Coney Island Freaktoberfest - Shmaltz Brewing Company

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

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

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

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

AlCaponeJunior

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

From the Schmaltz Brewery, Freaktoberfest is an interesting and tasty beer treat!

Pours blood red and perfectly clear, head is a bit on the pink side and lacing is not bad at all.

Caramel malts, grains, sweet toasty malts, and a little fruit make up the aroma.

Taste wise it’s not too far off from a Marzen or Octoberfest. Nice caramel malts and toasty, bready malts make up the bulk of the flavor. Hop bitterness is present in a balancing way, but isn’t the main attribute. It grows some as it warms though.

Body is lager-y and pretty easy drinking, yet full and right on the money for a marzen or Octoberfest style beer.

I think it’s another very interesting beer from Schmaltz, one of my favorite US breweries!

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 00:50:01 | More by AlCaponeJunior

garuda

Pennsylvania

2.65/5  rDev -18%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 2.5

A - Blood red, hazed body with a pink head that has good retention and lacing. Certainly not typical of style, but they got what they were going for.

S/T - Heavy on the metallic/blood aroma. Its still there in the taste but not as bad. some grainy malt sweetness, hint of raspberry, light bitterness. Even a bit boozy.

M - Medium body, medium carbonation, mostly smooth.

O - Once I notice the blood off-flavor in a beer, its hard to get past. Lacks the clean taste and feel that a lager should have.

Serving type: bottle

01-02-2013 13:15:06 | More by garuda

DavidST

Texas

3.53/5  rDev +9.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass. This pours a red color with a very light haze, looks almost like koolaid, and a pint foamy head which has good retention. The smells are mostly malty, some biscuit, caramel, fruit, grass. The feel is medium. The taste is good enough, a little syrup sweetness, some biscuit, but then more bitterness than expected, perhaps some rye.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 05:40:18 | More by DavidST

smcolw

Massachusetts

3.63/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Okay, the appearance really does freak me out. It pours out of the bottle as a bright, nearly neon, red color. The head is pink. Did they do this with food coloring. Lasting head with some chunky lace. The broth is nearly clear. I'm not exactly sure how to rate this.

More malt than hop, but it smells like a typical beer. Well balanced.

Decent bitterness for a beer that one would presume to be an Octoberfest. Round start of lightly toasted malt. The finish is peppery bitterness. The body leans toward watery, but the carbonation is low.

Serving type: bottle

12-02-2012 20:25:02 | More by smcolw

Chris_Cali_2o9

4.03/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a Sam Adams cup

A- Reddish copper body, 1 1/2" reddish white head

S- Pommegranet, cranberries, apple cidar, wine, cinnamon, metal, bready malts

T- Cranberries, apple cider, wine, bready malts, metal, slit alcohol

M- medium body, crisp cider like carbonation

O- So unique, it's like a cider/wine mets a marzen and has a baby. It's never too sweet, the bready malts and cranberry bitterness keep that in check. Not really an example of the style, but an awesome off beat brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 06:18:35 | More by Chris_Cali_2o9

TheSixthRing

California

3.68/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a clear ruby red with a pink, 2 finger head. Obviously artificial. Great retention with fair, sticky lacing, but the artificial coloring puts me off it's appearance.

Smell - Notes of grain, caramel and a touch of spice.

Taste - Grain upfront, peppery spice, honey and with a hint of citrus hops in the back end. Subtle mint notes creep in at the finish, and linger in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body, with a soft, well-rounded carbonation. Goes down fairly smooth. Semi-dry finish.

Overall - Not a bad brew; actually, pretty good. Not a fan of the artificial coloring, but it's not a deal breaker.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2012 03:14:29 | More by TheSixthRing

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.65/5  rDev +13%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a He'brew small shaker pint. Pours a cherry red amber with an appropriate one finger light pink head with good retention and lacing. Subdued aroma of light biscuit malt, fruit and nonidentifiable vegetables. Flavor is bready malt, grassy hops, dark and light fruit finishing spicy with a sharp and somewhat acrid hop bitterness. An unusually flavored lager, but no identifiable ingredient for the oddness. Medium bodied. Odd, but certainly fun to drink, it lives up to its presentation and label art. The finish is a bit unbalanced.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 04:26:12 | More by LiquidAmber

hardy008

Minnesota

1.88/5  rDev -41.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Bright red with a small pink head with good retention and lacing. This is one seriously weird looking beer. Smells like grain, with some sweetness. Not much else.

Tastes sweet with grain and some herbs. It surprises me how bland this beer is. Also has an artificial taste which is hard to describe. One thing is certain, I don't like it.

Medium bodied with average carbonation. Just not a good beer. The whole gimmick is the label art, and the color of the beer inside. A failure of a beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 03:34:45 | More by hardy008

One2Remeber

Florida

2.85/5  rDev -11.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Bought a 4-pack on Halloween in Chicago. First time having Coney Island.

A: Pours red (literally artificial coloring red). Disappointed already. Red thin head fades quickly. Hazy body.

