Bell's Octoberfest Beer - Bell's Brewery, Inc.

fo5s

District of Columbia

3.1/5  rDev -13.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle served in a sam adams mug. Package date of 8/12/11 prominently displayed on the label (props to Bells for that).

A- pours a hearty gold. Minimal, crispy head.

S- clean, cereal malts. Present, but subdued.

T- bland, toasty malts. Slightly dry.

M- thin, but not too far off the median for the style.

O- a mediocre Octoberfest, and not up to snuff with Bell's other offerings. Not a bad option if choices are lacking, but there's much better out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 03:18:33 | More by fo5s

tlazaroff

Virginia

3.83/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: This beer looks pretty good. Its a slightly hazy orange with a nice frothy head and leaves little bits of lacing on the glass. Carbonation just streaming from the bottom.

S: High hopes for this one sadly let me down.. not much of an aroma. I get a slight slight slight hint of sweet fruit, but thats it.

T: Where this beer lacked in aroma, it makes up for it in flavor. I get some awesome notes here: slight pear, caramel, dough,

M: Medium body and carbonation and a tad dry on the finish.

D: This beer drinks very nicely. It's delicious.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 01:04:52 | More by tlazaroff

heebes

Ontario (Canada)

3.05/5  rDev -15%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Pours a clear dark golden with a finger and a half of foamy off white head. Nose is yeast, grain, grass, barley and some bready malt. Kind of a weak smell. Taste isn't any more impressive; thin on malt and leaning more toward a pilsner. Watery mouthfeel, medium bodied with a chewy finish.
Overall a let down in terms of style. It's crisp and refreshing and drinkable for sure but lacks taste wise.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 21:43:29 | More by heebes

Ryan011235

Ohio

2.55/5  rDev -29%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 2.5

Poured into an E&J Cask & Cream glass on 9/21/11

Packaged 8/16/11

Clear shade of burnt amber; it's a hue of medium-depth. One finger of fizzy foam reduces to 1/8th in layer in short order. Thin retention. Only two globs of lace.

Toasted grain aromas with a touch of floral sweetness to back it up; pollen-like. Hints of prairie grass. Not really much for caramel. Tame but pleasant. Sipping reveals a moderate amount of earthy hops that kick toward the finish. Toasted grains comprise the malt bill. As with the aroma - not picking out any caramel. Medium-thin body; a bit too fizzy. The feel doesn't beef up over time, either. The finish is a bit coating.

I like that the beer is dry, but I could use more malt sweetness to give it some depth. I'm glad I only picked up a single; there are better examples of the style to be had just as easily. I finished just over half the bottle.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 06:03:41 | More by Ryan011235

falloutsnow

Illinois

2.98/5  rDev -17%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Bottle purchased from Hyvee in Council Bluffs, IA.
Bottled on 8/13/2011.

Poured into a standard US pint glass.

A generous pour produces a fluffy 2cm head of medium-sized, off-white bubbles that deflates within a minute, leaving no residual bubbles and no lacing: not even a ring around the glass. Weird, haven't seen this in a non-macro in a long time.

Aroma is of light malt sweetness, not breadiness, with a hint of lemon-lime or apple-like fruitiness. Fairly nondescript, not sure I like the fruit aspect either. I want some caramel, grain, and light bread scents if I'm drinking a marzen.

Taste opens lightly with some light malt flavors joined to a touch of herbal and spicy hop flavors and honey or fruit sweetness (from the yeast?). A very light taste, sort of a mix between a marzen and a wiesen, but I don't like the fruity sweetness here. Again, I'd appreciate some caramel, bread, and grain-like flavors in a marzen.

Medium-bodied with low to moderate carbonation makes this an easy sipper and generally pleasant. Finish is surprisingly dry, but in a sticky sort of way. Generally pleasant.

This is a fairly average to below average American attempt at an Oktoberfest. A bit disappointed with Bell's here; won't be checking this out again. Generally bland, kind of like an APWA of this style. Good if you wanted something simple, unremarkable, and unmemorable, but why bother? .... Why bother with anything?

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 22:39:42 | More by falloutsnow

xnicknj

Pennsylvania

3.3/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

on tap at varga in philly

Pours a clear leafy brown color with some brighter amber hues. Thin beige head dissolves, leaving a few spots of lacing and little filmy retention.

