Coney Island Freaktoberfest - Shmaltz Brewing Company

BeerAmbassador

Arizona

3.03/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a bright red, with a pink head. If I didn't know what it was, I would say it looked like a kriek. The head sticks around for a while and leave behind some sticky lacing on the glass. Malty cereal grain aromas, the smell reminds me of when I brew beer. Little bit of hop bitterness after a toasty malt flavor on the palate. It kind of reminds me of a hoppy brown ale if it weren't for the color. Not my favorite offering from this brewery, but not bad.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2011 03:02:07 | More by BeerAmbassador

ajtorres311

Florida

2.5/5  rDev -22.6%

05-16-2013 15:37:46 | More by ajtorres311

Kerrie

Michigan

3.75/5  rDev +16.1%

04-08-2013 16:48:04 | More by Kerrie

drgonzo2k2

California

3/5  rDev -7.1%

03-31-2013 00:48:43 | More by drgonzo2k2

mfnmbvp

Illinois

3.5/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. bottle with no apparent freshness date, although I'm pretty sure this is a fall 2012 release, so it has been chillin in the bottle for about six months now. Was going to get the 4 pack on sale, but decided to buy a single bottle instead. My second beer by Shmaltz, the other being Shmaltz Coney Island Lager, which I don't remember enjoying so much, but that's another story. The Shmaltz Coney Island Freaktoberfest sounds like an intriguing beer, and I am excited to be trying it now! Gets me in the mood for Halloween early.

Poured into a Firestone Walker pint glass.

A - An absolutely beautiful, stunning, blood red ruby color hue to that body, but most impressive is the finger and a half of authentic strawberry pink colored foamy head, with very decent retention. One of the most beautiful / truly unique looking beers I've ever beheld. Lots of thick scattered lacing.

S - Judging by the appearance, I would be expecting a luscious tropical strawberry smell, but instead there is only a faint subdued cherry / dark fruitiness, bubblegum malts, and a faint hoppiness. So far, it doesn't remind me at all of the standard autumn seasonal pumpkin / cinnamon spice beers, which I'll go ahead and say is a good thing.

T - Taste isn't as tame as I was expecting; spicy bitter hops overpower most of the fruity bubblegum malts that I thought I could smell in the nose. Even after chillin in the bottle for six months, this beer still packs a hell of a hop punch. Spicy hop bitterness outdoes the malt profile for sure, which is a surprise when compared to the nose, but that bubblegum yeast is still very highly present.

M - Sticky and resinous. Hoppy and malty. A balanced aftertaste, even if it is a little too hop forward.

Overall, an impressive beer, and an impressive seasonal. One I would gladly pick up again fresh next Halloween season. Not nearly as good or memorable as the Great Lakes Nosferatu, but a very notable autumn beer. Glad I got to try a single 12 oz. bottle, I probably wouldn't wanna pay full price for a lousy 4 pack.

Shmaltz Coney Island Freaktoberfest ---3.5/5

Serving type: bottle

03-23-2013 05:20:18 | More by mfnmbvp

beestes

Missouri

3.5/5  rDev +8.4%

03-14-2013 05:45:20 | More by beestes

alelover

Michigan

3/5  rDev -7.1%

03-13-2013 19:45:09 | More by alelover

CMOrak

Florida

2.75/5  rDev -14.9%

03-13-2013 01:31:30 | More by CMOrak

Texasfan549

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +8.4%

03-10-2013 05:30:14 | More by Texasfan549

BostonHops

Massachusetts

3/5  rDev -7.1%

03-06-2013 02:44:02 | More by BostonHops

Dyerseve

Michigan

3.5/5  rDev +8.4%

03-01-2013 19:43:42 | More by Dyerseve

BLACKBEARDNY

New York

4.75/5  rDev +47.1%

02-28-2013 17:40:16 | More by BLACKBEARDNY

Michaeldmanley

Texas

4/5  rDev +23.8%

02-18-2013 23:57:53 | More by Michaeldmanley

maznblue80

Ohio

3.5/5  rDev +8.4%

02-16-2013 05:18:10 | More by maznblue80

Thedrizzle

Florida

4.75/5  rDev +47.1%

02-16-2013 00:11:47 | More by Thedrizzle

Flashyspoons

Louisiana

5/5  rDev +54.8%

02-14-2013 06:12:40 | More by Flashyspoons

beeragent

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +21.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Poured into a pint glass from a 12oz bottle.

A - pours a medium blood red with a 1/2 inch pink head. Medium lace on the glass.

S - bready malt aroma along with a hint of berry.

T - caramel malt, slighty bready, and a slight berry sweetness throughout. Hop bitterness is more noticeable in the finish.

M - medium bodied. Average carbonation. Clean finish.

O - interesting appearance for an Oktoberfest seasonal but it fits better for the Halloween theme. Not as flavorful or as big a malt profile as the usual Oktoberfest seasonal, but the berry addition makes it a very unique beer, especially being characterized as an amber/red lager. Great beer, and if in the mood for an amber lager, this would be high on the list!

Serving type: bottle

02-14-2013 01:11:40 | More by beeragent

BugTownPub

Pennsylvania

3/5  rDev -7.1%

02-06-2013 04:30:08 | More by BugTownPub

jplopez21

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev +0.6%

02-05-2013 01:35:51 | More by jplopez21

RWLawman

North Carolina

3.19/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Blood red, which is pretty cool for a "Freaktoberfest" beer. No head or lacing to speak of.

S - Fruity, like raspberry or some kind of berry, with some malts and general sweetness.

T - Tastes almost exactly like it smells. Almost too sweet, but still tasty. Raspberry, malts, slightest hint of a metallic taste on the back.

M - Average mouthfeel. not watery, but not thick. Sessionable.

O - Pretty good beer. Not something that I will go out of my way to find. This is certainly not an Oktoberfest beer, which it is SORT of advertised as. It is categorized on this site as a red/amber lager. In that, this is an above average red, in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

02-04-2013 00:35:38 | More by RWLawman

eulerthegrape

California

3.25/5  rDev +0.6%

02-03-2013 20:30:33 | More by eulerthegrape

TATURBO

Illinois

3.25/5  rDev +0.6%

02-02-2013 22:51:31 | More by TATURBO

jameyp

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev +16.1%

02-01-2013 04:57:13 | More by jameyp

DenverLogan

Colorado

3.99/5  rDev +23.5%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4

From bottle...poured in chalice.
OK...we have a raspberry color...different! I won't distract this from a score. I've had a purple beer in Belgium that tasted fine!
Big slightly red head of various size bubbles.
Aroma of amber malts, bread, fresh mowed grass, slight Italian spices, strawberry.
Significant carbonation and mouthfeel.
Whoa...got beer ingredients plus...mild malts, peppercorns, melon rind, bitter hops, sangria. Overall a tasty brew with fun color and aroma. Should it taste like an Octoberfest...well, on the label it says it's not that style...it's a Freaktoberfest beer. I'm OK with that. It seems like many reviewers take away because of the color, lack of imperial taste, or the like...might have been good to try this brew without seeing it's color, then rating it in comparison. This is an example of why I believe the appearance should be of much less significance than the aroma and, especially, the taste. The proof is in the pudding and even with probably a few more months of aging than is appropriate, this beer taste good, not imperially great, but I don't find anything significantly wrong and it has good body, flavors and tastes. Also great to pour at a blind tasting!!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 03:27:10 | More by DenverLogan

wer

3.25/5  rDev +0.6%

01-27-2013 02:31:03 | More by wer