Draught at Portland location, 10/11/15.
It’s possible that this has changed significantly since last year, as this is now listed as a smokey biere de garde and the alcohol was bumped from 5.5% to 6.0%. But it’s inconclusive based on the ratings, so I’m not going to split it, but will try to get more info.
Deep amber with chestnut brown and auburn hues. Light beige head is small and fades rapidly to cover/ring. Good clarity.
Light smoke, more phenolic than anything, in the nose is joined by vanilla, boisterous fruitiness (raspberries, grapes, cherries) and a lovely, elegant yeast profile that is peppery, earthy and just as charming as it always is from Oxbow. Light caramel/toffee and baked bread notes are given off by the malt while no flaw or alcohol is noted.
A great oktoberfest should be primarily two things, IMHO: malty and dry. Malty because that’s what German lagers are known for and dry because, well, festbiers are session beers, ultimately. This does it perfectly on both counts. Sweet bread and toffee up front give way to earthy, hay, plentiful peppery phenols and very light smokiness. Some esters mix with this very enjoyably and you’ve got yourself a pretty solid example of a BdG (malt-driven, but with ample yeast character and dry overall) that still preserves the spirit of a German festbier. Clean, really well-done and incredibly drinkable.

LSAT Freedom Trip #94. Keg at the brewery. Hazy orange, large foamy tan head, fair retention. Aroma of smoke, bready malt, caramel, mild spice and nuts. The taste is toffee, smoke, bready malt, nuts, spice. Medium bodied.

Tap at Oxbow. It pours cloudy deep orange with a small white head. The nose is rich, smoked, bitter - sweet, oily orange, bread and spice. The taste is rich, wood, leather, stewed orange, fruit cake, peach, light smoke, touch of sournesd and honey glazed ham with a dry finish. Medium body and moderate carbonation. Unusual, but the balance works for me.

On tap at Goods from the Woods 2014 with Festero. Not sure why they would confuse us with a name like oxtoberfest, Marzen this is not. Smokey light malty sweetness hints of floral spicy hops and a rustic earthy funk. Nice brew with a bit of a confounding moniker.

Bottle. Hazy golden amber color, medium white head. Nice aroma of burnt biscuits, burning haystacks. Taste has light fruit, straw, honey, dust. Very tasty, and different than your average fall beer.

4 oz draft pour at Brookland Pint during their grand opening. 2012 vintage. Clear golden brown with off-white head. Aromas of herbs, spices, floral notes, barnyard funk and a little bandage. Tastes of oranges, funk, herbs, spices, floral notes. Medium-light body with a dry finish.

Draught @ Mikkeller Bar, Viktoriagade 8BC, kld., DK-1655 Copenhagen, Denmark. [ As Oxbow Oxtoberfest ].Unclear medium red orange color with a average, frothy, good lacing, mostly lasting, off-white head. Aroma is moderate malty, caramel, fruity, light to moderate yeasty, smoke. Flavour is moderate sweet and light to moderate bitter with a long duration, fruity, smoke, orange notes, rubber notes. Body is medium, texture is oily, carbonation is soft. [20140430]

[4/30/14] Draught at Mikkeller Bar in Copenhagen. Hazy amber. Aroma of butter (lots of diacetyl), funky, caramel, smoky notes and fruits. Sweetish-sourish flavor with fruits, some sourness, a bit of caramel, some funk and a dry finish. Medium-bodied.

Draught at Mikkeller Bar (Viktoriagade), shared with Skinnyviking. Quickly diminishing off-white head. Spotty lacing. Next to clear amber coloured body. Rather distant aroma of smoked grain and tart fruits. Mixed taste of smoked malts and tart -sweet berries. Sour and sweet to the ending. Medium bodied. Different and just alright (Copenhagen 30.04.2014).

Draft @ Mikkeller Bar, Copenhagen. Pours an orange color with a small white head. Has a fruity malty spicy yeasty tart flavor with weak smoky hints. Has a fruity malty sour smoky finish.