Oktoberfest - Capital Brewery

mariposafan

Wisconsin

3.08/5  rDev -15.8%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Bright amber body topped with tiny, creamy head. Some lacing, though.

The aroma is very bready - probably moreso than any beer I've tried yet. Some maltiness as well.

The taste has some yeasty notes and some maltiness, but mostly it's not there. A little sweetness comes through but overall it's just too watery.

The feel is fine, not very thick but with some body and plenty of carbonation.

It drinks fine, the alcohol doesn't make itself known. The problem is that there really isn't enough flavor to cause me to pick it up again.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2010 20:39:46 | More by mariposafan

GDBEERMAN

Colorado

3.35/5  rDev -8.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle into standard pint glass. best by date: 12.15.10 - cutting it close with this one, but it per se brewer, it should still be good.
A: Pours a hazy golden orange body, very classic body appearance, with a nice thin white layer of white head on the top, holds for a short time. Carbonation is very lively and lacing is left in a very minimal quantities.
S: Very bland rendition of the classic Marzen aroma. A bit of a bready, barley notes.
T/M: The front is a semi-medium body that has a dry biscuit tone to it. The mouthfeel is a cream feel, but still falls short and is a bit thin and watery on the finish.
D: This was a nice one to try among the many Marzens this season, but nothing that I would get in larger quantities than a single brew.

Serving type: bottle

12-13-2010 15:20:40 | More by GDBEERMAN

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.18/5  rDev -13.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to BeerFMAndy for this brew. Poured into a pilsner glass.

Color is bright peach with a slight bit of copper. Not entirely transparent, though no visible haze particles. Initial head is a single finger and dies down pretty quickly into a bit of foam on top. Very mild lacing around the sides. Nose is some light, toasted malt that reminds me of a light amber ale. Some biscuit malt as well as some very mild earthy hops.

Taste is some light biscuit malt and a very mild amount of caramel and toffee. Pretty plain. There are some light earthy and floral characteristics in the background. Light creamy character. The feel is a bit light with moderate carbonation. This is a nice and simple beer without any flaws, though I wouldn't go out of my way to try it again.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2010 02:24:17 | More by Thorpe429

bonkers

New Jersey

3.78/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to florida9 for this one. I poured from a bottle to sa perfect pint glass, clear copper pour with a sticky 2 inch white head. Lots of bready malt on the nose. The flavor is bready, and sweet with a lingering bitterness. Full in body and well carbonated. A typical marzen, very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2010 16:17:43 | More by bonkers

TGINaturday

Wisconsin

4.5/5  rDev +23%
look: 3.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I've been drinking for a while, but I just turned 21 recently and decided to get a "Pick a 6" pack to try some new things, and one of them was this beer.

A: From the bottle to a glass, the head quickly dissipated, but it has a nice amber color.

S: Like apple and caramel. Really very nice.

T: Really good, actually. Nuances of apple and caramel, very nice for the season.

M & D: Not very carbonated (usually I like that), but smooth and easy to drink. I could see putting a few of these back and not feeling too full.

Overall, after trying the wheat beer from Capitol Brewery (didn't like it), I'm very impressed and would drink again. Might even stop by the brewery (at UW now, the brewery is a short drive away!)

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2010 22:03:55 | More by TGINaturday

Erish

Illinois

3.85/5  rDev +5.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I poured this 12 oz. bottle into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass.

A: tiny bit of haze, orange-golden color, fading to light gold, the 2-finger beige head falls quickly into a thin cap, the lacing is good.

S: over-ripe apples, mellow earthy funk, caramel apples, very faint citrus note. Overall the aromas are not very strong, but pleasant.

T: lots of bread-like sweetness up front, quickly followed by the apples (over-ripe and caramel), and plenty of orchard fruit funkiness, the finish is pleasantly crisp, with just a hint of herbal hop at the end.

M: medium weight, silky, but the carbonation seems a bit much.

D: Not a classic, but a tasty rendition of an Oktoberfest.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2010 23:52:54 | More by Erish

DesMoinesMike

Iowa

4.25/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

With all of the marzens that are out this time of year it's a great opportunity to really compare different specimens of the same style see who comes out on top. I was introduced to this brewery at Brewfest this summer and was glad to see another good regional brewery come to town.

