Oktoberfest - Port City Brewing

drabmuh

Maryland

4.25/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Take this Chaney. Growler poured into a Port City shaker pint glass because I can. Shared with the other Matt at his place last night.

Beer is copper / amber with a mild haze, huge head (rough pour) of offwhite bubbles that leaves a little lacing on the glass, head has some retention to it and the carbonation is steady and nice. Looks good.

Aroma is a little weak, mildly sweet, some lager yeast character in there, mild nuttiness, could be more pronounced.

Beer is medium to light in body, easy drinking, nice lead off sweetness. Very nice lager right here, mildly bitter but not overly so on the finish, a really great beer. I kept drinking and drinking, basically killing half the growler alone. I would have more of this if offered. Make more lagers Port City, this is the best beer you've made so far by a lot.

Serving type: growler

09-05-2011 19:13:13 | More by drabmuh

dexterk1

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

04-28-2013 23:37:07 | More by dexterk1

IrishColonial

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

04-27-2013 19:36:33 | More by IrishColonial

T12oy

4/5  rDev +3.6%

04-22-2013 17:55:39 | More by T12oy

delta490

Virginia

4.26/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25

Poured 12 oz bottle into Sam Adams glass. Has a bright copper color with a big foamy white head which lasts well into the beer. Aroma is simple has nice notes of spice and caramel. The taste mirrors it with a little hop bitterness on the finish. It is moderately carbonated with a smooth mouthfeel. A great American take on a classic German style.

Serving type: bottle

04-05-2013 22:46:31 | More by delta490

ChrisKayler

Virginia

3.5/5  rDev -9.3%

01-26-2013 04:07:22 | More by ChrisKayler

erogers

New York

4/5  rDev +3.6%

01-17-2013 07:03:32 | More by erogers

BeerFMAndy

Wisconsin

4.28/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into a Sierra Nevada imperial pint.
5.5% ABV, no date.

Thanks to Chaney for another brew from the monster box he sent!

A - Tight bubbles form a tall pillow off white head which doesn't hesitate to almost overflow. A few gobs of lace remain on the glass after the beer plateaus to a lop-sided pile above the clear golden amber-hued beer.

S - Port City's Oktoberfest has an inviting, crisp, clean aroma with up-front toasted Vienna malts and a trace of Munich sweetness. The beer is laced with a crisp snap of hops though; faint citrus and tight herbal notes almost mask this very dull yeast nose; the smell of straight-up yeast from a smack-pack with a touch of sulfur. Thankfully it's small enough it doesn't distract from the rest of the beer.

T - Like the aroma before it, the flavor is very plain and simple but don't consider that an insult. This beer sticks closely to the German classics with malt at the forefront; toast and sweetness the main two components. Hops finish with a trickle of herbal qualities and nice dryness. The doesn't appear to continue into flavor but a pinch of that sulfur (also common to German varieties) remains.

M - Crisp feeling and clean with a medium-light body, Port City's Oktoberfest has a great hop dryness that balances the malt very well on the palate. It's very drinkable indeed.

O - Another thirst-quenching Oktoberfest, Port City's close-to-classic brew puts drinkability above all with nice malt flavor that's balanced very well by European hops. Aside from a bit of yeastiness (evident with quite a bit of haze at the bottom of the bottle) this is a great seasonal offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-11-2012 18:51:20 | More by BeerFMAndy

mrdziuban

Virginia

3.75/5  rDev -2.8%

11-02-2012 01:30:59 | More by mrdziuban

HopsandPots

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -22.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A 12oz bottle brought up from the brewery. Bottling code is 2432 A1 1231, whatever that means.... Poured into a pint glass

A- Copper with plenty of carbonation inside the beer. Not much of a head at all.

S- Smells of lightly toasted malt and a bit of caramel sweetness

T- A mild hop bitterness upfront, overtaken by the sweet and biscuit.

M- Probably a bit overly carbonated, but washes away quick for a dry finish.

Overall- It's a fine Oktoberfest. It doesn't blow me away, but I won't turn the next one down.... Isn't that the point?

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2012 19:50:35 | More by HopsandPots

Yoopermk

Maryland

4/5  rDev +3.6%

10-25-2012 13:03:45 | More by Yoopermk

GaryMarkle84

Virginia

3/5  rDev -22.3%

10-14-2012 22:52:19 | More by GaryMarkle84

cuy50

Virginia

3.25/5  rDev -15.8%

10-14-2012 05:41:50 | More by cuy50

Rukasu

District of Columbia

3.38/5  rDev -12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into glass

A - Clear orangey tan, with a dense white two-finger head that settles by half

S - Toasted grain, grass, earthy

T - Nice dry beer, slight malty sweetness with fruit and smooth hop finish.

M - Smooth and creamy, full but mild flavor with significant carbonation

O - Nice, well rounded maerzen. Easy-drinking and fun to try for the season but a six pack is probably more than I needed.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 01:00:21 | More by Rukasu

tlazaroff

Virginia

3.65/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Quick review cause I'm tired.

Smells like a traditional oktoberfest bier. Toffe and nuts all up in my nose!

In color, its a slightly hazy orange with a just-off-white head that provides generous lacing.

