Oktoberfest - Santa Fe Brewing Company

phishsihq

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

The brew pours a light amber color, with a small, off-white head that provides little lace. Classic marzen aromas of
caramel and a touch of spicy, noble hops create everything you need in the nose. Bready and caramel malt flavors dominate on the pallet, with a touch of hop bitterness on the back end. Medium in both body and carbonation, Santa Fe has created a well-rounded, style-specific Oktoberfest!

Prost!

Serving type: can

11-21-2012 01:42:58 | More by phishsihq

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.58/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

P: Light orange copper body with small white head clear with some streaming bubbles.

S: Toasted salty caramel, pilsner malt, figs, apple peels and spicy noble hops.

T/M: Spiced apple peels layered with toasted caramel, dry grains, wood, spiced pound cake and timid cherry alcohol. Spicy carbonation in a medium body. Finishes dry and numbing lingering musty spiced fruit.

O: I love the design of this can. I also really enjoyed consuming it. Nicely balanced, easy drinking and simple straight forward flavoring. I went through this can rather quickly. Cheers!

Serving type: can

11-02-2012 02:42:18 | More by Hopswagger

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

3.53/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - Pours a clear pale amber body with a a sudsy off-white head that slowly vanishes while leaving random patterns of lacing behind.

S - Toasted grains, caramel malt, sweet puffed cereal, light yeast in the background.

T - Sweet caramel malts that seem faintly toasted, clean biscuity profile, hints of dried fruit and honey, subtle grassy and floral hops create light bitterness. Finishes crisp and clean.

M - Light body, sudsy carbonation.

Not very complex but this goes down easy for sure. Very simple but good clean flavors make this beer highly quaffable indeed.

Serving type: can

10-24-2012 23:20:00 | More by StaveHooks

bump8628

Oklahoma

3.5/5  rDev -2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A pretty standard American craft oktoberfest in a pretty sweet can. Clear copper-orange, thin white head that leaves a few spiderwebs of lace on the glass. Classic toasted, biscuity malt layered with a mild herbal, spicy noble hop flavor. A light caramel sweetness finishes things off. Good oktoberfest, but nothing that stands out against the mob of others that hit shelves every year. The can could be a nice option since I can't think of any other beers in this style that are canned.

Serving type: can

10-21-2012 04:40:11 | More by bump8628

russpowell

Oklahoma

3.53/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours amber with 2 fingers of cream colored head. Good head retention & lacing

S: Some breadyness & apples

T: Breadyness, , slight grainyness, & pears up front. Apple peels, slight metallic & woody hop bite as this warms. Finishes with orchard fruit & a touch of grassy hops

MF: Medium bodied, firm carbonation, alright balance

Easy to drink but not one of the better beers of this style I've had this Fall. This is by far the weak little brother of Santa Fe's great canned beers on offer....

Serving type: can

10-10-2012 00:32:20 | More by russpowell

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.05/5  rDev -15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Medium or slightly bigger off white head settles into a pretty nice lacing above a clear pumpkin copper colored beer.

Light caramel malt aroma with some light spices and even lighter hops notes tagging along.

Light caramel malts, lighter spices and hops tastes coming from this lighter bodied Oktoberfest beer.

A light or rather a very light caramel and spices lingers in a not quite so dry aftertaste.

One of the lighter tasting Oktoberfest beers I've tried this year, maybe a good introduction to the style but not really for the Oktoberfest lovers, would be my option of this beer.

Serving type: can

10-05-2012 22:41:45 | More by LXIXME

dcloeren

Texas

3.8/5  rDev +5.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured a very pale copper color with a finger of white head. Standard Oktoberfest aroma... Malt forward with a very slight hop presence. Toasted bread and caramel make up the rest of the aroma and taste.

Medium bodied with an appropriate amount of carbonation. Very easy drinking as mine is already almost gone and I didn't even realize it.

Overall, worth picking up a sixer if you like Oktoberfest brews. Nothing special but still tasty and very easy to drink.

Serving type: can

10-02-2012 00:13:15 | More by dcloeren

GANIMAL

Texas

3.48/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A lighter Oktoberfest brew, but a nice crisp taste. A great session brew, but I prefer more filling Oktoberfest brews. Def worth a try, cans are a plus! Nice can graphics are appealing, similar to real ale! It has a nice citrusy aroma that is inviting.

