Bierstadt Lagerhaus Oktoberfest (2023)
What the brewers say
“Oktoberfest märzen.”
What our panel thought
“Brilliant copper color, good foam. Pleasant, mellow dark-bread notes, like pumpernickel drizzled with light honey, with some welcome if subtle herbal hops. Integrated flavor—light sweetness fully melds with a smooth, restrained bitterness, drying out beautifully, getting some lift from ample carbonation. Everything a good Oktoberfest should be.”
What our editors thought
“Beautiful copper color and clarity. In the aroma, darker bread-crust notes, with a faint noyaux sweetness, get a boost from the nominally floral hops. That sweet bread note feels both inviting and curt, with a warm welcome that doesn’t linger overlong. The same can be said of the sip—the initial burst of malt quickly dissipates into a beautiful balance of soft stone-fruit sweetness and light hop spice, tilted on the lighter side without sacrificing any flavor along the way. It’s a master class in capturing malt flavor without heft—indulgent and restrained, simultaneously.”
