Judge's Review: 85 Rating - Cape May Oktoberfest by Cape May Brewing Co.

Cape May Oktoberfest by Cape May Brewing Co. is a Marzen, which falls under BJCP category 6A. This beer looks the part with light amber color and orange hues along with brilliant clarity and a lasting off-white head that clings to the glass. The aroma is malt forward with a moderately grainy pilsner-like malt with some deeper notes of toast, mild and rich bread crusts and melanoidins. There’s only a slightly floral hop note beyond the complex malt. The flavor is similar with just enough hops there to keep the beer balanced with a low bitterness. Despite the low bitterness, it still has a smooth, semi-dry finish. The malt-forward flavor comes thru even stronger than the aroma with more of the toast and melanoidins, as well as a mild caramel sweetness. This is a great example of a classic style that hits all the marks