Serving type: can

09-30-2012 00:48:47 | More by GANIMAL

dankster

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- orange red and copper mix with decent amount of head

S- strong german malts with some hops present. not sure which varity used.

T- very clean and flavorful for a oktoberfest from a can. caramel and biscuit with a touch of honey maybe.

M- super easy drinkin. sessionable with the abv only at 6%

O- a good stab at the style from santa fe. good price point at 7 a sixer. nothing special but worth a shot for fans of oktoberfest styles.

Serving type: can

12-22-2011 22:07:24 | More by dankster

rsdaugherty

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Can into pint glass
A – Frothy course head dissipated quickly to a thin crown, no lacing, brew is a clear straw gold color 3
S – Caramel malts, nutty, mild fruit & hop notes 3.5
T – Crisp with florals, semi-sweet maltiness and an overall understated taste profile IMO 3.5
M – Crisp with a moderate body, thinner on the palate, high-moderate carbonation 3.5
O – An easy drinking beer, if you’re a Marzen fan check it out, I’ll be moving on to other Oktoberfest brews and also be revisiting their IPA before this 3.5

Serving type: can

12-04-2011 05:40:21 | More by rsdaugherty

riored4v

Colorado

3.38/5  rDev -6.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured in to a "perfect pint". 1/2 finger, white head that faded quick. Clear, light bronze colored body.

Aroma is malty and mildy sweet. Some light mineral notes with a earthiness.

Taste had some moderate sweetness with a nice maltiness. Light earthy bitterness. Notes of caramel and bread.

Mouthfeel had a good amount of crispness. Light sweetness in the finish with a medium/light body and medium/high carb.

Overall it was an easy drinker with moderate sweetness. Easy flavors make it nice to enjoy a few.

Serving type: can

11-30-2011 01:17:42 | More by riored4v

JoeAmerican77

Colorado

3.23/5  rDev -10.3%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A nice fitting dark copper colored liquid, one finger of head runs to the hills without a lace in sight... the smell is very weak but is constituted of mild caramel, surreptitious malts and nothing else. A much larger flavor proves itself with a nice malty nod to sourdough pretzels and toasty elements, as well as a hint of fruity lemons. A light medium body conducts itself cool to the accolade of the medium carbonation.

Very simple very pleasant to drink beer.

Serving type: can

11-29-2011 01:45:46 | More by JoeAmerican77

woosterbill

Connecticut

3.43/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz can into a Weyerbacher tulip. Thanks to JAHMUR for sharing.

A: Clear medium amber body beneath minimal head. Pretty uninspiring.

S: Meh. Generic nutty + caramel maltiness as well as some stone fruit. Not bad, just average.

T: Maltiness dominates throughout, happily leaving the weird fruitiness by the wayside in favor of sweet nuttiness. Tasty enough.

M: Soft medium body with moderate carbonation. Nice.

O: Decent beer, and I'm always happy to see craft in cans. I preferred this brewery's IPA by a good margin, though.

Cheers!

Serving type: can

11-06-2011 16:43:35 | More by woosterbill

Ratman197

Colorado

3.53/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Blue and white checkered can poured a clear orange amber with a lasting amber head. Aromas of toasted malt, fruittiness and light carmel. Palate was medium bodied and crisp. Flavors of carmel, toasted malt and light fruittiness with a crisp carmel finish.

Serving type: can

11-01-2011 23:17:45 | More by Ratman197

Rayek

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a mug, in the Oktoberfest spirit. Santa Fe's offering emerges a straight amber hue with great clarity and vigorous carbonation. A small eggshell cap quickly falls to a ring at the beer's edge. Leaves no lace.

Bittersweet toffee and toasted sweetbread are the primary theme here. Hops are mild and carry a lemon and cut grass theme. Toffee returns for the finish. The beer's light body makes it go down easy. Carbonation is right on.

Overall, this is a nice Oktoberfest. I'm glad I picked it up.

Serving type: can

10-24-2011 01:00:46 | More by Rayek

2melow

Colorado

4.45/5  rDev +23.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours golden/bronze -ish color with a nice white head. Rich and malty hits the mouth right away. Very slight hops in this one it seems more a nice bready maltiness with slight honey flavor. A great USA "Marzen" beer style from a New Mexican brewer. And it's in a can. Hopefully this one stays in the lineup, it's a solid seasonal beer. Will buy again for sure.