S: Raspberry snow cone overshadows thick, German malts (victory, toasted bread).

T/M: Weird. All German malts but not pronounced due to some syrupy artificial taste.

O: Disappointed this is my first beer from Coney Island. I have heard positive reviews of the brewery but this beer is a gimmick. Not amused. For a seasonal red lager Freaktoberfest misses crisp, clean flavors of Munich malts while showcasing a rich lager yeast. If the style is brewed for amusement to please circus folk this is spot on.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 03:53:40 | More by One2Remeber

superspak

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev +13.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into pint glass, no bottle dating(but apparently from last year). Pours lightly hazy reddish copper color with a nice 2 finger dense light khaki head with great retention, that reduces to a nice cap that lasts. Good spotty lacing clings to the glass. Aromas of pear, apple, raisin, caramel, toast, molasses, biscuit, nuttiness, and light earthiness. Pretty nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of caramel, pear, raisin, toast, toffee, apple, molasses, biscuit, earth, and light herbal spiciness. Lingering notes of caramel, pear, raisin, toast, molasses, biscuit, earth, and light herbal spiciness on the finish for a good bit. Nice balance and robustness of flavors; almost zero cloying sweetness present on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a creamy and fairly slick mouthfeel that is nice. Alcohol is well hidden with almost zero warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a nice Oktoberfest style. Nice balance and robustness of flavors; very smooth to drink. This is fairly on par with the style as well. Definitely an enjoyable offering.

Serving type: bottle

11-01-2012 02:53:52 | More by superspak

obrike

Texas

3.2/5  rDev -0.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Bought a single as part of a mix sixer at World Market in Round Rock.

Quite a looker...especially for Halloween. A good red/brown hybrid with a big fluffy pinkish head. Certainly out of the norm. Not much lacing, but a fun beer to look at.

Getting some spicey malts, alcohol, maybe a bit of dark fruits. Not very pronounced though...does start getting better as it warms though.

Interesting, not too much going on with the taste. Malt forward for sure, but a pretty bare palate for the first half of the beer. Again, once it warms a bit, the spicey sweet malt comes out a bit...maybe some cinamon thrown in and dark grapes? Almost doppelbock-esqe, but way too subdued.
Pretty thin mouthfeel and it actually doesn't hide the booze very well. This is a one and done beer for me I'm afraid.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 00:00:03 | More by obrike

Vashtar

Texas

3.18/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 2 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Looks like a foodcolored, almost fluorescent joke. Even the head was red

Smells like beer mixed with Kool Aid

The taste is actually really deep an int the beer is too hoppy for a lager and it has a bitter aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is thick but slippery, like mucus.

Overall, I'm never buying a Coney Island beer again.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:06:30 | More by Vashtar

Flightoficarus

Washington

3.9/5  rDev +20.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Had to give this one a shot for fun!

A - Pours a dark red/maroon, with a quickly dissipating pinkish red head! Gimmicky? Sure. But I'm a sucker for anything horror/Halloween-themed.

S - Smell mostly of caramel malts, and subtle dark fruit notes. Scents are somewhat faint, but pleasant nonetheless.

T - Taste is of bready caramel malts, subtle dark fruits, and balancing spicy hops w/a hint of roastiness. Alcohol presence is noticeable, but not overbearing.

M - Medium body, with medium carbonation. Pretty balanced and satisfying overall in this area.

O - Overall, this is a solid, tasty beer, gimmick or no gimmick. Would be a great choice for a Halloween party or similar occasion.

Serving type: bottle

10-26-2012 07:39:19 | More by Flightoficarus

acevenom

Louisiana

3.88/5  rDev +20.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a glass mug. Pours clear dark red with a thick, moderately quickly dissipating pink head. I detect a moderate amount of tiny bubbles visible in the beer. It definitely looks gimmicky, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I pick up some bready and some caramel malts in the aroma. There are some earthy and floral hops. There's some mild fruity aroma, which might explain the color. The taste definitely excites more than the nose as the hops come through pretty well. There are earthy, floral, and piney hop notes that are very forward. There is a solid bready and caramel malt backbone. There's some citrus and some mild cherry notes. The hop bitterness lingers in the aftertaste. The body is medium with moderate carbonation. The finish is crisp with solid drinkability. This is a very good beer despite the gimmick. It would inspire some conversation if consumed at a Halloween party.

Serving type: bottle

10-25-2012 20:03:38 | More by acevenom

Onenote81

North Carolina

3.18/5  rDev -1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

12oz bottle poured into a tulip glass. Pours yields a ruby garnet with a thin pinkish frothy head on top. Looks like cranberry ginger ale. The nose is sweet with notes of strawberry, pale fruit quality, but closes out with a musty veggie scent. Crisp mouth. Good carbonation, finishes clean. The musty character carries over to the flavor as there is a dank "old" flavor that pervades this beer. Flavors of beets, cherry medicine, mild fruits, touch of bitterness on the back end. This beer sure was an oddity. Not sure I would venture here again as I really didn't care for the medicinal quality of this one, but then again, it wasn't so horrendous that I wouldn't have it again if offered. Too far out there from my favorite true fall-beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-12-2012 12:17:04 | More by Onenote81

rangerred

Tennessee

3.58/5  rDev +10.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance is one of the craziest colors I have ever seen in a beer. A bright red that looks just like kool aid. Light pink two finger head with good head retention and lacing.

