Bell's Octoberfest Beer
Review Date 10/14/2009 Last Updated 10/9/2014
Try?
Re-buy?
It's that time of
year again. The leaves are turning beautiful shades of orange and brown, the
days and nights are getting cooler, and everywhere you look people are
wearing lederhosen. OK, so the last one might be a bit of a stretch, but all
you have to do is walk into the local packy and it's pretty easy to tell
it's Fall-and Oktoberfest season.
The usual line-up of suspects is on tap, too-Oktoberfest beers from Spaten, Paulaner, Samuel Adams, and more are ubiquitous. But this year, Atlanta is seeing a number of beers from Kalamazoo Brewing in Kalamazoo, Michigan-and amongst them, Bell's Octoberfest Beer. Kalamazoo is, of course, famous for their Bell's line of beers, and deservedly so. Brewer owner Larry Bell is known for his eccentric brews, and now he's added the classic German fall season to his lineup.
Bell's describes their beer as A coppery amber lager that showcases a full bodied, malty flavor that is balanced by a refreshing bitterness derived from fine noble hops. It's released in early September in six-packs and kegs and is sold until it is gone. Bell's recommends it be kept refrigerated for best flavor (a good idea indeed).
I believe 2009 is the first year Bell's Octoberfest has hit store shelves. I had not seen it before at any rate, so this was my first experience with it.
Bell's Octoberfest Beer pours to a bright orange color with a light foamy head formation and a caramel malt laden nose. The beer has more of that caramel in the palate, in fact it's first thing I notice. That body is rather full, too, at least for an Octoberfest beer, and accented by a touch of nutty malt flavor. Otherwise the beer is clean, with more hops than the style usually offers, too. They're grassy, herbal, and slightly minty, aromatic and bitter in the finish. The bitterness lingers a bit after sipping.
Coming from Bell's, I expected a bit of a departure from a normal Octoberfest, and I got it. O-Fest beers usually accent the malt, and to be sure this is a malty concoction, but again a rather hoppy one, too. I enjoyed it with a plate of grilled bratwursts and knackwursts, spatzel egg noodles, and sauerkraut to good effect.
A bit pricey at $9.99 a six-pack, but overall a solid, tasty beer that I can easily see savoring on a cool fall evening.
The usual line-up of suspects is on tap, too-Oktoberfest beers from Spaten, Paulaner, Samuel Adams, and more are ubiquitous. But this year, Atlanta is seeing a number of beers from Kalamazoo Brewing in Kalamazoo, Michigan-and amongst them, Bell's Octoberfest Beer. Kalamazoo is, of course, famous for their Bell's line of beers, and deservedly so. Brewer owner Larry Bell is known for his eccentric brews, and now he's added the classic German fall season to his lineup.
Bell's describes their beer as A coppery amber lager that showcases a full bodied, malty flavor that is balanced by a refreshing bitterness derived from fine noble hops. It's released in early September in six-packs and kegs and is sold until it is gone. Bell's recommends it be kept refrigerated for best flavor (a good idea indeed).
I believe 2009 is the first year Bell's Octoberfest has hit store shelves. I had not seen it before at any rate, so this was my first experience with it.
Bell's Octoberfest Beer pours to a bright orange color with a light foamy head formation and a caramel malt laden nose. The beer has more of that caramel in the palate, in fact it's first thing I notice. That body is rather full, too, at least for an Octoberfest beer, and accented by a touch of nutty malt flavor. Otherwise the beer is clean, with more hops than the style usually offers, too. They're grassy, herbal, and slightly minty, aromatic and bitter in the finish. The bitterness lingers a bit after sipping.
Coming from Bell's, I expected a bit of a departure from a normal Octoberfest, and I got it. O-Fest beers usually accent the malt, and to be sure this is a malty concoction, but again a rather hoppy one, too. I enjoyed it with a plate of grilled bratwursts and knackwursts, spatzel egg noodles, and sauerkraut to good effect.
A bit pricey at $9.99 a six-pack, but overall a solid, tasty beer that I can easily see savoring on a cool fall evening.
Update 10/9/2014: Had a mug of Bell's Octoberfest this evening at Taco Mac. Not a bad deal for $6, and still as delightfully nutty malty as I describe above. Perhaps not the best domestic example of the style, but a tasty and welcome treat all the same.
And remember, try a new beer today, and drink outside the box.
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled
(D)=Draft