Slight hoppiness in the nose, bready and biscuity malts. Touches of toffee and caramel. Somewhat muted overall.

Bready and citric up front with a faint touch of leafy hops. Bread crust and caramel in the malt. Some toffee sweetness. Finishes a little bitter and sweet.

Medium body, well carbonated, sticky and chewy on the tongue. Drinks pretty well, although nothing too explosive here.

Serving type: on-tap

10-04-2011 15:46:51 | More by xnicknj

Shumania

Virginia

3.78/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

bottled on 8/12/11, poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass

a: bright organge and amber that is clear when held up to light.

s: not much there, some sweet malt but very faint

t: nice sweetness up front and some breadiness is in there.

m: easy fall drinking!

o: pretty good oktoberfest. Nothing that really stands out, but an enjoyable beer to drink.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2011 01:40:52 | More by Shumania

onix1agr

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A bottle into a Bell's glass on the latenight.

A- Copperish brown with a dark tan foamy head up above, slight stick on this. The head becomes a loose cap of nothing after a bit. Some small bubbles going up the glass.

S- Caramel, munich malt, grassy hops, simple, yet refined. The hop scent on this is apparent a month after bottling. Some dank biscuit in the nose.

T- One of the better balanced and flavorful octobers from the states in recent memories. Im smacked with a gob full of caramel, toasted malt, slight nutty appeal. A dab of fruit in the middle with some grassy hops, finishing clean as as can be.

M- Medium bodied,nicely carbed,this beer is alive on the palate and well balanced. After a bit the carb dies down giving way to insanely east drinking.

D- I think I really like this beer, Im not a huge oktoberfest guy, HOSS is my favorite from the states but this might just be my second. A six pack might be in order.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2011 03:18:48 | More by onix1agr

Rhettroactive

Virginia

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

From 12oz bottle to Bruges hybrid glass on 9/19/11
*From notes

A: Bright, pale and rich golden amber. This is much lighter then I'd expected. A slight chill haze seems to be present. A good pour yields a 1.5 finger head, which fades rather quickly and leaves minimal lacing.

S: Hints of walnut shells, though what really stands out is a heavy amount of warm caramel.

T: Fairly low key. Somewhat sweet. Grainy. The back end of this is mild, and there's no lasting or discernible flavor on the finish.

M: No complaints here. It's heavy enough for those cooler autumn evenings. The carbonation is on point.

O: Bell's Octoberfest is an above average, yet slightly forgettable entry into the Märzen world. Nothing stands out here, yet it's easy to drink without much complaint. I certainly wouldn't pass one of these up, yet if given a choice, I'd rather have a Victory Festbier or Great Lakes O-Fest instead.

Serving type: bottle

10-01-2011 15:06:29 | More by Rhettroactive

jlindros

Massachusetts

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

Thanks to beerhan for this one.

Pours a fizzy 1 finger head that fades semi quickly, no real lacing, crystal clear slight orange amber yellow color.

Nose almost smells like fruit juice, like apple juice, with a bit of sweet malts, hint of reddish malts and caramel, plenty of fruity lager aromas, light crisp lager aromas, maybe the slightest hint of herbal earthy hops.

Taste starts lighter, with light pilsner malts, slight reddish malt flavor, hint of caramel and some light toasty malts, doesn't really get straw flavor but nice toasty earthy malt flavors. Plenty of crisp lager flavors, lots of lager fruit again almost apple juice like flavor but not really bad apple flavor, the yeast may have been slightly stressed but it's not bad. Some light hops do come through, touch of herbal and slight earthy floral hops bringing a hint of bitterness and spicy taste. Finish is a bit sticky so not very clean, but somewhat crisp, more fruit juice and hint of light malt flavors.

Mouth is a bit lighter bodied, decent carb.

Overall not bad, surprisingly not loaded with caramel and reddish malts which is a nice change, nice light toasty malts, hops are barely there and nice additions so a bit more of those would have been better, and the other big thing is the tons of fruit juice, which comes from the yeast probably fermenting a bit to hot and stressed, but not too bad.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 02:08:36 | More by jlindros

philbe311

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A - A finger's worth of fairly standard slightly off-white colored head... Modest retention gives why to a near identical full thick lace... The color is a light to medium copper with a distinctive amber hue... Loaded with swirling small bubbled carbonation throughout... An ever so slight haze...

