Left Hand Oktoberfest - Left Hand Brewing Company

UnderPressure

South Carolina

3.08/5  rDev -16.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Nice burnt orange colored beer. Clear. One inch head melts to a fizzy ring after a minute.

Not much aroma to speak of. Slightly alcoholic. Faint pale malt.

A balance of sweet, roasted malt and bittering hops with an accompanying metallic flavor.

Light to medium bodied beer with a nice, delicate carbonation.

Serving type: bottle

02-26-2013 13:56:27 | More by UnderPressure

Vashtar

Texas

4.55/5  rDev +23%
look: 4.5 | smell: 5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This is a great Oktoberfest!

It pours a really clear medium brown that turns golden brown toward the thin parts. The head is perfect, and it has nice lacing. Head retention could be better.

The smell has a perfect balance of beer, bitter and sweetness.

It tastes like a dream beer. It seems to have a sap that sticks with you. Slightly bitter aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is sticky, fairly light, and even throughout.

Overall, I'd definitely get this beer for my friends for a party.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2012 22:55:43 | More by Vashtar

TwelveOunces

Kentucky

2.5/5  rDev -32.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass

A- A slightly hazed golden orange. A big bubbly off white head.

S- Smells like a lager, a bit of grain, some grass. A bit of caramel. Not much on the nose.

T- Very grainy and quite skunky if im to be honest, and mine is as fresh as they come. Lager yeast flavor. Light caramel. Almost bitter or sour.

M- Light mouth feel, high carbonation. Dry and bitter aftertaste.

O- This is a bad beer. Im usually optimistic when reviewing beers but this one is just plain bad. I hope the bottle I got is just a rotten one because left hand's beers are usually pretty decent.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2012 21:39:41 | More by TwelveOunces

tdm168

North Carolina

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - dark ruby amber with a soft, off white head that fades to a thin lacing

S - lager yeast, fruity, toasty

T - fruity, sweet, caramel, bitter hops, lager yeast

M - medium bodied, smooth, well carbonated

This is a flavorful marzen but the intense yeast notes throughout are overpowering. the hops are a bit bitter as well and interfere with the caramel. In the end it's a highly drinkable and sessionable. It's worth a try, but I think there are better Oktoberfest beers out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-20-2012 11:40:01 | More by tdm168

superspak

Michigan

3.68/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 ounce bottle into signature pint glass, bottled on 8/7/2012. Pours slightly hazy orange copper color with a small foamy white head with good retention, that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Light spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of big pear, apple, biscuit, toast, caramel, earth, herbal, and light nuttiness. Nice aromas with good strength and balance. Taste of caramel, biscuit, toast, pear, herbal, apple, earth, and nuttiness. Lingering notes of caramel, light fruit, biscuit, toast, and herbal on the finish for a bit. Good balance of malt flavors; with no cloying sweetness after the finish. A slight twangy flavor noted on the finish. Medium carbonation and body; with a fairly creamy and slick mouthfeel that is good. Alcohol is very well hidden with almost no warming noticed after the finish. Overall this is a nice Oktoberfest. Good flavor profile and balance; very smooth to drink. Quite enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2012 03:53:17 | More by superspak

DavidST

Texas

3.78/5  rDev +2.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, bottled on 08/07/12. This pours an amber color with a decent off white head. The smells are of caramel, toffee, bread. The feel is medium higher than expected carbonation. Taste is good a little copper flavor, some caramel some toffee.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 04:03:23 | More by DavidST

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Smallish off white head settles into a nice lacing above a clear rusty copper colored beer.

Sweet roasted caramelized grain malts with a hint of light spices adding to the aroma.

Roasted toasted caramel malts, light spices, with lighter grains coming through in the taste.

A dryish aftertaste with some of the roasted caramel malts taste hanging around for quite some time on this medium bodied beer.

A pretty solid tasting Oktoberfest with a nice sweetish caramelized taste, one of the better drinks for this time of year.

Serving type: bottle

10-03-2012 21:55:31 | More by LXIXME

Ford

Texas

3.9/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a pint glass.

This is a very good Oktoberfest.

Color is a dark amber. Small amount of head foam. Not a huge smell, but smells nice. Plenty of spice in the taste. Yeah, it taste like fall. A really good version of this style in my opinion. Not very bitter, and not real sweet.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2012 18:36:11 | More by Ford

Minkybut

Virginia

3.3/5  rDev -10.8%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

I poured this beer into my tumbler at 45 degrees. The beer was an ugly off amber color and poured no head at all. UGLY!. The beer smelled pretty good though with hits of nuttiness. The beer also had good lacing which was strange since it had no head. The beer was pretty good tasting though with that nuttiness that I really liked. I will buy again.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2012 00:48:26 | More by Minkybut

marc956

Texas

4.05/5  rDev +9.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Better than I expected as I had not had anything from this brewery until recently. Excellent choice for those of you looking for an Oktoberfest that's a tad higher in ABV than Shiner or Sam Adams for example. Goes well with food as well as without. Cool label to boot. Here's to craft beer!

