Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier - Hofbräuhaus München

FickleBeast

New Jersey

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

11.2 oz bottle poured into a DFH glass.

Pours slightly orange with a half finger of foam that fades quickly. Aroma is a kind of minerally, with a hint of skunkiness.

First sip is better than expected. Some nice sweetness followed by a dry crisp finish. Lingering minerally aftertaste. Quite drinkable.

All in all, this isn't too bad. The aftertaste is a bit harsh, but it drinks very well. A nice thirst quencher.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 00:09:57 | More by FickleBeast

kilustration

Illinois

3.63/5  rDev +8.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours pale, mild cloudiness. Grassy flavor. Weak lacing. Slightly bitter aftertaste - but not overwhelming.

Hard to believe this is an official octoberfest beer. Its decent, but would not think is it of that caliber.

Has a nice smooth mouthfeel, almost creamy. Taste grows on you with each sip.

Very confusing beer. First taste is somewhat disappointing - then it gets better as you drink.

Bottom line: Not in my top 10 German beers; but would not turn down. Taste an appearance gives me the impression that this is the "Coors" of German beers (light years ahead of the American BMCs)...hmmmm.

Serving type: bottle

09-16-2011 00:23:07 | More by kilustration

slassy

Ohio

2.2/5  rDev -34.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

12 oz. bottle into a pint glass

A: Pours single finger head that dissipates quickly, leaving little foam on top. A golden honey color.

S: Very grainy, almost sour even.

T: Sour and leafy tasting. Almost makes your chin pucker half way through if you drink it too fast.

M: Lightly carbonated, extremely smooth, goes down effortlessly. Clean and dry finish.

O: My first Marzen, so I don't really have anything to compare it to. However, not really what I was expecting from an Okotoberfest beer (weak in my mind). One plus I will give it is that it wouldn't be bad for a long, all-day drinking session, as it wouldn't be hard to put many of these away.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2011 03:48:08 | More by slassy

stjaernstoft

Sweden

2.73/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier, ABV: 6.3%.
500 ml bottle, 19.90 SEK at Systembolaget.

A: The liquid is clear, and the colour is gold to amber. The head is big, white, airy and soapy, and leaves decent retention.

S: A kind of dry, lightly malty aroma, with hay, white bread and some citric notes.

T: Sour notes of bread, butter, lemons, oranges, herbs and hints of alcohol.

M: A balanced, somewhat sticky feel, with some bite, medium body and bitterness, and a relatively dry finish. This beer benefits from its drinkabilities.

O: OK, a decent and drinkable festbier, but again with some sour off-flavours.

(Notes from yesterday.)

Serving type: bottle

09-10-2011 10:40:20 | More by stjaernstoft

samie85

Illinois

2/5  rDev -40.3%
look: 2 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | overall: 2

A-Pours a crystal clear golden color with a finger of white head.

S-The slightest hint of cracker-like malt with slight aroma of herbal hops.

T-Bitter, herbal hops with a very minimal light malt backing.

M-Very light bodied, too much carbonation, and none of the sticky, slick feel of a nice marzen.

D-A very disappointing example of the style. I think this might be mis-classified because of the Oktoberfest branding.

Serving type: bottle

09-07-2011 02:39:49 | More by samie85

Mitchster

Michigan

4.53/5  rDev +35.2%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

$1.79 for a 11.2oz green bottle @ BevCo. Pours out to a sparkingly clear golden, forming a voluminous creamy white head no thanks to it's brisk carbonation. Retention and lacing are superior. Great looking beer. The nose is that of Heiniken...fresh hay and skunk. The mouthfeel is pleasantly fizzy, crisp, clean and with a medium-light body. The taste is that of a Munich Helles Lager more than an Oktoberfest, as it is light in color, with a more pronounced hop bitterness and bite, and no toasty munich malt flavor. The hop bitterness is well-balanced and spritely. My GF thought it tasted like a strong Heiniken as well.

While I wouldn't quite call this an Oktoberfest, it is a delicious beer, and I would buy it again.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 23:21:51 | More by Mitchster

webmanspidey

Michigan

3.48/5  rDev +3.9%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Green bottle poured into a pint glass. This is a fizzy pale yellow: from appearance alone you wouldn't be able to differentiate this from the typical American pale lager. Smell is slightly skunky with some sweet brown sugarish undertones. Taste has a mild sweetness with a buttered biscuit flavor. Decent drinkability, but not much of a wow-factor otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2011 23:05:55 | More by webmanspidey

McNealc31

Ohio

3.7/5  rDev +10.4%
look: 2 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It pours a surprisingly light straw color compared to the ambers and coppers of most Oktoberfests and marzens. That said, it has a very good flavor. It's not at all watery. There are hints of grass, hops, and some fruit. It's light, crisp, and has a late, mildly bitter finish.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 23:02:09 | More by McNealc31

womencantsail

California

3.43/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: The pour is a clear golden color with a finger of short-lived white head.