S - Toasted malts... English toffee... Caramel... A touch of nuttiness... Some light bready notes as well... Spot on for the style...

T - The malty goodness greats you as expected... More bready than sweet, but tasty none the less... Also noted is some orange zest... Some noble hops rise on the finish... There are also some faint medicinal notes that lingers...

M - Medium bodied... Oddly dense... Very light carbonation... Sleek... A bit of a dry finish...

D - An average Oktoberfest... Solid appearance and aroma... The taste and mouthfeel are a bit of a let down... There are several other style counterparts that I would opt for and recommend over this Bell's offering...

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2011 22:56:08 | More by philbe311

MattyG85

Minnesota

4.35/5  rDev +21.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

Appearance: Bright and slightly cloudy amber orange with lots of bubbles. Solid three finger white head with a decent retention. Lacing is pretty light.

Smell: Lots of caramel and toasty malts with hints of toffee and biscuit. Also some wheat grains and some spicy, earthy noble hops in the background. Very caramel driven.

Taste: A fairly sweet taste of caramel, toffee, and toasted malts. A solid presence of wheat grains. Some slightly spicy and herbal hops linger around in the background. Malt driven but well balanced.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a moderate level of carbonation. Very creamy, crisp, and smooth.

Overall: A pretty good take on a Marzen. Full flavored and well balanced.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 06:43:01 | More by MattyG85

jayhawk73

Maryland

3.48/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours a nice gold color w/ an off white one finger head. Good carbonation and lacing on the glass. Beer has a little cloudy vibe to it. Nose is mostly toasted malt, w/ a hint of caramel. A little thin and one dimensional for me. Taste is the same as the nose. A little disappointing. Feel is medium w/ a little touch of honey aftertaste. Definitely not the best thing I've had from this brewery, but a good beer if you don't want to think about what you're drinking.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 20:40:03 | More by jayhawk73

BeerCon5

Pennsylvania

4.03/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear darker amber color with two fingers of fluffy off-white head that is well retained.

The scent is of dominant roasted caramel malt.

The taste is also of prominent roasted caramel malt, there is also a moderate hop bitterness.

Medium body, very smooth, low to moderate carbonation.

This was a good representation of this style, a well balanced flavorful beer. I would drink this again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-26-2011 19:27:53 | More by BeerCon5

Dave128

Kentucky

3.8/5  rDev +5.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a Duvel tulip from an orange festive looking bottle with bottle date 8-18-11 printed on the side.

A - A rigorous pour yields a less than average 1 finger or so head on top of a golden amber body. Lacing pretty much nonexistent.

S - Smells a little musty at first then I get a smell of some lighter malts, but not really the deep caramely maltiness that I look for in such a beer. alcohol is detected pretty easily.

T - Much better than the nose. Quite complex for this style of beer as far as malt profile. I get a fruity taste on some sips seems to be a yeast affect. I can't really taste much hops, but their bitterness is certainly there in the finish.

M - At first by the head and lacing of this beer, I thought the body was going to be a little to light and not full enough for a marzen, but it was well medium bodied and not overcarbonated.

O - An average Marzen. Certainly not disappointed but not too impressed either.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2011 05:20:27 | More by Dave128

jtingue

New York

3.55/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint.

Appearance. Pours a beautiful clear amber with a finger and a half of head, which quickly dissipates to a nice layer on top of the beer.

Smell. Lots of malty notes with caramel and some honey. Very faint herbal hop aromas underneath as well.

Taste. Starts with a slightly bitter heabal hop flavor. This is then accompanied by some nice sweet caramely malts. This is followed by some tartness. THe finish is very clean and refreshing. There is a clean but noticeable yeast presence throughout.

Mouthfeel. Thin body with minimal carbonation. Makes the beer quite quaffable. Appropriate for the style.

Not a complex beer by any means, but a very sessional one. Very simple and straightforward taste that is enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2011 16:57:56 | More by jtingue

DeltaGolfSierra

Tennessee

3.3/5  rDev -8.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A lovely clear amber liquid full of carbonation bubbles sits beneath a billowing head that stands tall above the rim of the glass. Very attractive. The smell leaves much to be desired however, as the grain scents are very weak. The taste is primarily biscuit, though hops make their presence known with a floral/herbal flavor in the finish. Nothing special going on in the mouthfeel, though carbonation is just right. Not one of Bell's better brews.