This bier is a medium copper color and is crystal clear. It has very little carbonation and the head vanishes quickly. The aroma and taste are nicely malted, sweet, and uncomplicated. They have a great flavor indicative to the style without a bunch of other notes thrown, just straight yummy goodness. Very smooth with the right amount of flavor lingering. A MUST repeat.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2010 03:17:13 | More by DesMoinesMike

schleprock

Illinois

3.23/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Orange brown clear hue with a nice think head poured from a bottle to a pint glass.

S: Sweet caramel malts, not much sense of hops here.

T: Toasty malt flavor, waiting for a kick that never happens.

M: Very mild carbination almost so little you think the beer is flat. Silky mouthfeel.

D: This beer is easy to drink but I'm wondering if I got a leaky bottle because it seems extremely low in carbonation and the slick mouthfeel is almost as if it's going flat. I like the beer and it's drinkable, just not sure this is what it's supposed to be but I'm willing to try it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 03:29:30 | More by schleprock

Florida9

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Clear, reddish brown in color. Pours with a respectably large yellowish head that has a decent retention, but no lacing.

S: Sweet caramel malts. Roasted malts. A faint bit of grassy hops.

T & M: Much the like the aroma, a good bit of caramel and roasted malts. A bit of nuttiness. Full bodied, creamy mouthfeel with appropriate carbonation.

D: Pretty much a standard Oktoberfest. Nothing spectacular, but a decent drinking beer. If you like the style, you'll like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2010 01:58:42 | More by Florida9

gatornation

Minnesota

3.5/5  rDev -4.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

pours a clear copper color with a quick dissipating head a beige collar and lacing ..smell is malts grain spices and hops a little caramel and some roasted flavors ..taste is much the same its malts both sweet and roasted with some hops some spice in there...mouth feel is lighter then most OF but it had flavor..not the best OF but it held its own it was drinkable but alas forgettable also with lots of OF to choose from ..try it though

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 21:39:09 | More by gatornation

EwaldEichstaett

Jordan

4.08/5  rDev +11.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

A: Golden orange brown color, a little lighter than some of the other Oktoberfests I've tried this year. decent head, mild lacing.

S: caramel sweet roasted toasty smell, a bit floral and sour as well. perhaps a bit adjunctish... not sure.

T: Toasty and warm, caramel malts up front and a bit of hops on the back end. There are some hints of fruit here, perhaps plum. Good flavor.

M: There is a good amount of carbonation, but it feels very gentle. Good body

D: This beer is very drinkable, I think it is a nice example of the style, best Oktoberfest I have had this year.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2010 03:32:01 | More by EwaldEichstaett

brewmudgeon

Wisconsin

3.6/5  rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

capital oktoberfest. 2010 is printed lightly on the neck of the bottle.

a 3.5 light apricot amber, one finger nearly white head collapses to a cap. the bubbles look to be about medium size, fizzy at first but the smaller ones cluster firmly to form the cap. about halfway through the cap is gone and there is essentially no lace.

s 3.75-4 fresh bright malt (both pale and caramel) and some grassy hops. kind of reminds me of gordon biersch o'fest, which i liked, but without the unmasked alc.

t 3.5-3.75 as the nose suggested, there isn't much toastiness in this one. instead the counterbalance to the malt is provided by bittering noble hops. i wish they could have managed some authentic toasted bread flavor, but this is still a pretty enjoyable beer. boy, though, the hop bitterness does linger a bit more than i'd like in an oktoberfest. and the flavor seems to have a little unrestrained alcohol going on.

m 3.5 about medium-light body and vigorous carbonation. could use more residual malt presence.

d 3.5 had the hacker o'fest earlier today, and i think i will probably ultimately prefer that one to capital's offering. yet is this one worth trying? absolutely, particularly if you want a hoppy take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2010 02:11:07 | More by brewmudgeon

bsp77

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Serving glass: Poured from bottle into pint glass.

Appearance: Clear amber-orange with some frothy head at first but falls back too quickly.

Smell: Toast, caramel, cherry and metallic hops.

Taste: Nice complex malts with biscuit, caramel and cherry interwoven together. Has a nice spicy hoppiness as counterbalance, which continues long after each sip.

Feel: Moderately high carbonation, medium body, crisp and dry finish. Great feel for a Marzen.

