Stoudts Oktoberfest

Brewed by Stoudts Brewing Co.
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Adamstown, Pennsylvania USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

12 ounce bottle from Jungle Jim’s tasted on September 18, 2010. Clear gold/amber color, small off white head that mostly lasted with fair lacing, big malty/alcohol nose, bittersweet flavor with an emphasis on the bitter--and not in a "good hops" way. Toasted malt character present but too subdued. Drinkable but not all that enjoyable. This might have been a little old (though I doubt it) so I might give this another try in the future, especially if I encounter it on draft.

Poured a "Cider" color, creamy white head. Good head retention, with some lacing. The aroma was weak consisting of caramel, and sweet toffee. Taste had mainly caramel and toffee. It was a little bitter at times but well done. Nice subtle cocoa notes on the finish. One of the better Oktoberfests I’ve had.

draft @ Coles, Buffalo. Light orange/golden pour. subtle aroma of matls, light floral & biscuit. Taste is sweet up front, malt driven, minor bitterness n the finish. OK

Barley aroma. Clear golden, thin head. grainy with an undercurrent of overripe fruit. Malty finish. Drab and underwhelming, even for a lager.

UPDATED: AUG 20, 2011 12oz bottle pours copper with white head. Aromas of bread fresh dough brown sugar and molassas. Flavor is sweet but bot overly sweet little earthy and mildly bitter. Body is medium and finish is bready and earthy.

Pours a nice dark amber but almost no head. A bit of lacing, but nothing to write home about. The nose was a pleasant maltiness carried by the lively carbonation. Hint of nutmeg and cinnamon. Mouthfeel was also pleasant, heavy but carried by the nice carbonation. Good mix, didn’t weight you down and the carbonation didn’t pull the beer from your tongue. Taste was dominated by the toasty caramel malts. There was a touch of orange peel, and a hint of bitterness to round the taste out, but nothing getting in the way of the reserved and simply drinkable taste. Pretty above average in every way. Not the top of the line for this style, but a really solid attempt.

Bottle. Not sure why this style gets so little love...I’m a big fan. Pours a nice golden orange with a thin white head. Lots of lacing. Smell is sweet - caramel, sugars, some fruits (maybe banana, even?). Taste is bready and sweet as well, with some toffee and maybe even some lemon. Goes down smooth. Very well crafted.

Clear amber color/ white head. Spicy caramel, bready yeasty sulfur aromas. medium bodied. Lightly sweet caramel, corn flakes, black pepper flavors with a nicely bitter finish.