Judge’s Review: 88 Rating – Half-Toberfest by Ivanhoe Park Brewing

Vienna Lager | Seasonal | USA

By Sal Mortillaro II

Judges Rating: 88
Aroma: 21
Appearance: 4
Flavor: 36
Mouthfeel: 10
Overall Impression: 17

Half-Toberfest by Ivanhoe Park Brewing is being judged as a Vienna Lager (Category 7A) per the 2021 BJCP guidelines.
This beer pours a copper color with a slight chill haze. A white head of small bubbles around the edge of the glass forms on the pour but is quickly fleeting. The aroma consists of a medium toasty malt with a low spicy and floral hop aroma. There is a touch of an earthy note on the back of the aroma. No yeast-derived esters or phenolics are detectable, and it is cleanly fermented with no off-aromas. The flavor of this beer is a medium-low hop bitterness with low spicy and floral hops present that are quickly overtaken by a low malt sweetness with flavors of medium toast, low caramel and low nutty notes. No fermentation character is detected in this beer. The beer finishes dry with a lingering low (almost medium-low) hop bitterness alongside the earthy note detected in the aroma underscored by a slight graininess. This beer has a medium body with a medium carbonation and a slight creaminess. There is no warmth or astringency detected in this beer.
Overall, this is a very good beer, though it lacks the appearance the style is known for. The touch of earthy character perceived in the aroma and flavor, along with the caramel, are not traditional to the style. Also, I found the balance of this beer was a tick too bitter. With that being said, this is a beer worth seeking out, as it features a style that is underappreciated and under-brewed.