Serving type: can

10-10-2011 16:20:50 | More by 2melow

Domingo

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +5%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

There aren't too many Oktoberfest beers in cans, so this is a welcome sight.
Pours a deep golden color with a big fluffy white head. The look of this one definitely appears to be along the lines of the more modern Märzen beers served at the Wies'n these days.
The flavor profile matches that as well. Rich and malty, but definitely more of a pale malt. Earthy hops are there to keep that bready sweetness under control, but that's still the primary flavor profile. Lager-based honey flavor shows up here and there, too. It reminds me a little bit of the Hofbräu version of the style, and that's certainly a compliment for a US brewer. There's just a tiny sulfuric note on the (fairly muted) nose, which would really be the only thing off about it.
I admittedly prefer the darker malt versions of the style, but these versions have grown on me a bit. Plus, because of how the fest beers are at the moment, this version is actually extremely authentic.
Good take on the style, and I love the cans, too.
Not my favorite or anything, but still one I'll keep buying.

Serving type: can

09-29-2011 14:03:07 | More by Domingo

ArrogantB

Colorado

3.58/5  rDev -0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I actually like Santa Fe's canned offerings more than the bottles. Clear orange color. Smells like bread and a bit of alcohol. Tastes like a good marzen, some alcohol, some bread and a distinctive lager yeast flavor. I've gone through a couple sixers of this already and I might grab another before the season is over, not too shabby.

Serving type: can

09-29-2011 05:15:53 | More by ArrogantB

emmasdad

Colorado

3.48/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Stopped by Argonaut to pick up a six pack of Happy Camper IPA, saw this one and grabbed it instead. Pours a brilliant amber color, with a smallish ecru head. This is what a glass of beer should look like. A little spicy on the nose, with a bit of caramel. On the palate, sweet, crisp and a little bit bitter. A nice fall refresher.

Serving type: can

09-29-2011 02:32:21 | More by emmasdad

chugalug06

Colorado

3.78/5  rDev +5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A - Pour is initially aggressive, but head quickly fades. Brew is brilliantly clear orange with slight pink tint. Not much lacing to speak of... Head builds nicely when swirled.

S - Very light. much like a miller light.

T - Awesome! Great light flavor. Nothing is aggressive. Perfect for the style!

M - Great 5.0

O - Just as a Marzen should be... Light. airy. delicious. refreshing! Another great can from SFB, keep em coming!!!

Serving type: can

09-26-2011 00:57:23 | More by chugalug06

StonedTrippin

Colorado

2.98/5  rDev -17.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

almost like a watered down oktoberfest beer. it was thin and unexciting in the mouth. taste was bland and entirely devoid of that big malt character that defines the genre. from their website it sounds like they were going for a lighter version for an "end of summer" feel. if that is the case, then well done, but this won't be coming home with me again, especially with the myriad of excellent oktobers to choose from.

Serving type: can

09-23-2011 23:36:18 | More by StonedTrippin

meeekyh

Colorado

3.9/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A beer for Oktoberfest from Sante Fe - The beer is poured from a 12oz can into a belled beer glass. There is a golden color, just about the color of light honey with a light off-white head.

Smell is sweet and malty with a tart hop note. Alcohol is present but not overwhelming. There is a berry smell I imagine is from the yeast but I am a bit flummoxed. I am drinking this beer cold enough to be masking some of the complexity so as it warms I will add notes.

Taste is clean biscuity malt and crisp floral hops with a great balance. The malt is not too toasty or caramel-sweet and the hops are big enough to make a nice round mouthful.

Mouthfeel is on the big side of medium while the finish is a lingering, caramel, not over sweet but not dry enough to be called clean.

So overall this beer gets good marks. It is bigger than most lager styles and not anything like the dopplebocks that is isn't. It is a Marzen as well as I am able to define it. There are things about this beer I really like: the balance, the choice of malts and hops, the carbonation level, the price, and a few things I would change; mostly the overly alcoholic nose that obscures the olfactory complexity.

Oktoberfest from New Mexico? Yes, and it is good.

Prost and Slainte.

Serving type: can

09-20-2011 02:09:18 | More by meeekyh

amcmaho1

New Mexico

3.65/5  rDev +1.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Fresh can poured into an imperial pint glass...

