Jubelfestbier
Mahr's Bräu

JubelfestbierJubelfestbier
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From:
Mahr's Bräu
 
Germany
Style:
Schwarzbier
ABV:
4.9%
Score:
85
Avg:
3.78 | pDev: 11.11%
Reviews:
50
Ratings:
57
Status:
Retired
Rated:
Mar 13, 2014
Added:
Nov 23, 2004
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  0
No description / notes.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by granger10:
Photo of granger10
Reviewed by granger10 from Wisconsin

4.15/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
This Mahr's offering pours a really dark crimson black color. The darkest Oktoberfest I have ever seen. A huge cocoa tan head emerges. Cola like at first but then bubbly and foamy and more cappucino like. A few sheets of lace line the glass.

Smell is weak for me with notes of roasted barley, some darker fruits, and maybe some yeasty byproducts.

Taste begins with a sweet fruityness. A bittersweet roasted chocolate character follows. Some slight caramel underneath along with the faintest notes of clove and banana. The malts hold but a dryness really emerges towards the backside of this drink. Dried fruits, some smoky aftertones, and dark chocolate round out this offering.

Body is thick and roasty. Yet I could gulp with relative ease because of the balance of flavors and the yeast doesn't really lend an overbearing precense. Lingers a bit in the aftertaste. I could drink many of these during the Oktoberfest season. Quite unique for the style but also quite nice.
Apr 12, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.5 by KingFarm from Maryland

Mar 13, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by BillRoth from Maryland

Dec 07, 2013
 
Rated: 4.5 by herrburgess from South Carolina

May 28, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by t0rin0 from California

Nov 22, 2012
 
Rated: 3 by Kahlerbock from Kansas

Feb 10, 2012
 
Rated: 3.5 by tclapper from Maine

Jan 14, 2012
 
Rated: 4 by jmdrpi from Pennsylvania

Nov 18, 2011
Photo of crossovert
Reviewed by crossovert from Illinois

4.18/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500ml swing-top.

It pours a super dark brown bordering on black with a smooth, foamy greyish tan head that has a nice cascade.

The smell is much like a dunkel with cocoa, raisins, sugar, and fresh baked bread.

The taste is total dunkel, and it is awesome, perhaps a bit roastier than most. It is dark, sugary with roastiness, a hint of bitter chocolate, and some earthy hops.

Somewhere between a baltic porter, a dunkel, and a schwartzbier.
Mar 16, 2011
Photo of ThirstyBird
Reviewed by ThirstyBird from California

3.83/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
A - Very dark brown with red highlights. Light tan head that falls away.
S - Nice roasted malts, dark fruit, toffee.
T - Very roasty, cocoa, a little char. A little like a porter light.
M/F - Medium body, carbonation a bit above average.
D - Not an Oktoberfest but probably a winter fest bier. As that it is tasty and very enjoyable.
Sep 05, 2009
Photo of chinabeergeek
Reviewed by chinabeergeek from Massachusetts

3.71/5  rDev -1.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
500ml swingtop bottle. no date. tasted in mid-may 2009.

very dark reddish brown. no sediment or haze. 2-finger puffy, light tan head. recedes to wisps and ring. thin but consistent lacing, with getting fuller and better further down the glass.

aroma: molasses, dates and caramel w faint coffee hint. mild note of noble hops. cola hint. clean. nothing bad, nothing special.

taste: dark maltiness, cola, touch of roast or coffee. hint of plum, w mild acidic quality along with mild to moderate bitterness from grassy noble hops. again, nothing bad, nothing special.

light to medium body, with mild acidic and astringent tones toward and through the finish. moderate carbonation can be tingly and crisp, also giving lift and body.

i believe this is more along the lines of a munich dunkel, and not an oktoberfest/marzen, as currently listed here (in aug 2009)
Aug 09, 2009
Photo of Durge
Reviewed by Durge from Connecticut

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
This bottled import from Germany pours a dark chocolate color with a modest light brown cover and a complete coat of lacing. The aroma is chocolatey coffee with some bitter smoke detected. The taste is a somewhat aqueous smooth blend of smoke and sweet coffee bitterness. Not a lot of carbonation, just a light tingle on the tongue. This seems fairly simple and very drinkable. Not sure what it has to do with an Octoberfest, not typical from my experience, but enjoyable enough, smooth and mild with some flavor.
Jan 14, 2009
Photo of magictrokini
Reviewed by magictrokini from California

3.48/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Cool swing-top bottle. Dark but clear brown with a big tan head. Molasses, malt, and smoke. Not so much smoke in the taste, but lots of malt, cocoa, and earthiness. Lighter than expected mouthfeel for a winter, but then I see it is actually an Oktoberfest. Dry finish. Never know what you can find at BevMo.
Dec 10, 2008
Photo of cadenwhitaker
Reviewed by cadenwhitaker from Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4
I enjoy dark beers that are muted in flavor. It has something to do with the smoke. Smoke can really turn me off on a beer and this beer is a well balanced low-flavor beer.

Now, when I say muted I don't mean to say it in a bad way. I'm just saying that I don't notice excessive hops, cloves, bananas, prunes, citrus, deep smoke or anything else done in mass quantities. There are complex flavors going on with this beer (coffee, caramel, toffee, malts) but no single thing disrupts the whole.
Dec 02, 2008
Photo of ccrida
Reviewed by ccrida from Oregon

4.35/5  rDev +15.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5
500ml flip-top bottle poured into a my large Gulden Draak tulip, Jubelfestbier is a near pitch black garnet with a khaki head that leaves pretty heavy lace.

