Witching Hour
Ocelot Brewing Company in Dulles, Virginia, United States 🇺🇸
Lager - Märzen / Festbier Autumn|
Score
6.73
|
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As the leaves start to turn and the temperature dips ever so slightly, we reach that point in the calendar — the Witching Hour.
Since 2015, Witching Hour has been our annual Oktoberfest lager. While some elements of the beer remain unchanged year to year — such as a proper September release — each iteration possesses its own personality. In 2024, the pendulum swings back towards the recipe’s origins. Witching Hour is once again a märzen.
As is now tradition, we brewed this amber lager entirely with Epiphany craft malt. The base grist was divided nearly evenly between three of the North Carolina maltster’s grains: Ursprung fest-style malt, Vienna, and Munich. Given our version of a single decoction, the resulting liquid has a rich malt depth — toasty with a hint of dark bread — and dry finish.
We bittered Witching Hour with German Magnum and later added Hallertau Tradition, imbuing the beer with oh-so-subtle notes of citrus, florality, and grassiness We then transferred to tank and gave this beautiful brew over three months to mature gracefully.
Since 2015, Witching Hour has been our annual Oktoberfest lager. While some elements of the beer remain unchanged year to year — such as a proper September release — each iteration possesses its own personality. In 2024, the pendulum swings back towards the recipe’s origins. Witching Hour is once again a märzen.
As is now tradition, we brewed this amber lager entirely with Epiphany craft malt. The base grist was divided nearly evenly between three of the North Carolina maltster’s grains: Ursprung fest-style malt, Vienna, and Munich. Given our version of a single decoction, the resulting liquid has a rich malt depth — toasty with a hint of dark bread — and dry finish.
We bittered Witching Hour with German Magnum and later added Hallertau Tradition, imbuing the beer with oh-so-subtle notes of citrus, florality, and grassiness We then transferred to tank and gave this beautiful brew over three months to mature gracefully.
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6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6
Pint at the brewery pours a clear orange a ring of white head. Nose has malt and some cracker and bread and orange. Flavor of biscuit and black tea. Dry finish. Tannic and full bodied for the abv.
Tried
on 23 Sep 2023
at 16:29
6.9/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Snallygaster. Pours brown. Grain, biscuit, sulfur, toffee. Medium body. Pretty solid.
Tried
on 09 Oct 2022
at 14:33
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
On draft at the brewery. Pours a clear deep amber with a thick off white head. Aroma of caramel. Flavors are sweet malts. Light bitter finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 23 Oct 2017
at 18:38
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 6.5
4 oz pour on draft at Ocelot. Clear amber with beige head. Aromas of malt, caramel, light raisins. Tastes of malt, light raisins, caramel. Medium body with a dry finish. Solid Oktoberfest.
Tried
from Draft
on 22 Sep 2016
at 21:54
6.6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Draft at the brewery. Poured a dark amber color with a small white head. Aroma was light sweet malts, light grain notes - very Oktoberfest. Flavor was about the same, that light sweet grain and malt note you get from an Oktoberfest. Light crisp lager finish.
Tried
from Draft
on 30 Nov 2015
at 12:23
7/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 6
Draft at the source. Hazy golden color. Floral aroma. Taste has sweet and peppery straw. Nice.
Tried
from Draft
on 28 Nov 2015
at 15:09
6/10
—
Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 5
Solid, easy drinking Oktoberfest. Pours dark amber with OK head. Good barley crispness in finish. Tap at meridian pint.
Tried
from Draft
on 05 Oct 2015
at 19:09