Try?
Re-buy?
Maybe it was
just bad timing that I picked up a six-pack of Leinenkugel Oktoberfest today. Why do I say that? Mostly
because I’ve been drinking some pretty darned good Oktoberfest brews of
late, so Leinie’s version had some pretty stiff competition to go up
against. Last weekend, I was at Max Lager’s Brewpub in downtown Atlanta for
their annual Oktoberfest celebration, and brewer John Roberts had just
tapped the first kegs of his brew of the same name. It was truly
spectacular, a nutty malty blast that simply screamed Teutonic flavor at the
top of its lungs.
Then I got some Victory Festbier, probably one of the best domestic versions of the style. So, when I got a round to popping the cap on a bottle of Leinienkugel’s October offering, I was expecting a lot. Unfortunately, the beer didn’t match up to what I was looking for, though it is a decent and drinkable beer, especially for its price.
The Jacob Leinenkugel brewing company has been around for a long time; since 1867, actually. Located in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Leinenkugel managed to do something few other smaller brewers were able to: survive prohibition and the onslaught of the Big Three brewers: Bud, Miller, and Coors. It managed to stay independent until 1988, when it was subsumed into Miller Brewing, but has managed to retain remarkable degree of autonomy nonetheless.
Surprisingly, Leinenkugel has only sold its Oktoberfest offering since 2001. It is a seasonal ofdfering (obviously) available only from August through November or so.
Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest Lager pours to a bright reddish amber color
with a thick creamy head formation and a slightly nutty malt nose.
Leinenkugel claims that they brew this one with Munich and Caramel malts,
and I can believe that. Unfortunately, the mix seems to be out of balance in
favor of the caramel, because a sip reveals a slightly sweet malt body
that’s influenced more by the caramel than the toasted nuts and chocolate.
To be sure, you’ll find the latter here, just not enough of them.
Malt does dominate the beer even if the body is a tad thinner than I would like, right into the finish, where the hops (Tettnang, Hallertau, Perle, and Clusters are used) struggle to make an appearance. It’s mostly a malt show here though, folks. You will get a touch of hop aroma, if not so much bitterness.
Overall, this isn’t a bad beer, but as an Oktoberfest beer it doesn’t match up to the classic German imports like Spaten and Paulaner, or even the better domestics like Victory or Samuel Adams Octoberfest. Still, it’s not a bad “training wheels” Oktoberfest brew, and perfectly suited to washing down a plate of Brats on a crisp fall day. If you normally drink Budweiser, Miller, or even Heineken but are interested in trying something a little different this fall, try a Leinie Oktoberfest as a stepping stone. In that sense, I can definitely recommend it.
Then I got some Victory Festbier, probably one of the best domestic versions of the style. So, when I got a round to popping the cap on a bottle of Leinienkugel’s October offering, I was expecting a lot. Unfortunately, the beer didn’t match up to what I was looking for, though it is a decent and drinkable beer, especially for its price.
The Jacob Leinenkugel brewing company has been around for a long time; since 1867, actually. Located in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, Leinenkugel managed to do something few other smaller brewers were able to: survive prohibition and the onslaught of the Big Three brewers: Bud, Miller, and Coors. It managed to stay independent until 1988, when it was subsumed into Miller Brewing, but has managed to retain remarkable degree of autonomy nonetheless.
Surprisingly, Leinenkugel has only sold its Oktoberfest offering since 2001. It is a seasonal ofdfering (obviously) available only from August through November or so.
Leinenkugel’s Oktoberfest Lager pours to a bright reddish amber color
with a thick creamy head formation and a slightly nutty malt nose.
Leinenkugel claims that they brew this one with Munich and Caramel malts,
and I can believe that. Unfortunately, the mix seems to be out of balance in
favor of the caramel, because a sip reveals a slightly sweet malt body
that’s influenced more by the caramel than the toasted nuts and chocolate.
To be sure, you’ll find the latter here, just not enough of them. Malt does dominate the beer even if the body is a tad thinner than I would like, right into the finish, where the hops (Tettnang, Hallertau, Perle, and Clusters are used) struggle to make an appearance. It’s mostly a malt show here though, folks. You will get a touch of hop aroma, if not so much bitterness.
Overall, this isn’t a bad beer, but as an Oktoberfest beer it doesn’t match up to the classic German imports like Spaten and Paulaner, or even the better domestics like Victory or Samuel Adams Octoberfest. Still, it’s not a bad “training wheels” Oktoberfest brew, and perfectly suited to washing down a plate of Brats on a crisp fall day. If you normally drink Budweiser, Miller, or even Heineken but are interested in trying something a little different this fall, try a Leinie Oktoberfest as a stepping stone. In that sense, I can definitely recommend it.
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
