this one I wasnt thinking about any of em, well except the ones I’m gonna have to pop a cap to make room for this classic.

malty fruity notes on the nose. rich amber pour with huge off white head. sweet flavor with a malty finish on the palate. Little hints of yeast or something breadlike.a little thick on the mouthfeel....but overall delicious.

Pete’s Wicked was my entree into the world of beer and Pete’s Oktoberfest was the first marriage of my favorite season with a beer that reflected it in color and character. Since then I have always loved the arrival of the beautiful and wistful Oktoberfests just as the air started to cool and the leaves became brilliant. After drinking bigger and more complex beers I began to find the Oktoberfests to be thin and one maybe two dimensional. The Kaiser has redeemed the style for me in artfully intensifying without blowing out of proportion all the malty, sweet, spicy aspects of this seasonal brew. To acheive this complexity without becoming something altogether different is masterful. Thanks to Avery for bringing me back to an earlier stage of beer appreciation.

2005 vintage. In the bomber bottle. I knew this had to be good because they put aluminum foil over the top of the bottle, right? This is a MONSTER. It is a märzen in name only. Maybe if I took an entire barrel of Spaten Oktoberfest and vacuum evaporated it to 22 ounces while adding a brick of hop pellets, I might end up with this lager. Yes, the ethanol is strong and mean, but what you should really love about this beer is the complete palate. Beers just don’t get much thicker. You could hide strychnine in here with all this malt masking power. You don’t really drink this, you just tear off your sips using your incisors. I just can’t imagine the crazy people who can and do get this on tap. Life is good.

Deep orange/amber with a off white head. Aroma is huge malt and some roast. It is a powerfully tasty aroma. Nutty just pure aroma domination here. Body is malty and nutty 9% ABV not noticable. Has a milky texture. The hops come through ever so slightly at the end to let you know they are there, but nothing more. The octoberfest all should be judged by. Massive malt monster for the style.

Bottle 2004- The last one I stashed away. This beer is no Oktoberfest. It is one to be savored many years down the road. When available, I will buy in abundance, from this point further. The beer is such a malt bomb, huge carmel. A light Samiclaus.

Rust-colored, clear, with yellowed, antique white head. Head is initially large, but falls to a thin film, leaving sticky lacing behind. Grapefruit, spicy malt, bubblegum, toffee, and alcohol in the aroma. Strong, chewy malts initially turns into striking, biting hoppiness, piney and a bit medicinal. Lots of ripened fruits and esters. Very nice smooth, syrupy mouthfeel with a touch of carbonation tingle. Absolutely fantastic.

9/19/04: Bottle.
Malty, alcoholic aroma. Ruby-brown bodied with very little head and no lacing. Pronounced malt flavor with other evidence of caramel, alcohol and a touch of hops at the finish. Pleasant ending which is sweet. Alcohol is well hidden.