Serving type: bottle

09-24-2012 02:28:11 | More by marc956

metter98

New York

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: The beer is crystal clear copper in color and has a light to moderate amount of visible carbonation. It poured with a finger high dense off white head that quickly died down but left a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface and webs of lacing down the sides of the glass.
S: There are light aromas of caramel malts and spices in the nose.
T: The taste is similar to the smell but a little more complex with flavors of caramel and toasted malts as well as hints of spices. Just the slightest hints of bitterness and sweetness are detectable; the finish is both malty and spicy.
M: It feels a bit shy of medium-bodied and quite smooth on the palate with a moderate amount of carbonation.
O: Although this beer is quite malty, it’s rather easy to drink because the body isn't that heavy.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2012 02:28:02 | More by metter98

BeerDawgs

Georgia

4.23/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A 12 oz bottle bottled on 8/12/12. Wow, this is fresh

A - A clear amber, 1 finger of head. A very tasty looking brew

S - Lots of malts. Biscuit, and a touch of sweetness.

T - Tastes like a slightly sweeter pilsner. Lots of malts, and balanced out with a nice hop finish. Well balanced. Tasty!

M - Sharp and crisp. Well balanced.

O - An awesome octoberfest beer. I am not a big fan of the style, but I think this is great. Well done Oktoberfest. Puts me in the fall spirit.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2012 00:31:12 | More by BeerDawgs

jera1350

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Lighter burnt orange color that is crystal clear. The head is just a mere layer on top, but there is some nice soft lacing.

Lovely rich malty sweetness with caramel and earthy notes as well as a hint of smoke.

Pleasant malt sweetness with a light hop bite at the back end. The caramel and almost fruity malt profile is really enjoyable and makes this a top notch Oktoberfest.

Crisp and clean with a medium feel and terrific carbonation softness.

This is a wonderful beer for the style. Dare I say it's one of the best I've had in the style. What a nice little discovery.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 02:30:23 | More by jera1350

Bung

North Carolina

3.98/5  rDev +7.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12oz. Clear orange/brown pour. Minimal white bubbles on top.

Aroma, potent bready malt. Toffee, an earthy hop note, barely.

Taste, toasted toffee and malt. Some buttery caramel. Dry earthiness, a nice faintly bitter hop, keeps the sweet in check nicely.

More carbonation than I was expecting. Really nice light-mid body. Just coating, easy to drink.
I prefer a Marzen to a pumpkin, would try this fall brew again.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2012 02:01:41 | More by Bung

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Kind of bubbly with a thin layer of head that settles to a mild lace ring. Color is a nice clear amber brown with again great carbonation.

S - Munich malts, touch of caramel, pilsner like malts and some bread.

T - Taste is mildly skunky with a hoppy finish. Bread and caramel highlight typical for the style but the harsh grains are kind of distracting.

M - Light to medium.

Overall not bad and really nothing I would seek out again. A side note very sick cover art a wolf with fire breathing dragons? WOW!

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2012 00:17:04 | More by DrDemento456

kemoarps

Washington

3.58/5  rDev -3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

The beer itself is a beautiful rich copper colour. Quite appealing. However the lack of head knocks it down a bit for me.

It smells crisp and grassy with a little bit of a crystalline sweetness.

Smoothe and drinkable, appropriate carbonation. Decent balance, but that pilsener-esque, what I think of as munich malts (I could be misapplying the profile) are not ones that I particularly enjoy.

Overall a decent beer, just not one that I particularly go for.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 23:00:42 | More by kemoarps

Gigantis

Michigan

3.88/5  rDev +4.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 5 | overall: 4

They must have gotten a new logo on their bottle; the one I got was blue and appeared to have a wild cat of some sort on it. Doesn't really scream Oktoberfest but then again I selected it based on appearance at a beer store and chose it over many more common-looking bottles based on appearance alone. So, good job there Left Hand.

Anyway, it pours a good-lookin' reddish color with a decent head, though I could have used a little more in that department. The deep copper hues definitely looked appetizing though.

The scent is toasty caramel and hints of herb. I could have used a little more here, just a bit.

It has a nice malt profile; it hits the tongue with a bready sweetness (you get just a hint of alcohol) and it finishes off cinnamon and the faintest hint of herbs. The hop balance is perfect.

The mouthfeel is flawless, really. It has a semi-dryness to it that goes perfectly with the taste and medium body.

This is a very well-balanced beer and one of the better Oktoberfests I've had.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 21:58:36 | More by Gigantis

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.55/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A- Clear dark amber/copper. Head is a thin off white head. Retention is so-so.
S- Aroma is caramel, a bit of butterscotch and toffee and a light fruityness.
T- Very malt forward at the beginning. Caramel, toast, brown sugar. When it gets near the finish it has this odd white-grape like flavor.
M- Medium body for the style. Noticably overcarbed.
O- It's an ok, slightly-above-average octoberfest.