Serving type: bottle

09-23-2011 23:50:15 | More by DeltaGolfSierra

russwbeck

Virginia

4.5/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

A: Slightly hazy golden brown pour with about a finger of white head.

S: Predominantly malty with some underlying hops.

T: Bread, crackers, malts, grain, mixed in with a bit more hoppiness than I was expecting and bam you have a great tasting beer. The taste is subtle, but refreshing.

MF: Finishes clean and dry, making you come back for more...and more and more...

O: Extremely drinkable, tasty, great representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 02:07:39 | More by russwbeck

3.85/5  rDev +7.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Appearance - light ornage with slowly rising carbonation bubbles and a long-lived white head.

Smell - Very Germanic, and typical of this style - lots of malts, biscuit, and spicy hops.

Taste - Sweet but balanced maltiness with just enough bitterness to balance it out.

Refreshing and flavourful.

Serving type: bottle

09-21-2011 00:22:21 | More by

Huhzubendah

District of Columbia

3.98/5  rDev +10.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On draft at Bilbo Baggins in Alexandria.

The beer is nearly clear, and appears light orange in color. The head is thick and frothy, measuring a little over an inch thick. The aroma is somewhat muted and weak, though I have yet to experience a really assertive, bold aroma from a beer of this ilk. The flavor is nice, with a strong malt and grain presence, followed by a light dose of pleasant spices. Great feel on the palate. I could throw back a few pints of this. I would have this again.

Serving type: on-tap

09-20-2011 17:52:06 | More by Huhzubendah

KDawg

Illinois

3.95/5  rDev +10%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

pours a rich and dark orange color with a head that disappears kinda quickly.

Much more german in style with the notes on the nose. Lots of malts, grains, and crackers along with some spice tones and a touch of hops

Fuller bodied with a very good spice and grain finish. This wasn't a domestic oktoberfest trying to masquerade as an oktoberfest or trying to put its own spin on it. Takes the style and runs with it very well

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 15:23:37 | More by KDawg

dmfrench

Indiana

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

A lightly malted, herbal hoppy Oktoberfest.
___

A: Light and hazy pretty pumpkin orange with a somewhat persistent one finger tight off white head.

S: Typical dusty, herbal Euro hops balanced by a sweet fruity malt. Not too much bread or caramel.

T: On the hoppier side of the Oktoberfest equation, those hops being herbal and lightly spicy like the nose, but still pretty traditional. What I'm missing is a big caramel malt backbone.

M: Light and fizzy and highly drinkable.

O: Not a bad effort, but I could really use more malt.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 22:58:31 | More by dmfrench

climax

Kansas

3.58/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The burnt sienna body from the pour sits below an inch creamy tan foam. The retention is excellent.

The aroma is all Oktober. Caramel and biscuit flavors are assertive but not intense. Lesser tones of spice, pumpkin, and raisins sneak their way in to add subtle complexity.

The flavor starts out smooth and easy, before the much more profound malt finish. Toasted bread crust, dates, mild fruitiness, and a dash of alcohol are all present.

The smoothness seems to lighten the heft of the body, because this one isn't thin by any stretch. The carbonation and slick feel make it very easy to drink, as well it should.

This is a solid easy to drink Oktoberfest, I did expect a bit more from Bell's though. However, this sixer will become a memory before too long.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 22:57:21 | More by climax

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.45/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a standard octoberfest orange-brown. Head is one finger, though retention is subpar.
S- Smell is slightly grainy, with caramel, toffee, and a raw nuttiness coming through.
T- It's a bit mild compared to others in the style. Light caramel, a bit of general malty sweetness, and just a wee bit of a raw almond character.
M- Medium body, medium carbonation, sweet finish.
O-It's an ok octoberfest but I'm left with kind of a meh feeling. Compared to Great Lakes or some of the German examples, this one isn't all that great.

Serving type: on-tap

09-19-2011 04:00:32 | More by jsprain1

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

3.43/5  rDev -4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Six pack from Grand Ave Hy-Vee served in a SA glass.

Medium copper color, slightly hazy, plenty of foam. The aroma seems light with more of an emphasis on the hops than the malt. The taste was similar with a tad more malt noticeable, with some cinnamon and nutmeg hiding in the back. The body is good and it's fairly smooth.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 21:14:27 | More by DesMoinesMike