Dominion Octoberfest

Brewed by Old Dominion Brewing Company (Coastal Brewing Co.)
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Dover, Delaware USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

Slightly cloudy copper orange topped with a small but long lasting white head. This is a caramelly malty brew, kind of more like an amber ale than what I’d expect from an Oktoberfest. A very light tartness brings balance to this drinkable brew. Maybe not a head turner but tasty nonetheless.

THOUGHTS: Tasted a little more German than most American examples of the style. A little less cloying than most, too. Nicely balanced. Fairly complex for the style. TECHNICAL: Bottle. Poured a clear, dark, brownish amber with an average to large, off-white head that mostly diminished. It also had tiny to small particles of a thin density. The aroma had moderate dark bread, grain, roasted malts and caramel; slight nutty malts; and light herbal and grassy hops. The initial flavor was moderately sweet and slightly bitter; while the finish was light to moderately sweet and moderately bitter with an average duration. There was caramel, dark bread, lots of grain, tea, a little apple, more grain, some perfume and floral hops. The medium body was slightly syrupy and then a little dry with lightly fizzy and tingly carbonation and a lightly metallic and lightly dry finish.

Draft at Dulles into a larger than necessary footed pilsner. I was excited by the appearance and aroma which were traditional but accented with some bright hops. The flavor was a little boring and finished with some flat bitterness. Fine.

Tap at a random, unknown bar in Bethesda, MD. Clear reddish deep amber pour with no head. Taste is very prickly/heavy carbonation up front moving to some sickly sweet cherry, big sugar, husky grain. Muted, neutral nose with some raw grain and cherry syrup/grenadine. Not so great.

Tap at VA Beach Craft Beer Festival. Pours clear amber with a medium, fizzy off-white head, short retention with light lacing. Aroma is caramel and cookie malt, light hops, dark fruit (dates), and a clean lager nose. Flavor is malt dominant, light hops and bitterness, clean lager character and a sweet finish. Medium body and carbonation, light warmth.

Appearance: clear coppery-orange, half-finger sticky off-white head, decent lacing. Aroma: Not strong--caramel, toffee, some brown sugar and pumpernickel toast. Taste: caramel malts with a little heat/spice, balanced by earthy, slightly grassy hops. Finish: crisp, dry, a little burn in my belly, and lingering pronounced toastiness. Notes: Sweet, toasty, but also quite spicy. Is there rye in this? I like that the sweetness of this is well-balanced by more aggressive than usual hops. Palate is zingy.

A: The beer pours a clear amber color with a finger of off-white head. S: A rather bland and watery aroma to this. Some sweet toffee malt and a little bit of bread. Maybe some yeast notes and a few fruit esters to it as well. Light hop aroma. T: Sort of watery on the palate as well. It’s got a slight vegetal note and some earthy hop flavors. Bread and toffee provide some sweetness. M: Light to medium in body with a medium carbonation. O: Just too many flaws to this and too watery.

Bah almost as bad as the leinenkugels oktober. Tastless stale and uninspired.