Drinkability: One of the better Marzens out there, although style wise it leans a little closer to a bitter Vienna. More than solid Autumn brew.

Serving type: bottle

08-16-2010 03:02:19 | More by bsp77

sweethome

Illinois

4.35/5  rDev +18.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pour from a 12 oz. bottle to a german pils glass.

Beautiful rich copper color. The colors of fall are all in there.

Dense head is very light. Dissipates, but does not disappear.

Wow, what a nose, rich matiness of german malts - defining the style.

Smooth, yet full and rich entry. Carmel maltiness, sweet candy sugar flavors, but still staying on the right side of balance. Just enough noble hops to keep from cloying.

Full mouthfeel. Every sip is a bouquet of flavor.

One of the best domestic O'fests and up there with the best German styles for my money.

Serving type: bottle

12-18-2009 03:31:54 | More by sweethome

Tone

Missouri

3.65/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, amber color. 1/3 inch head of a white color. Good retention and slight lacing. Smells of slight roasted malt, sweet malt, hops, and yeast. Fits the style of a Marzen/Oktoberfest. Mouth feel is smooth and crisp with an average carbonation level. Tastes of hops, yeast, and sweet malt. Overall, a decent oktoberfest with a good blend.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2009 03:03:57 | More by Tone

bruachan

Rhode Island

4.2/5  rDev +14.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

some head appeared with the pour, but it's quieted down. good o-fest color (lots-o-vienna malts, i bet)

full and toasty bouquet fills out even more with a faint fruitiness and a nice herbal hop scent. man, i love vienna aromas. a little husk, a little dried fruit/raisin

toastycaramel flavors up front and a tasteful hop prickle at the finish. good carbonation tailed with this bitterness to provide some texture to a very quaffable and slick brew. the hop flavor contribution is very nice: balanced yet assertive, and tasty overall

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2009 03:03:50 | More by bruachan

dfillius

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pint glass
A: Aggressive pour yields 1.25 fingers of ivory colored head with great retention. Clear amber liquid. Par for the course but with better head.
S: Mostly clean bready malt with some pleasant herbal grassy hop in the background. Solid but unassuming.
T: Sweet, clean, good hop bite. Not terribly complex but very nice.
M: Rich, hearty, a bit metallic
D: Good. I would be interested in another and maybe a sixer if nothing else could be had.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2009 00:58:48 | More by dfillius

Soneast

Wisconsin

3.38/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Pours a clear brown/orange color with a 2 finger thick, cream colored head that dissipates fairly quickly down to a layer of creamy bubbles.

The aroma has a pretty strong yeast component to it, fresh baked bread, with some malty undertones, mostly a slight toasted grain aroma and a hint of caramel and a touch of spicy noble hops.

A light grainy flavor makes up the bulk of the flavor profile, with a touch of nuttiness and breadiness, followed by an earthiness and a mild hop presence towards the end, leaving a toasty, slightly bitter flavor on the palate.

The mouthfeel definitely felt a tad thin and watery. I felt the flavors were well done, but the overall texture of the beer leaned towards watery, which was a bit of a turn off.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2009 18:15:46 | More by Soneast

crossovert

Wisconsin

3.58/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The final Oktoberfest I will down this season.

Pours the classic amber color.

Smell is a bit sweeter than most but hops are also present.

Taste has a nice hoppiness to it, along with nutty, sweet malts.

Overall it is another solid Oktoberfest Beer, somewhere in the middle of the pack.

Serving type: bottle

10-10-2009 15:33:08 | More by crossovert

Oxymoron

Colorado

3.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Tis the season, prost. Pours an amber colored red with a light orange hue throughout. A soft off white head poured out pretty froathy. Soft but also with bigger bubbles. Ok lacing once the bubbles died down.

The nose is limited but there a soft malt character. Some pils notes with a light Vienna aroma. Some softer Munich malt notes but really this is more of Vienna style Oktoberfest. Some hop notes with a touch of spice and earthy note. Very clean yeast but overall limited aroma.

The taste is a bit more telling than the nose. The Vienna comes out a bit more versus the taste but so does the Munich. Some minor husky note but not really specific pils flavor. Light bready flavors with a touch of roast and sweetness. Lingers into the finish. The hops drop off a bit versus nose. Some earthy notes but really limited. The yeast is very clean again.