Nuts and biscuits, very malt-forward. It's very satisfying, light bodied with moderate carbonation. Its easy to drink, and pretty darn tasty. Glad I have a local Marzen as a go-to for the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 00:52:36 | More by tlazaroff

Ig0r

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.6%

09-29-2012 23:34:41 | More by Ig0r

jak3676

Virginia

3.68/5  rDev -4.7%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Port City - Oktoberfest

Another local brew bottled in Alexandria, VA.

It's a nice golden-amber color, but quite hazy - no where near as clear as most. Slightly hoppy and malty, they got the flavor right, and it's a nice and smooth 5.5% ABV. I'd put it in the top half of those I've tried so far, but nothing really that stood out.

It's another beer that I'd happily have again, but probably not good enough that I'll remember to look for it again at the store. No sign of a bottling date anywhere.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2012 20:44:48 | More by jak3676

smakawhat

Maryland

3.58/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured on tap at H st festival dc. Plastic clear solo cup.

Golden amber body, with lots of visible rising white carbonation. Head is bit creamy pulls a little thin, off white and faint tan.

Nose is slight mix of toasty malt and classic toffee stickiness, but subdued.

Palate hits with a good feel, mix of good carbonation and faint creamy. Aftertaste is a bit hoppy for the style, strangely, very light caramel on finish.

A respectable Marzen, worth trying.

Serving type: on-tap

09-15-2012 20:33:43 | More by smakawhat

Dave1999

Virginia

4.38/5  rDev +13.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured a cloudy orange with a white foamy head.

The smell was malty and sweet, with caramel and some hop earthiness.

The taste was sweet and malty but had a good level of hop bitterness to it. Very well balanced.

The mouth feel was quite chewy, medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall an easy drinking excellent Oktoberfest. This example was more bitter than other Oktoberfests I have tried and it worked very well. The Port City Oktoberfest tasted almost like an English IPA.

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 14:10:28 | More by Dave1999

billab914

Virginia

4/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz bottle poured into my Mad Fox glass. Bright amber in color with a thin white head barely covering the top of it. Very nice clarity and color.

The aroma mixes crisp fruits with toasted malts. There is some notes of apple with a little grape in it. There is a little bit of a caramel sweetness in it as well. The toasted malts are very nice. Good balance to it.

The taste follows through with more of the crisp, slightly tart fruits coming through up front. The finish is where more of the toasty, bready malts show. The sweet, crisp and tart flavors are all well balanced, and the toasted malts are well done.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side with moderate carbonation. Overall, I thought it was a very good beer of the style. Well balanced, nicely flavored and easy drinking. Very solid beer overall, easily my favorite Port City seasonal so far.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 17:58:49 | More by billab914

2dogbrew

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +16.6%

09-08-2012 04:32:24 | More by 2dogbrew

RichH55

Illinois

4/5  rDev +3.6%

12-12-2011 23:37:28 | More by RichH55

mdfb79

New York

4.1/5  rDev +6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From 09/30/11 notes. Been meaning to try this one and finally picked up a 32 oz. growler of it at the Whole Foods in Clarendon, VA. Poured into a pint glass.

a - Pours a dark hazy copper orange color with one finger of off white head and moderate carbonation evident.

s - Smells of fruity malts and bready malts, light hops, and some nutiness.

t - Tastes of bready malts, caramel malts, fruit, light puts, and light citrus hops.

m - Medium body and low carbonation. Very easy to drink.

o - Overall I thought this was a really good Oktoberfest beer. Very glad to see Port City starting to do some seasonals and this is up there with their porter as their best beer. Girlfriend loved it too, would definitely buy it again.

Serving type: growler

10-03-2011 16:54:47 | More by mdfb79

localone703

Virginia

2.95/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Deep amber color off-white head.

Aromas of caramel malts and a whiff of earthy hops.

Earthy hop flavor swims upstream against a sweet malt character that I found a bit amateurish - fruity off notes not right for a lager. I wanted the refined toffee notes to an otherwise barely off-dry maltiness, but this one was too sweet with the flavors a bit too loose.

Medium body that finishes on a fruity sweet maltiness I found a bit cloying for the style.

You can take an Old Dominion brewer, give him some Old Dominion equipment, but he just can't hit the same mark. This stuff aint doing Virginia any favors - kinda like Old Dominion in their later years.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2011 03:55:09 | More by localone703

Rhettroactive

Virginia

4.18/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

From 64oz growler to nonic pint glass on 9/13/11
*From notes

A: Nice amber hue. Clean. A good pour yields a 1.75 finger head and really respectable lacing.

S: Malty grain and a touch of earth. A bit green.

T: This is a damn smooth and delicious O-Fest. Grainy and crisp without being too cloying or sweet. The finsih is a bit toasty and quite rich.

M: Über-creamy. The texture is right on, it's big and bold without being offputting. The carbonation is right where it should be.

O: Port City's Octoberfest is hands down their best brew yet. It's exactly what I expect out of a top shelf Märzen and then some. If nothing else, this proves without a doubt that the Port City crew can lager with the best of them.

Keep 'em coming, Bill!

Serving type: growler

09-21-2011 21:20:25 | More by Rhettroactive