Okto Festival Ale - Widmer Brothers Brewing Company

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.88/5  rDev +40.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into an irish pint glass.

The beer is a deep rich caramel/copper color. A cream colored head slowly recedes to the proverbial wisp of bubbles, while light sticky lacing leaves random rings on the glass.

The aroma is purely sweet caramel and malts, just spot-on for an Oktoberfest.

The taste is exceptional. It's not overly-spiced as some Oktoberfests are, it's just perfectly balanced caramel sweetness. A touch of balance comes in the hops with a bright, clean finish.

The mouthfeel is smooth, silky, and crisp.

Overall, my favorite Oktoberfest bier of 2012. It's just exactly as I like them.

Serving type: bottle

09-29-2012 14:11:26 | More by JuicesFlowing

putnam

Michigan

4.47/5  rDev +28.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Ditto, especially the first review of this beer. This was tasted next to a Paulaner Oktoberfest. I just removed hot, roasted pumpkin seeds out of the oven.

There is a floral brightness in the nose, reminiscent of rain, grass and honey. A thin "rancio" caramel flavor greets the palate and brings suggestions of bananas sauteed in butter and brown sugar (perhaps lit up with the help of a little Anejo).

The flavors are structured and colored as a Maerzen should be. Generous, medium-bodied and agile. The flavor development is symmetrical and is focused on fresh, lemon/lime hop flavors. Everything else revolves out from there: pecans, caramel, salt, wood...

The finish is a tad abrupt, with the hops pulling the rug out from under the sweetness. Still, one drink follows another. Glad to be home.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2002 14:03:21 | More by putnam

TiMX

Oregon

4.45/5  rDev +28.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I really am not a big fan of Widmer brewing. However this Oktoberfest is a beer that I will buy every year when it comes out.

It is very malty with a dry finnish. Great crystal clear brown/amber color. Very nice looking beer.

This beer is a crowd pleaser. If you can pick some up.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2007 04:13:13 | More by TiMX

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.43/5  rDev +27.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I really enjoyed this one (one of my favorite styles!) & believe this sample stacked up against most if not all I had in Germany.

Pours a white fluffy monster head with intersting combos of big & small bubbles in attendance. Head retention was average. Copper colored with no hint of haziness.

Smells of biscuits, malt& peppery hops on the edges.

Tastes of hop bitterness on the tounge& corners of the throat that also compete with maltiness and some hints of nuts

A great balance, slightly under carbinated

Could drink this all the time, yum

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2005 04:40:27 | More by russpowell

echoes

Washington

4.38/5  rDev +26.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Served in a glass.

A: Pours a stormy brownish-amber but settles to cloudy amber. Thick head that dissipates very slowly and leaves moderate lacing. Has a little bit of carbonation.

S: Sharp hops, caramel smell. Maybe smells slightly "fruity". Maybe a hint of lemon as well.

T: Hops & caramel taste. Starts out with the hops, then is rich in the middle with caramel, and ends lightly & smoothly. Might be a bit of lemon in there as well.

M: Feels nice in the mouth. Smooth and a bit light at points but not to a fault. Not much bubbly feel to it.

D: Could easily have another. Crispness helps with that I feel. Flavor would have me coming back as well.

Great oktoberfest/altbier for the autumn/winter. Fits very well for this type of seasonal beer. Will be returning to this one in the future.

Serving type: bottle

11-10-2010 05:02:16 | More by echoes

MisterClean

California

4.33/5  rDev +24.8%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

From Total Wine. Bottlecap says, "Praise Oregon Brewers Festival." Maybe it's an omen. Eh, I was probably going to go again this year anyhow.

A - Pours auburn-orange with two fingered off-white head. Nay more, of an orangish colored head. Dissipates slowly, with nice lacing. Very impressive.

S - Caramel, honey and peppery spices.

T - Caramel, honey, creamy and toffee.

M - Very smooth and creamy with a complimentary, filling mouthfeel. Slighlty dry, very impressed though. Definitely could have a few more and would really enjoy purchasing at least a six.

D - 2nd favorite oktoberfest style beer. Real good.

Update 12/8/08: After e-mailing Widmer bros., Okto is made using an alt yeast and then lagered.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2008 05:01:23 | More by MisterClean

Kc4shore

New Jersey

4.22/5  rDev +21.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: Cloudy Dark-Amber w/ a nice white med lace head

Smell: Decent hop aroma up front along with some sweet citrus. Strong caramel malt. Some subtle fall essences coming in from the back burner

Taste: Nice smooth bitterness. Very prevelant malt flavor. Spectacular long finish. As the beer warmed in the session, the fall air come through more and more.

Mouth: Awsome full body, very mild carbonation.

Overall: This Oktoberfest really got me excited. From the first sniff when I got that rush of malt and fruit, i knew there was a great deal of balance ahead of me. This beer has a great deal of toastiness that makes this great New England fall weather seem somehow MORE like fall. I will be seeing this bottle again real soon!

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2011 02:50:21 | More by Kc4shore

Vashtar

Texas

4.18/5  rDev +20.5%
look: 5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

QUE RICO! This has very full flavor. It's nice and thick, too. I want to buy a pack now. Somehow, it manages to be thick without being slimy.