The body is closer to moderate than light. Would like more depth here but still good. Carbonation is light but helps with the sweetness into the finish. Overall a limited O-fest. I know my preferences are usually more of Munich style O-fest so I will try not to skew this to badly. Very nice yeast character though.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2009 20:26:02 | More by Oxymoron

DeeMented

Wisconsin

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 ounce bottle into a glass beer mug.

The beer poured a slightly dark, clear copper color. There was a creamy, just off-white head that was slow to fade and left some soapy lacing.

It was hard to get much on the aroma of this one. The smell was very sweet and malty, with a hint of yeasty bread that started to come through as it warmed.

The mouthfeel was a bit on the thin side, but with a hefty amount of carbonation.

The taste was also a little thin. It started sweet, with toasted malts and caramel and there was just enough of a hops bite at the finish to balance it. I got a lingering bread aftertaste.

From past years, I remember this being a better beer. This year's offering seems a little thin and vaguely watery.

Still, very good beer. Highly drinkable and worth buying more.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2009 03:03:09 | More by DeeMented

HopHead84

California

3.88/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Consumed on 9/29/2009 and poured into a pint glass. Thanks for the extra, eyncognito. The beer is transparent amber with a one finger beige head and decent retention.

The nose has a substantial amount of toasted and bready notes. Hops are almost nonexistent in those, imparting a faint earthiness. No alcohol is noticeable. This is really focused on rich toasted malt.

The flavor opens up with toasted biscuity malt, and that continues throughout. Sweetness and bitterness are both at a low moderate level. A touch of alcohol is noticeable.

The beer is medium bodied with medium carbonaton and a creamy and smooth mouthfeel.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2009 07:27:07 | More by HopHead84

akorsak

Pennsylvania

3.53/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to eyncognito for this 12 oz bottle.

A: The bier is a beautiful copper color, translucent in spite of a chilly haze that blankets the glass. A finger of head, white in color, has left patches of lace behind.

S: The aroma is very sweet, almost to sweet. Bready grains have a grape and green apple scent that doesn't come across as particularly robust.

T: The oktoberfestbier is quite husky, loaded with treacly malts. The result is a creamed corn flavor that is almost too sugary to get through (I'll get through it though because I'm a trooper). A sweet raisin flavor, lighter than in Belgian style ales, runs rampant. A toasted element runs throughout, adding some depth to the sweetness. Bittering hops appear midway through but don't last for long. A little too sweet for my likes.

M: The malts have a fruity dryness that is too sweet at times. This one could really work if that aspect were toned down a bit.

D: The low alcohol is a big redeeming factor. There are other O-fests that I'd take first, but it were the only thing left in the fridge I wouldn't be disappointed.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2009 20:37:09 | More by akorsak

DefenCorps

Oregon

3.3/5  rDev -9.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Got this one as an extra from eyncognito in a recent trade. Thanks, Ian!

The pour is an attractive amber with a dense off-white head with excellent retention. The clarity is great, and plenty of carbonation is visible

The nose is rich and malty, with a bready, doughy character with a fruity component that's raisin-like. A little plum is also noticeable. Earthy hops, with a dusty smell are also noticeable. Solid.

The palate opens with plenty of sweetness, more than I care for. Bready and sweet with sugar, brown sugar and fruit character (plums and raisins). The finish is a semi-dry, with a mild bitterness . Hop character is a bit lower than it need be, and the malt sweetness is overdone. Medium in body with high carbonation and a sweetish finish that's not the best. While I have no problems drinking this, I hoped for more from this brewery.

Serving type: bottle

09-27-2009 18:33:51 | More by DefenCorps

beerwolf77

Wisconsin

3.28/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

I've been on a Oktoberfest kick since there's an ass load of them coming out right now so here's another. It pours an amber orange color. Fairly clear with a decent inch of off white head. A smattering of lace is left behind. The nose is malty with a hint of spice. Maybe a touch of hops if you sniff real hard. I'm starting to realize American Oktoberfest beers don't have a huge boquet on them. The flavor is pleasant. Malt and caramel with some hop bite and mild sweet fruit that hangs in there at the end. Medium body with moderate carbonation. Yet another decent offering from Capital. Not exactly a head turner but, a easily drinkable session beer for the masses.

Serving type: bottle

08-24-2009 14:53:21 | More by beerwolf77