Oktoberfest Beer
Karl Strauss Brewing Company in San Diego, California, United States 🇺🇸
Lager - Märzen / Festbier Regular|
Score
6.51
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We brew Oktoberfest in tribute to the world’s biggest beer party. Vienna and Munich malts produce the deep golden color, nutty undertones, and toasted malt flavors characteristic of this renowned Bavarian beer style. Perle hops imported directly from the Hallertau region of Germany give the beer a smooth balanced finish. This celebratory lager puts the ‘fest’ in the month of October.
Unlike most beers that begin with base malt and add specialty malts for flavor, Karl Strauss Oktoberfest is made from 100% specialty malts. A flavorful blend of Vienna, Munich, and Carahell malts create a toasty, nutty flavor that is characteristic of the style. To balance out the sweetness from the malts, the brewers stayed true to tradition using imported Hallertau Perle hops for a spicy finish.
After cold fermenting for several weeks, the golden hued lager is cellared at 50-degrees for an additional three weeks, creating an incredibly smooth finish. Weighing in at 5% ABV, this exceptional session lager is a great complement to traditional Oktoberfest fare, including grilled meats, burgers, and of course, sausages.
Unlike most beers that begin with base malt and add specialty malts for flavor, Karl Strauss Oktoberfest is made from 100% specialty malts. A flavorful blend of Vienna, Munich, and Carahell malts create a toasty, nutty flavor that is characteristic of the style. To balance out the sweetness from the malts, the brewers stayed true to tradition using imported Hallertau Perle hops for a spicy finish.
After cold fermenting for several weeks, the golden hued lager is cellared at 50-degrees for an additional three weeks, creating an incredibly smooth finish. Weighing in at 5% ABV, this exceptional session lager is a great complement to traditional Oktoberfest fare, including grilled meats, burgers, and of course, sausages.
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8.6/10
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Appearance 7
Aroma 8.5
Flavor 9
Texture 9
Overall 9
12 oz bottle from Total Wine, Las Vegas, NV. Pours a semi-clear orange-bronze color with a small off-white head and fair retention. Minimal spots of lacing. Caramel malt aroma. Nicely sweet caramel malt flavor throughout. Medium body. High carbonation. Crisp mouthfeel. Not bitter. Very clean, smooth, and easy drinking. Nice sweet lager.
Tried
from Bottle
on 17 Apr 2025
at 22:41
6.1/10
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Appearance 4
Aroma 6
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
12oz bottle into a glass tankard at my daughters place in Orange County, California on 8th Dec 2017. Almost clear, deep amber body, the full white crown, sadly left the scene very quickly to leave a headless body. Malty front with a semi-sweetness throughout. A slight hop bitterness tries to balance out the malty molasses but they do not quite make it. My sweet tooth liked it very much, pity about the head!
Tried
from Bottle
on 08 Dec 2017
at 21:00
6/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 6
Pour is a hazy tan with a large white head. Aroma is a light sweet but toasted malt. Flavor is the same. A slight sweet malt with a little toasted bready malt. This beer has a horrible rating on here but other than being a bit light all around I could not find any fault with this.
Tried
on 15 Sep 2017
at 18:15
6.5/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 6
Flavor 6
Texture 6
Overall 8
Bottle. It pours a golden orange color with a small off white head. The aroma has solid toasted malt and hints of earthy, woody hops. Bready and toasted. The flavor is the same. Bready, toasted with hints of cooked squash. Very light hints of earthy hops and barely perceptible bitterness. Light bodied. Pretty standard, but well attenuated. A bit above average.
Tried
from Bottle
on 06 Nov 2016
at 17:50
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 6
US. Bottle from Antenna America. The color is more orange gold than nutty brown as I expect from a Märzen. The nose is pretty good though with caramel plus nutty & fruity notes. A fairly thin body with a grainy, malty sweet profile with honey and a mild graham cracker covered in a light caramel spread type of taste. Light for an Oktoberfest but a decently balanced fall seasonal.
Tried
from Bottle
on 05 Jan 2014
at 01:52
7.1/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
On tap at the La Jolla brewpub and the San Diego airport
Appearance: Poured clear yellow/gold with a nice big white head and good lacing
Aroma: Nutty, toasted malts
Taste: Sweet malts, caramel and nutty
A nice Oktoberfest, clean and refreshing. ** I had this beer again at the SD Airport, it was darker, sweeter and maltier. The bartender assured me the keg was correct, but it tasted more like their Amber Lager.
Appearance: Poured clear yellow/gold with a nice big white head and good lacing
Aroma: Nutty, toasted malts
Taste: Sweet malts, caramel and nutty
A nice Oktoberfest, clean and refreshing. ** I had this beer again at the SD Airport, it was darker, sweeter and maltier. The bartender assured me the keg was correct, but it tasted more like their Amber Lager.
Tried
from Draft
on 14 Oct 2010
at 18:11