Aroma has lots of caramel along with a spicy hop note. A little bit of hay and bread although it is quite faint.

All of the flavors are somewhat subtle but there is definitely caramel, dark bread, and spicy hops. Bitterness is light with emphasis being on the malt. Honestly flavor is somewhat lackluster but it could be compared to a weaker oktoberfest.

Overall, this beer is really all about the gimmick with the red color and the abv and is honestly pretty unimpressive. Nothing offensive, however, and an ok seasonal.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 02:45:38 | More by rangerred

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams "Perfect Pint" glass.

Appearance: Wow, by far the most red beer color I've seen. Pours a deep reddish amber with lots of rising bubbles. Huge six finger pink head with very good retention. Leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.

Smell: Aroma is fairly hop forward with a mix of herbal and earthy hops up front. Big hint of spicy pine resin. A little bit of citrus with hints of orange and grapefruit. Good hints of bready and musty malts with some caramel, toffee, biscuit, and cracker. Also some light hints of a cherry or raspberry like fruit. Pretty solid aroma.

Taste: Like the nose leads, herbal hops upfront with a strong malt base following. A nice mix of hops up front with some herbal, grassy, and piney hops. A little citrus orange and grapefruit. Fairly spicy and dank. Light undercurrents of cherry which I guess is where the color comes from. Strong malt base with notes of bready biscuit, caramel, toffee, yeast, and cracker. A pretty well balanced taste.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate amount of carbonation. Creamy and somewhat spicy. Very smooth.

Overall: A pretty interesting and solid brew. A nice mix of herbal hops and malts.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 06:17:48 | More by MattyG85

facundoCNB

New Jersey

3.95/5  rDev +22.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

a beautiful clean red with 2 fingers of pink head.
smells malty sweet, bready yeast, slight citrus (lemongrass/orange?)
the taste is way different than the smell.. getting a nice dark roasty caramel flavor up front, slight bitterness from the hops blend well with the malty sweetness.. got a nutty flavor from a burp. sweet raisin flavors in the finish.
medium body, nicely carbonated, slight creaminess with a dry finish.

this is an all around great beer, damn shame it's a seasonal.. i've had it for the past 4-5 years and always look forward to it.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 01:08:44 | More by facundoCNB

Brenden

Ohio

3.6/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Alright, so the color is a gimmick, but it's not bad beer. Red, pure red, without knowing one might have to guess it's a fruit beer, likely raspberry. It forms a pink head that has decent retention, with light but constant bubbling activity keeping it but not terribly strong. Lacing is light, but it's pretty good.
I'm all for hoppy beers, but I'd actually like more balance and softness from the malts in an Oktoberfest. There's quite the variety of hops in here, but the subtleties get lost a bit. They can be picked out, but with difficulty. There is some bread and a grains note, and there is almost a cherry-like sweetness beneath the hops, but it really is like a fruit punch. Hops go herbal on the end and remain lightly pithy throughout without getting too harsh.
The feel is the best part of this beer, as it's lightly crisp but gets pretty lush as it rolls on the tongue. The body is pretty much even medium, leaning slightly toward lighter. The creamy smoothness goes into the finish while the crispness, though light, doesn't back off either.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2012 18:06:10 | More by Brenden

TGZ32

Michigan

2.53/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Bought a single bottle to try out, and experience the freakiness.

A: Pours a blood red and produces a good 2 finger peach colored head.. leaves little lacing on the guzzle, but the head goes buhbye rather quickly.

S: Has a malty aroma.. with a hint of sweetness

T: Tastes like a sharp and bitter alcohol up front, then fades into a lager which is quite intense and odd. a lot going on here.. almost too much ?

M: Fizzy and bright a very tart taste

O: Glad I tried it, but not something Id pick up again.. very low drinkability.. a one and done type. I feel like the beer is just too busy all around, too many flavors flying around to enjoy it.. but A+ for creativity on this one.. love the 6.66% indeed

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2012 02:01:10 | More by TGZ32

CloudStrife

New York

3.4/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a snifter

A: Pours a blood red with a 1.5 finger pink head. Was not expecting that. Opaque with a hazy look to it. Some visible carbonation. Head becomes a film after a few minutes leaving no real lacing.

S: Musty malts, a hint of sweetness and fruit. Sort of earthy. Yeasty overtones.

T: More bitter than I though it would be with a fruity background. Cherry and currants mostly. Almost a sour like quality. Interesting beer that doesnt fit into any category. I find it to be quite pleasant.

M: Light bodied with ample carbonation. Crisp finish. Pretty easy drinking.

Overall a great alternative in this season. Blood red, unique taste, drinkable. Tough time of the year to compete in beers with more fruit of a flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 02:08:56 | More by CloudStrife