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2012 02:41:13 | More by jsprain1

Warman73

3.13/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Beer poured red amber in color. Head was light and did not hold on long. Smelled malty and lightly bready. Taste was good for someone to start out with that is not familiar with the marzen style. A good beginner beer. taste was lightly malty, I thought, with small amount of noble hop presence some caramel and nutty notes. Pretty well rounded and balanced. Hence the good starter beer label. I would drink it again. Not sure if I would go out of my way to buy it though. Mouthfeel was clean with decent medium body.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2012 14:27:10 | More by Warman73

denver10

Colorado

2.58/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Pours a cranberry red fused with a touch of amber. A quick living greyish white head that leaves rather quickly leaving behind a sampling of it around the edges. A sweet and spicy aroma, malt forward 110% of the way. Bready, caramel, nutty and cloves, cloves, and a little more cloves. Flavor is strong on the clove, the nuttiness, caramel and bread is definitely right there with it too though. A crisp medium to full body to this. Overall, meh. Not too familiar with the style but I do believe Great Divide's Hoss is a similar style, but with rye malt included, and I prefer that to this for sure. Glad I only bought a single of this...though not even sure I care to finish this one bottle of it.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2012 22:30:09 | More by denver10

scratch69

Missouri

4.03/5  rDev +8.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured a bottle into a mug.

Appearance- Deep amber color with two fingers worth of light tan head. Fair amount of sticky lacing.

Smell- Faint aroma of toasted malt and bread.

Taste- Bready with a caramel malt flavor. Notes of nuttiness and a slight hint of spicy hops.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied and slightly creamy. Nice amount of carbonation with a dry finish.

Overall- Pretty good oktoberfest. Worth having again.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 21:39:07 | More by scratch69

steveh

Illinois

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

Found some of this year's Okto after being pretty absent around here for the last couple years. Little update.

12 ounce brown longneck with the new, somewhat odd, label. A white tiger for Oktoberfest? No freshness date or ABV. LH web states 6.6%!

A -- Clear, deep copper-amber with a creamy, light tan head that settles rather quickly.

S -- Light nutty, bready nose with some light astringency from alcohol.

T -- Light bitterness and spicy pepperiness up front with mild breadiness in the middle and an alcohol pepperiness in the finish.

M -- Medium body with a very dry mouthfeel overall.

O -- A rather dry Oktoberfest -- Imperial Märzen? While the bready flavors are good, they're overshadowed by the mouthfeel. Looking at my previous review I found it very similar.

****
2009 - Review
2009 Offering (I hope, bottled-on box is empty).

A -- Deep and clear orange-amber color with a thick, off-white head (much darker color than the beer pictured in the Maßkruge on the label!).

S -- Mild DMS and bready/yeasty malts. Vague touch of spicy hops. Peppery alcohol becomes more apparent with warmth.

T -- Fleetingly sweet, bready malts with a nuttiness back that turns very dry in the finish. Result of the 6% ABV, I'm sure - a bit high for the style. Some lingering hop spiciness in the aftertaste, even some vague dark fruitiness, but not distracting.

M -- Medium body with a smooth & crisp mouthfeel.

D -- While a tasty beer, drinkability is a bit daunting as it would be difficult to drink a few of these in an evening without the dryness becoming fatiguing.

Serving type: bottle

4 - 3 - 3.5 - 3.5 - 3 -- 3.33

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2012 20:57:13 | More by steveh

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.33/5  rDev +17%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

The beer is the purest of deep, rich copper. A cream colored head recedes to a thick film with pretty decent lacing.

Smells of malts, caramel, and a faint bitterness.

Tastes so rich and in the marzen fashion. A great malty presence where the caramel sweetness isn't too much. There's a clever hint of spices and cinnamon in the end. The hops even everything out with a nice crisp bite.

Mouthfeel is sharp and dry, medium body.

Overall, just a great marzen. Very drinkable and balanced.

Serving type: bottle

08-25-2012 15:49:11 | More by JuicesFlowing

kojevergas

California

2.78/5  rDev -24.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a true imperial pint glass in high altitude Denver, Colorado. Reviewed live. Expectations are moderately high.

A: Pours a two finger head of good cream and thickness, and good retention. Colour is a semitransparent amber.

Sm: Nuts, caramel, cream, and heavy toasted malt. A mild strength aroma.

T: Toasted malt, badly balanced caramel, and light cream. In classic bad Marzen fashion, it's simple and boring. Maybe some light candied sugar. Strangely balanced and badly built.

Mf: Smooth and wet, suiting the flavour generally. Nothing special here.

Dr: Very drinkable, like most Marzens, but also simple, boring, and scattershot on the balance. It's alright but I certainly wouldn't have it again. Meh.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2011 07:06:54 | More by kojevergas

claytong

Vermont

3.48/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

this is a good classic oktoberfest with nothing special about it.

appearance - hazy pale orange. white one inch head. not very good retention but good lacing.

smell - bread, grass, sweet malts, minor hops

taste - follow the nose. hard to pinpoint everything

mouthfeel - good carbonation, medium body to thick bodied for style. very very drinkable.

Serving type: on-tap

09-24-2011 01:42:22 | More by claytong