It reminds me of a Jolly Rancher, except it doesn't have that cheap, artificial taste that I dislike. The label has also been improved.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2011 03:49:44 | More by Vashtar

hyuga

North Carolina

4.1/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2002 release. Beautiful amber, pours a nice head but it doesn't retain well. Characteristic märzen bready/grainy malt aroma, but with more hop character than some others. Very tasty, grainy sweet malt mingles with slight hop bitterness for a crisp, refreshing bite. Slightly spicy and tingly mouthfeel. Not as much sour breadiness as others in this style. Overall it's very tasty and would be a wonderful session beer, as a märzen should be.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2002 13:40:59 | More by hyuga

gpogo

California

4.1/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Clear copper amber body with a nice off white head that dissipates to a foam ring. Light lacing.

A- Dark sweet fruit, piney hops, and a bit of sweet caramel malt. Something else that I can't put my finger on.

T- Very interesting flavor. Very full malt profile, a thick sweetness, yet dry and roasty. Light bitterness throughout.

M- Medium body with moderate to light carbonation. Smooth drinking.

D- Not a typical Oktoberfest. I'd agree with the altbier classification. Worth a try, very interesting flavor.

Serving type: bottle

09-08-2011 06:29:35 | More by gpogo

N3rdM3t4l

Oregon

4.1/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Brown longneck from a 6pack "okto festival ale"

A: very enticing copper color, very clear, with 1 finger khaki colored head. Head fell to an average cap with a thick ring.

S: almost smells like pineapple, sweet malty profile and noble hops. Most of the smell is fruity though. Smells good but odd.

T: super malty and rich. A little toasty and bready. Quite sweet. A little hop character at the end that finishes well.

M: rich and chewy. very smooth. I really like this.

O: quite good, I am a fan of alts in general. I do not regret this 6 pack at all!

Serving type: bottle

08-26-2012 06:07:42 | More by N3rdM3t4l

wac9

Pennsylvania

4.08/5  rDev +17.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

what can i say i dont normally buy widmer but i like the color of the bottle wow very nice beer with a little hop to it but that ok all i can say it s a good tasting beer for a octerber fest so if your looking a beer that crisp with a hop this is a beer for , good color good taste little hop enjoy

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 00:36:24 | More by wac9

ZAP

Minnesota

4.03/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A-Pours an impressive brilliant burnt orange

S-Rich maltiness but not ofest style maltiness...I see this is listed as an alt and that seems to make sense from the aroma...it smells like an alt.

T-Rich maltiness with some fruitiness as well..a little mineral water note as well...again seems more like an alt.

M-Medium bodied...a little sticky...not as clean finishing as I like my alts...finishes slightly dry

D-Enjoyable beer...definitely more of an alt than an ofest.

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2009 05:15:34 | More by ZAP

Guden

Maryland

4.03/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A- A very pretty and extremely clear orange hued light brown with blonde highlights. Only a very small and quickly fleeting white film of a head.

S- Surprisingly the noble hops shine through in this one. Also in the mix come nuts, spice (nutmeg), overripe fruit, earth and bread. Smells like October.

T- Bready malts (vienna and munich) shine through with a little taste of hops. Pretty clean, brisk and refreshing.

M- Medium to Medium-low in both body and carbonation this seems right on for the style and complements the flavors well.

D- This one is an easy drinking beer with nothing overly exciting. It is a solid beer and the best I've had from Widmer so far.

Serving type: bottle

09-15-2011 22:52:43 | More by Guden

cswhitehorse

Oregon

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The look of the Oktoberfest was a yellowish brown with a 1 finger foam head and not much retention. Not much in the way of lacing.

The smell was biscuity with a soft fruitiness to it. The taste was a medium body with a crispness to it. It had a component of the biscuit like malt that stuck on the tongue. It stays in the mouth for some time as a pleasant after tone. Overall I was pretty impressed by the brew.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2010 00:02:43 | More by cswhitehorse

erosier

Connecticut

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

L: Pours a nice copper color with a medium sized and tall white colored head that laces the glass nicely on the way down.
S: Smells of sweet roasted malts and then some biscuit-y aromas, and then some nice sweet caramel aromas.
T: Tastes of sweet roasted malts, some nice bread-y and biscuit-y flavors followed by a hint of caramel sweetness to it. Nice balance of the flavors.
M: Smooth, light to medium bodied, perfect amount of carbonation.
D: Overall a very sessionable beer with a nice mix of everything and a good take on the oktoberfest style.

Serving type: bottle

09-30-2011 10:13:28 | More by erosier

KTCamm

New Jersey

4/5  rDev +15.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Picked up in a mix a six. Poured from 12 oz bottle into a pint glass.

Pours an autumny copper with minimal foam. Little lacibng. Malty smell, sweet - caramel like. Sweet caramel taste, smooth with light carbonation. Very drinkable. Mild mild hop at the finish, only noticeable seconds later. Almost too easy to drink. Nice Octo.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2011 21:56:12 | More by KTCamm

freed

Oregon

3.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

On tap at the annual Oak Park Oktoberfest in Portland. Poured an amazingly clear bronze/orange with a nice regal head. Aroma is mild, but still hints at its european hop stylings and sweet malt body.

