In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into Harpoon Brewery and the beer is their Octoberfest. This is the first time this beer is being featured on this blog. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this northeast craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this 1980’s craft brewery. Let us get into this Octoberfest.
It has a clear amber color with a white constant head. The aroma has a sweet malty to nutty notes. The taste has a slight sweet malty to nutty notes with a dry malty finish for the aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
This rich, full-bodied, malty beer – perfectly balanced with a generous dose of hops – calls out for lederhosen, dirndls, and oompah music!
Roll out the barrels!
And keep them coming, because this is going to be one festive, malty fall. Come to the brewery and celebrate Octoberfest with us! Prosit!
Here is a description from their website (www.harpoonbrewery.com):
The original German Oktoberfest was brewed with one celebratory festival in mind. Harpoon Octoberfest is brewed with TWO festivals in mind; our Octoberfests at our breweries in Boston, MA and Windsor, VT. We love the style and it’s a great beer for the fall season. In true Octoberfest tradition, we threw our first festival here at the brewery in 1990. There were a couple thousand people here celebrating amidst the brewing tanks. We can’t quite fit everyone in the actual brewery now – last year nearly 18,000 revelers attended our Boston Octoberfest and nearly 7,000 joined us at our brewery in Vermont the following weekend. Prost!
Description
Harpoon Octoberfest is a malty tribute to fall, balanced by a gentle hop bitterness. In keeping with tradition, it is a Marzen-style beer, brewed with abundant quantities of Munich, Chocolate, and Pale malts. Those malts provide a solid, full body and create the beer’s deep color. It is a rich, flavorful beer.
Tasting Notes
- Appearance: garnet-red color with a firm, creamy head.
- Aroma: hop aroma, (not overpowering but present)
- Mouth feel: full-bodied, smooth, and malty
- Taste: gentle bitterness to balance any residual sweetness
- Finish: soft and malty with a mild bitterness
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.harpoonbrewery.com
Twitter: @harpoon_brewery
Closing, I like this beer. This beer gives you something different then the rest of the Oktoberfest on the market. Most Oktoberfest are very sweet with a heavy caramel notes. There is some with a heavy malty notes. This one is like this year’s Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest. This beer is true to the classic beer style. I love how it echoes the fall season which it should. I will be picking up some more bottles before the end of the season. I wish I could get this in cans. I would to take this out to cook outs or tailgating. This is a great beer and I recommend it. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser16@gmail.com
Twitter: @djweiser
Instagram: @djweiser13
New Beer Blog Shiner Oktoberfest
In this fall beer blog, we are going to take a look at another Oktoberfest but this time it is from Shiner Brewery. This little brewery could do anything. This German base brewery has been blogged about in my blogs in the pasted. If you have read my earlier blogs, you know about this brewery. If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of that Wild Hare post. Let us get into the beer.
It has a clear copper color with a constant white head on the beer. It has a sweet caramel malty smell to the Oktoberfest. The taste is what you aspect from a German base brewery. It has a heavy malty to a little caramel taste with malty aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable beer.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Here in Shiner, TX, we’re suckers for tradition. Which is why this classic Oktoberfest brew is made with the highest quality two-row barley, Munich and caramel malts, along with German grown Hallertau Tradition and hersbrucker hops. It’s our way of honoring our ancestors and the beer they loved to celebrated with So raise your stein to tradition and enjoy this utterly classic brew. Prosit!
Here is a description from their website (www.shiner.com):
Style:
This festive Marzen-style seasonal has a deep amber color and slightly toasted flavor. The initial rich malty aroma and sweetness fades to a moderately dry, hoppy finish.Recipe:
Made with the highest-quality Two-Row Barley, Munich and Caramel malts, along with German-grown Hallertau Tradition and Hersbrucker hops.Back Story:
First introduced to the Shiner family as our 96 Anniversary Brew, this Marzen-style brew has regained popularity among Shiner and Oktoberfest drinkers alike. It’s connection to tradition and celebration makes it a great fit for the Shiner seasonal portfolio.Goes Well With:
Best when served with meaty dishes like sausage and roasted chicken, fresh, creamy cheeses, pasta with white sauces and seafood.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.shiner.com
Twitter: @shinerbeer
In closing, I really enjoyed this beer and this is one of my favorite beers from this brewery. I believe this beer is just above Wild Hare Pale Ale for the top spot from this brewery. I had the chance to visit this brewery a few years ago and had a blasted. This brewery makes some good beers and I hope you had a chance to try some of their beers. This Oktoberfest is close to the classic style. It has a heavy malty taste that will make your malt drinker loving this beer to the end of the season. Plus, this beer just won Gold Medal in this Great American Beer Festival. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
DJ Weiser 