Judge’s Review: 74 Rating – Karl Strauss Oktoberfest by Karl Strauss Brewing Co.

Märzen | Seasonal | USA

By Brad Darnell

Judges Rating: 74
Aroma: 20
Appearance: 4
Flavor: 28
Mouthfeel: 6
Overall Impression: 16

Karl Strauss Oktoberfest by Karl Strauss Brewing Co. was judged according to the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines, Category 6A – Märzen.
Aromatic medium-intensity nutty and lightly toasted bread malt emanates immediately upon receiving the beer. This beer presents a slightly hazy amber color with a quarter of an inch, mixed-size bubbly and thin film light beige head. Going back for a few deep sniffs preceded by some swirling, I find faint floral hops underneath the malt-dominant sample. This swirling also rouses additional head for a secondary foam stand, mostly tiny bubbles. My first mouthfeel provides low toast and adjunct malt character, not nearly as rich and warm as the aroma would suggest. As the beer passes off the tongue, medium-light spicy and floral hops linger along with medium-light hop bitterness.
As the sample warms, the hop aroma becomes more noticeable, yet it remains firmly secondary to the malt. Fermentation is clean and devoid of any fermentation character. The body is somewhat thin, particularly thinking about the classic examples of this style and their rich malt. Again, it has the suggestion of adjuncts, and the thin body accentuates that perception. Carbonation is medium.
It’s an easy-drinking beer, well lagered and malt-dominant, but the body is too thin, and it lacks the malt depth and richness of the best examples of this style.