Judge’s Review: 95 Rating – Oktoberfest by Old 121 Brewhouse

Märzen | Seasonal | USA

By Randy Scorby

Judges Rating: 95.00
Aroma: 23.00
Appearance: 6.00
Flavor: 38.00
Mouthfeel: 10.00
Overall Impression: 18.00

Oktoberfest, from Old 121 Brewhouse, is being evaluated as a Märzen (Category 6A) from the 2021 BJCP Style Guidelines.
Oktoberfest pours a bright medium copper color with brilliant clarity.  The creamy off white head forms a low, thick stand of fine bubbles on the beer that likes to hang around. The aroma greets you with a prominent and rich bready, lightly toasted maltiness followed quickly by a light herbal hop aroma. The malt aroma is vibrant and grows as the beer warms and opens up. The aroma features clean lager fermentation.
The flavor spotlights a prominent and moderately strong bready malt character with a touch of bread crust. The low hop bitterness and a hint of herbal hop flavor emerge mid-palate and linger into a fairly dry finish. As with the aroma, there is a clean lager fermentation. The medium body, pleasant creaminess on the palate, and moderate carbonation offers a supporting cast to the beer. Very light alcohol warming rounds out the profile.
Oktoberfest is a well brewed Märzen, the appearance is spot on for style and is very inviting. The rich German malt character is prominent and bright with a light herbal hop aroma and flavor to help balance it out. A touch more hop bitterness would help balance the malt sweetness even more, but this is a small issue. Seek this one out for a great fall quaffer.