S: Smells skunky (already!). A bit of lager yeast and some light, fruity esters along with the sweet bready malt aromas. There is a a light hoppiness to it, mostly floral, with some hints of grass.

T: Sweet with a touch of grassy hop flavor. There is a soft floral note and bitterness, but overall it's mostly bready malt providing the flavor and sweetness. Faint apple esters and a mild skunk to the flavor.

M: Light bodied with a medium level of carbonation.

O: Sort of disappointing as their helles is quite good. Might have to try to get this one on-tap.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 19:40:20 | More by womencantsail

UCLABrewN84

California

3.53/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Pours a clear golden yellow with a 1 inch foamy white head that fades to a film on the top of the beer. Foamy bands of lace form on the glass on the drink down. Smell is of grain, honey, and some grape juice. Taste is of sweet grains, honey, and grape juice. A mild bitterness on the palate after each sip. This beer has a higher level of carbonation with a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good example of the style. A pretty easy beer to drink and I could see this fitting right in at an Oktoberfest event.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 02:16:23 | More by UCLABrewN84

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.23/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Damn this is the lightest colored Oktoberfest being very light yellow with about a 1/2 inch of head that turns to a light creamy ring.

S - Smells a bit of toffee, mild caramel, and a bit of biscuit malt. Smells a bit dry and aggressive graininess.

T - Very strong with a bitterness that really isn't pleasant. Overly dry with very little sweetness. Maybe a bit of skunkyness from the green bottle. Lackluster.

M - Light to medium very surprising for the ABV.

Overall I guess it leans more toward the traditional style but the bitterness factor and skunk flavors really put me off. Pass.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2011 01:57:41 | More by DrDemento456

Sensaray

Massachusetts

2.98/5  rDev -11%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

3 finger white head sits atop a clear golden brew.

Smells like a light clean sweet with hints of some hop profile.

Tastes very clean. Hits with a nice spiciness that subdues into a lager taste, bit of pils, that's easy drinking. Has a nice light crisp sweetness to it.

Highly drinkable like water. Light body.

Easy to drink. Probably wouldn't get again, maybe if I was at an oktoberfest celebration. Agree with review below about the girl on 6 pack cover...

Serving type: bottle

09-01-2011 23:40:57 | More by Sensaray

sdsurfer217

Ohio

2.9/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 2.5

A: Finger and half of clean white head that slowly dissipates. Brilliant yellow in color, completely clear.

S: Smells like sweet biscuits, with a touch of banana. A little bit of spice detected.

T: Sweet, biscuity shines through. Tastes a little skunky, probably due to the green bottles. Pretty crisp finish.

M: Pretty thin feeling, plenty of carbonation. Crisp, clean finish.

O: Would probably like this beer more if it wasn’t a green bottle as you can taste the skunk. Overall, not too bad and pretty easy to drink. I wish it was served with the blond on the 6-pack.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2011 18:50:37 | More by sdsurfer217

hosehead83

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from green bottle (UH,oh)into a standard pint glass.
Clear gold in color, with a two-inch head of bright white foam that starts to fade rather quickly.
Aroma-Faint skunkiness(green bottle anyone?), cracker malt.
Taste-Faintly sweet at the onset,followed by a short pilsner hop bite. Not bad, but not what I expected from an actual German oktoberfest beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2011 16:59:46 | More by hosehead83

mjurney

Texas

3.4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance:
Pale gold-straw color, clear. A little carbonation. Thin head.

Aroma:
Light malt, a little fruitiness.

Taste:
Malt up front along with slight bitter finish. Rich maltiness, sweet biscuity, a little caramel and grassy. Hop character is mild, spicy-herbal. There some dryness in my plate, a little fruity like, green grape skin. Medium bodied and carabonation.

Finish:
Bitter finish (in the good way), dry aftertaste.

Overall:
Taste more like a Helles than a typical Oktoberfest, otherwise it's pretty good beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 07:32:27 | More by mjurney

Tballz420

Minnesota

2.15/5  rDev -35.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Jezuz F-ine Christopherson, another Oktober in a green bottle!? What is going on Germany?

Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier is a deep gold colored beer, very clear, small white head, a bit of lace. The nose has a distracting amount of skunk in it, topping a bland pale lager scent. The taste has me shaking my head, more skunk, a bit of a nicer malt profile than the Spaten, but not by much. Ugh, what the fuck Germany?

Serving type: bottle

08-27-2011 01:05:46 | More by Tballz420

RuudJH

Netherlands

3.43/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Another quite strong oktoberfest beer I picked up in Germany today.
I can imagine they'll actually use it as the sessionbeer: a few jugs of this and you'll be yodeling through the streets.

Pale golden, modest carbonation, thin head.
Common smell of citrus and grassy hops.
Taste is rather spicy, actually. The alcohol isn't completely covered though.
As said: quite strong as pilsners/lagers go. The flavour is ok, but it should be more complex.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2011 13:58:10 | More by RuudJH

heygeebee

Australia

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

Poued a one finger head, straw/gold, not a lot of lacing. Nice carbonation and bubbling.

