Judge’s Review: 94 Rating – Ahnapee Oktoberfest by Ahnapee Brewery

Märzen | Seasonal | United States

By Pat Mulloy

Judges Rating: 94
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 5
Flavor: 40
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 19

Ahnapee Oktoberfest by Ahnapee Brewery was judged as a Märzen, BJCP Style 6A under 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines.
I like this beer. It pours a brilliant reddish copper under a moderate off-white foam cap as a range of bready, toasty dough aromas rise from the glass. The beer brushes your lips with a lightly sweet malty kiss that dries off by the finish with a balancing hop bitterness and a pleasant long-lasting maltiness. Lightly toasted malt flavors lead the show with a little bread crust and a range of Maillard flavors. Many U.S.-made märzens miss the boat by coming off too sweet with too much caramel malt flavor. This one does not. Its hop-malt balance hits the mark and it finishes crisp and clean. The beer loses a couple points on aroma – it’s a little low – and on appearance and head retention. The brewer hits it out of the park on flavor