Appearance: Not a whole lot going on visually, the beer's a nice golden amber color. Pours with a small head which doesn't retain for very long, except for a small ring. There's plenty of visual carbonation going on. It's a nice, relatively subdued beer so far.

Smell: I get some spicy yeast notes initially, along with some really prevalent malt presence. Some nice sweetness which is balanced out by some earthier hop presence. Classic lager smell, which is fairly omnideminsional and somewhat complex.

Taste: Initially, there's a brightness with the malt presence and some nice dry, earthy bitter notes on the finish. There are some really nice esters from the yeast which certainly don't go unnoticed, and work really well with the other predominant flavors.

Mouthfeel: This is a really easy drinking beer due in large part to it's carbonation; relatively light, but still effervescent to keep the beer interesting. I feel it to be a really sessionable 6% beer, for the fact that it sits so light on the palatte.

Overall: Another nice seasonal offering available in cans, and available very fresh. Is it their strongest offering? Perhaps not, but it's an extremely inviting beer, and certainly does a great job of not going overboard flavor or alcohol wise. For a style that i'm otherwise indifferent towards, I find myself gravitating to this more and more...

Serving type: can

09-19-2011 03:38:51 | More by amcmaho1

UnionMade

Colorado

4/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Stopped at my favorite local shop today and was surprised to see this in the cooler. Something new, which I always like. Santa Fe's can packaging is terrific in its minimalism. The bold simplicity jumps out at you in the sea of color.
Pours a brilliant orange gold color, perfectly clear, pretty spot on for one of the lighter Munich versions of Oktoberfest lager. A big poof of white head forms with the pour, but dies out very quickly. Just a dusting after a few minutes, and nothing left halfway through the glass. The head is a little disappointing, but that could be my only complaint with this beer.
Smells pretty damn good. Caramel malt and a touch of noble hops. That's it. More in line with real Munich Oktoberfest lager than most american craft versions, which are way heavy on the malt. Clean and surprisingly authentic.
The flavor opens up baby sweet and stays that way. Big bodied and malty, but stays well shy of overbearing. Lots of caramel, doughy and full of grain goodness. A bit of grassy esters, but well lagered and surprisingly authentic. Mild bitterness, in the lighter, hoppier Munich style. Think Spaten or Hofbrau's Oktoberfest. Sweet and gentle overall, with floral, bavarian hops finishing things out. Clean and dry, without much aftertaste. Good stuff!
For the style, this is something I would seek out. I've only had a handful of Santa Fe's beers, but all have been well above average. This one really blew me away, as it's a style that easily gets overbearing. Elegant and understated, while maintaining heaps of flavor. Well done.

Serving type: can

09-19-2011 00:28:51 | More by UnionMade

woodychandler

Pennsylvania

4.22/5  rDev +17.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

There are about a dozen hardcore supporters of The CANQuest (TM) and indiapaleale is on of them! His trades/contributions are AbFab and I always try to help him when I CAN. On the verge of CAN # 400, I salute you for your invaluable assistance. CAN you dig it?

From the CAN: "Celebrate the season for no reason." I loved the blue and white diamond pattern with a wee, tiny pretzel in the center as this CAN's design. What a great homage to King Ludwig and the crossed-hands-over-heart tradition that the two represent! For those that are used to plastic-y pretzels made by big companies and extruded from steel pipes, let me know and I will turn you on to some fantastic pretzels, including some hand-fashioned by ladies wearing prayer caps. No boostin', yo! The PA Dutch (Deutch) and pretzels are damn near synonymous and I have easy access to any brand you could want to go with a beer.

Crack & Glug time: As is the wont of most beers, my pour style allows for two-plus fingers of head as well as the release of aromas into the surrounding air. The head was an off-white, thick, foamy, with good retention. Color was an orangish-amber with NE-quality clarity. The nose was really clean with a really lovely lager sweetness. Mouthfeel was slightly thin with a dryer taste than one might expect from the style, but as regular readers of my reviews know, I am not a sweet beer fan and so this was right up my alley. Finish was semi-sweet, unobtrusive and really ripe for a pretzel. I am now reaching into my bag of Hammond's Pretzels and contemplating that initial salty crunch to accompany a most excellent beer.

Serving type: can

11-20-2010 21:30:16 | More by woodychandler