Smell is fruity and rich, a bit of smoke, a lot like an old ale or wee heavy, but more restrained and rounded. I didn't notice this was from Bamberg until the aroma hit me on the pour, but I've been really digging smoked beers lately, and this was a very pleasant surprise!

Taste is great, this is basically a rauchbier, so dark it's porter like, rich chocolate and raisin notes, the smoke is obvious but not overwhelming, and overall it's very smooth and rich, wow! There is a little lactose like sweetness on the clean finish.

Mouthfeel is very smooth and lighter body, reminiscent of the best made oatmeal stouts.

Drinkability is high, wow, a great beer I never heard of and randomly grabbed - I'm shocked how good this is, much investigate the rest of the brewery pronto! At $4.50 a pint, it could be cheaper, but it's nevertheless world class.
Oct 21, 2008
Photo of Haybeerman
Reviewed by Haybeerman from Colorado

3.65/5  rDev -3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 4
A: Deep, dark caramel/maple. Pours a three finger creamy coffee-colored head that slowly settles to a one finger blanket. Even, thick lacing all the way down.

S: Rich toffee, caramel, and molasses. Finishes with a coffee bite with a hint of vanilla to balance. Very rich, creamy complex aromas.

T: Consistent with smell; semi-sweet toffee and caramel that turns watery. Finish is caramel and slightly bitter coffee.

M: Medium bodied, but a bit thin for a Marzen. Ample carbonation.

D: Wonderfully complex aroma. Not as big and robust as the color would suggest. Very drinkable.
Sep 30, 2008
Photo of JohnGalt1
Reviewed by JohnGalt1 from Idaho

3.48/5  rDev -7.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
17oz flip-top picked up yesterday at Erickson's in Eagle for a pricey $6... poured into my shaped SA glass.

2 finger creamy looking off white head... brews is dark walnut... deep clear mahogany when held to a light.

Aroma is dark grains... not burnt... just dark malts with a touch of lite roast coffee.

Flavor mirrors the aroma.. but not quite as rich... dark.. but not much else going on.... there palate is mainly very toasted munch malt and subtle coffee... finish is fairly long though... body is light and the carbonation is smooth.

Overall... this brew is by no means a Marzen... not even close... more like a big-boned dunkel.. or a lighter tasting schwarzbier.... it is NOT an octoberfest style.

4/3.5/3.5/3/3.5
Sep 28, 2008
Photo of jwc215
Reviewed by jwc215 from Arizona

3.42/5  rDev -9.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
1 pt. 9 oz. swing-top bottle (that opened with a loud "pop"):

Pours very dark brown, even black, with a bubbly, fizzy head that slowly descends and vanishes. Never saw such a dark O-fest. No lacing sticks.

The smell is of caramel/toffee with a hint of roast. A sweet schwarzbier comes to mind. A bland, late bitterness comes in in the finish to cut into the sweetness, though some residual sweetness clings to lips and palate.

Thin - a bit watery - towards falling apart. Carbonation is uneven, mild, and loses even more as it progresses.

Pretty drinkable for a beer that didn't thrill me at all. Probably that it's just bland rather than offensive. Well, the black characteristics puts this one out of style of a marzen/o-fest. So if you're looking for a tradition interpretation, this isn't it. Even out of style, it didn't really do much for me. A blandish maltiness with a hint of roast and a slight bland bitterness is pretty much it. Maltiness almost breaks beyond blandish, but not quite enough, to me. Overall, though -
Aug 30, 2008
Photo of LumpyGuitar
Reviewed by LumpyGuitar from New York

3.9/5  rDev +3.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Picked this up on a whim, not a bad call if I may say so myself.

Poured a dark brown with a tint of red in the light. A good 2 fingers of head to start, slowly diminishes to one.

Smells of corn, malt, milk, and plum.

Taste is very reminiscent of a Schwarzbier. Smokey up front, then very malty. Malt has a roasted flavor, and there are hints of oak and hop present but not dominant.

Mouthfeel is good. Carbonation is middle of the road. Weight is a bit more than I prefer but it feels nice going down.

This is a good beer, and drinkability is only a bit above average for me. My beer stop doesn't usally carry this, but if I see it again I'll grab another or two.
Jul 03, 2008
Photo of dsa7783
Reviewed by dsa7783 from New Jersey

4.18/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5
Single, 1 pint, .9 fl oz, swing-top bottle just purchased from Buy Rite on Oak Tree in South Plainfield...
Deep-brown, dark-maroon hue with an immense foamy head that left a thick, frosty layer of lacing around the edge of the serving glass...
Mild aroma replete with figs and prunes...
Hints of dark toffee, caramel cream, dates, rich malts, figs, and dehydrated fruits were present on the tongue... Overall, an excellent, subtle, flavorful sample...
Great creamy, rich mouthfeel along with a superb level of easy drinkability to match..
Top-notch stuff...
Recommended...
Jun 26, 2008
Jubelfestbier from Mahr's Bräu
Beer rating: 85 out of 100 with 57 ratings