Aromas - euro-lager ish, with extra lemon zing.

Taste - again in Euro-lager territory, however, some nice citrus balances out the earthier tatses that I suspect come with the higher ABV

Mouthfeel is the highlight. Zesty carbonation bubbles away. Nice full body.

Overall, pleasant drinking.

Serving type: bottle

06-24-2011 11:12:26 | More by heygeebee

patra7

Greece

2.35/5  rDev -29.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2

Appearance: Thick white head about 1 inch, yellow/gold color. Clear.
Smell: Hops, grassy and perhaps slightly acidic.
Taste: Hoppy / bitter at first but then more malty and definitely semi-sweet. The two tastes (sweetness and bitterness… or was it acidity?) didn’t seem to complement but rather… fight each other in an “unbalanced” / weird short of way. As if both were there but without any willingness to work together
Mouthfeel: First feel, at the tip of the tongue, is rather sharp, but then it gets smoother. Overall medium body.
Drinkability: The more I got down to it the less I liked it. Maybe it had gone bad, although the expiration date was still 3-4 months away.

Serving type: bottle

05-06-2011 23:21:07 | More by patra7

Knapp85

Pennsylvania

2.78/5  rDev -17%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

This poured out as an amber colored brew. with a fluffy head that settles down a little after a few sips. The beer to me tasted much like any other German Pilsner. I was hoping that it would have had some other more festive flavors in it but I wasn't able to get much from it. The mouthfeel was medium to light and the smell was fresh and yeasty.

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2011 03:49:22 | More by Knapp85

WesWes

New York

3.28/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

The beer pours a pale gold color with a thick frothy white head that slowly fades to lacing. The aroma is average. It has a dry, pilsner malt scent with a hint of Munich malt sweetness. The taste is decent. It has a crisp, pilsner malt flavor with a touch of Munich malt sweetness. It's quite simplistic and lacking in depth. These is a faint bready character in the finish. It goes down easy with some prickly carbonation and a bone dry finish. The mouthfeel is decent as well. It is a low bodied beer with good carbonation. This is a forgettable Oktoberfest. It's too bland for my tastes.

Serving type: bottle

12-15-2010 21:36:28 | More by WesWes

Bouleboubier

Pennsylvania

2.95/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

(This review stems from an Oktoberfestbier tasting on Nov 6, 2010, that included 13 examples of the style, of German and US origin. The variations brew to brew fascinated and surprised)

You'd think they (HB) would be going for drinkability and not drunkability with this Marzen. The bottle wasn't old nor the quality compromised, as far as I can tell. This beer was just simply a struggle to get through.

A pale yellow-gold color (lightest of the lot) and pouring with next to no head. The smell is less than inviting - sweet, vaguely champagne fruity maltiness and potent hot fusel. Not appealing. These aromas concentrate in the flavor, with the sweetness near cloying and quite juicy. Acutely dry, stingy hot finish. Overall, a cheap, high-gravity malt liquor tone to this drink. A little more depth to the flavor than the corn-fed American malt liquors, but not much better. Disappointing.

Serving type: bottle

11-27-2010 17:55:15 | More by Bouleboubier

jeranbrews

New York

3.15/5  rDev -6%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

A - thin pearly cloud white head. Decient continued carbonation. Slightly apple juice amber color. Deeper than an AAL but not quite a marzen

S - weak pale malts and sadly a bit of aluminum smell despite being from a bottle. Hop and yeast not there.

T - flavor is a bit more exciting some subtle hop play comes out. The hops flash a liitle leg or maybe some cleavage but never gives away too much. Still dominate flavor is pale malt but not strong enough or sweet enough to really satisfy

M - So far the best part of this beer frothy and smooth. Pleasant.

D - pretty good smooth anytime lager. It's a shame it comes out in fall this would be so refreshing on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

11-25-2010 11:01:41 | More by jeranbrews

bminor7

New York

3.78/5  rDev +12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

a - pilsner yellow. a sudsy head that looks like soap.

s - a touch of skunky hoppiness. note, green bottle.

t - crisp flavors. light malts with that certain oktoberfest-something. not particularly flavorful, though this helps with M/D...

m - thin. not terribly carbonated, which helps.

d - easy...a 6 pack of these could be accidentally consumed. almost like drinking water, comparable to a kolsch.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2010 23:21:47 | More by bminor7

tempest

Pennsylvania

3.58/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a bottle in a mixed 6er of Oktoberfests from Abe's Cold Beer. This is a simple, but tasty O-fest. I'd take this over Spaten any day. There's a spicy bitter finish with a hint of citrus rind. The malts are a smooth bready taste with a brown crust note. The aroma is less impressive, just a cheap, soapy sort of lager smell. Still, I'd be happy to drink a stein of this any time.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2010 21:48:25 | More by tempest