Taste is quite pleasant and full, almost surprising. Crisp both from the malt an hops, quite fresh in its flavors, nice active carbonation. Malt is a mix of sweet pales and nutty and dry specialty malts that are wonderfully satisfying. This is a very nice beer, and a surprisingly nice recreation of a great style.

Side note: My wife had the drop top amber, and side by side, the two were remarkably similar. Oddly enough, the Oktoberfest had a much more robust malt body.

Serving type: on-tap

10-03-2003 06:47:51 | More by freed

Offa

California

3.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a fairly simple but nice, firm, solid, and very enjoyable alt.

Copper, it has a medium-small pale tan head slowly shrinking.

Aroma is very caramelly barley, lightly toasty, with caramelised bread crust, light leaf and pepper, perhaps a hint of lemon. Simple but nice, full, and right on.

Taste is caramelly toast, gentle light fruits, light leafy-peppery bitterness just dominated by the creamy-caramelly light sweetness.

Serving type: bottle

10-16-2010 00:31:13 | More by Offa

budgood1

Minnesota

3.98/5  rDev +14.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

pours out a slightly hazy auburn colour with a thin off white head that reduces quickly to some sparse but sticky lace that looks appropriate for what i'm a bout to taste. sweet fruity nose; definitely smells like an ale with a smoky brown sugar nuance that is very intriguing. love the aroma of this one. the taste is more of the fruity ale notes complimented nicely by some sugary malts...definitely munich in nature but paired with some other malts that make the ale experience all the more enjoyable. some floral and herbal hopping balance things quite nicely. this offering certainly has lots of character compared to the usual suspects in the o-fest category. with this being listed as an altbier, it certainly leans that way just because of the ale yeast used. either way it's pretty tasty. seemingly ample bodied with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. very nice. quite drinkable...just lots of interesting twists for a fall type of beer not pigeonholed into the oktoberfest style.

definitely not an oktoberfest, but inspired and influenced by the style into a sort of alt. recommended and worth a six pack or so every fall.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2010 23:12:34 | More by budgood1

Docer

Washington

3.95/5  rDev +13.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Yay, finally grabbed a 6'er at a Whole Foods the moment they put it on the shelf... saw it at many other places as well... 12 oz. bottle... bottled Jul. 22 09

- Nice dark clear and rich caramel color... dark copper.. almost like a red ale.... fluffy white foam head... mild lacing all about....

- Crisp and bitter hop... some pine.. bit of sweet malt.. nice zing.. some zest, citrus and lemon.. almost reminds me of the hefe..

- Sweet and smooth malt... almost a bit of brown sugar or molasses... creamy... slightly thick... very tasty.. some bittering hop... bright pine... almost too balanced.. I am a big fan of Alts...

- Slight dryness.. some chewiness.. bitter sweet finish...

- Super drinkable, and as good as I remembered from the last one I had about 4 years ago... been looking forward to it again this year... a must have.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2009 22:30:05 | More by Docer

schoolcb

Texas

3.93/5  rDev +13.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a 12-oz bottle. Deep amber/copperish colored, not much head, but the carbonation keeps a steady but thin film of bubbles on the surface. Wonderful, sweet toasted malty aroma! No hop aroma. Flavor is a sweet toasted malt with a caramel note or two. No hop flavor. This is a wonderful beer!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2007 21:26:27 | More by schoolcb

Mark

California

3.9/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

It says Octoberfest, then says ale, what is it really? To me it tastes like a Vienna lager, and not a bad one at that. Deep amber body was topped by a thin tan head that left delicate lacing. Faint malty aroma was evident. Very smooth practically all malt taste, just a touch of hop, some roasted character as well. Refreshing and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-02-2005 14:53:48 | More by Mark

jsprain1

Minnesota

3.9/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A- Red-copper. Head istwo finger off white. Great retention, just a wisp of lacing.
S- Aroma tends toward mild and sweet with toffee, caramel (though it's more like dark caramel, not caramel candies) and toast.
T- A bit of sweetness, toffee and brown sugar up front. Did not expect this, but they managed to get a nice hop level to it. Just a touch of bitter herbal flavor in the finish that is very nice.
M- Body is just a touch lighter than I'd like. Just a bit sticky though. Good carbonation on the whole.
O- This is a good beer. Nothing flashy or surprising, but well rounded with no glaring flaws.

Serving type: bottle

09-12-2012 01:29:35 | More by jsprain1

ElGordo

Oregon

3.88/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a pretty orange-amber hue, topped by a half-inch of creamy white head that subsides rather quickly. Aroma of sweet caramel malt, light fruity hops, and just the slightest hint of molasses. Palate is a nice blend of sweet caramel malt and light noble hops. A subtle smoky character rounds this one out into a smooth, easy-drinking beer. It certainly sufficed at Widmer's Oktoberfest party this year, and comes through nicely in the bottle as well.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2006 07:36:11 | More by ElGordo