Coney Island Freaktoberfest

Shmaltz Brewing Company
Brewed at Olde Saratoga Brewing (Mendocino Brewing Co.)
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
San Francisco, California USA

Thanks to Bob for trying to poison us with runoff from the flume ride at Wonkaland. Seriously, I know this brewery has a lot invested in their schtick but they do make some good beers. Pink look like a cheap lambic knockoff. Yes, I get it. There is a carny theme here. Okay, but make a good beer. Color aside, this is just about the most generic and unimaginative marzen I have had.

Pours a crazy bright pink with a pink head. Not good. The nose is malty, leafy hops, earthy, lagerish. The flavor is earthy and malty with a mild bitterness. Not even sure what is going on in this.

The shocking red appearance was enough to make me yell what the hell is this, but that was nothing compared to the pink foam forming above the body. Alright, now that I was done with this part of the review, I could turn off the lights so that I could get myself to drink this. The smell was not quite as weird as the looks, but the cooked vegetable matter hidden under the hops made this somewhat unappealing in that regard as well. The taste was a decent blend of hops and malts, but felt a little bland. The aftertaste was initially metallic, but improved as the beer warmed up. The beer felt pretty good in the mouth with a medium thick but sticky palette. This did not turn out to be the drain pour that I was afraid it might be, after I first laid my eyes on it.

(large bottle) bright red with pink head. Faint malt aroma. Flavor is slightly sweet malt, but a medicine aftertaste.

Well, it’s certainly eye-catching. Pours blood red, with a pinkish head. And the label is just good, old fashioned nightmare fuel. Actually, every other aspect is fairly normal or an octoberfest,, but it does look weird.

Bottle. Moderate malt aromas of caramel and the crust of fresh bred, light to moderate note of herbs for the hops, light dough for the yeast and background notes of solvent and raspberry. Head is frothy pink with good lacing and is mostly diminishing. Color is hazy cherry red. Flavor starts lightly sweet, moderately acidic and sour, then finishes sour again, heavily and enduring bitter. Palate is light to medium, dry with a carbonation between lively and fizzy. It finishes moderately astringent, lightly alcoholic and fairly dry. This is a goof of a beer. It tasted more like an ESB or a Bitter than a Marzen. The aroma was okay, but every other aspect of it "freaked" me out.

Bottle from Crown #19. Poured hazyr red color with an average frothy off-white head that mostly lasted with good lacing. Moderate fruity citrus aroma. Medium body with a soft carbonation. Medium sweet flavor with a medium sweet finish of moderate duration. My expectations where met with a very interesting beer.

This was an odd duck. Pours a muddy red, with a pink head. Must have been some of the worst chill haze I’ve ever seen, because it totally cleared when it warmed. Aroma was sweet malt and earthy, slightly floral hops. Taste matched, with a surprisingly bitter, slightly strange, very drying finish. Some fruity esters floating about, undefined, but there as well, as if it was fermented a bit too warm. Not bad, just very odd, appearance aside.