WIDMER BROTHERS - OKTO FESTIVAL ALE
(Portland, OR)
Amanda Smith – 4.5
Winner, winner chicken dinner. This beer is exactly what I like in a beer: full-bodied, filling, and pleasing with a slightly sweet but robust and nutty finish. A post-season Cardinals game, chips and salsa, and a six-pack of this are in my near future. You will see me at Liquor Locker buying this beer soon.
Jabez Martinez – 4.0
A cloudy brown beer with some hops and caramel in the aroma and some fruits added in. It had a heavy hops flavor, some caramel, but also finished with the fruit flavors. I did like the crispness that this beer had. The usual seasonal beer likes to linger on your pallet, but this one didn’t.
Todd Zachritz 3.5
The dependable Widmer's entry into the Oktoberfest sweepstakes opens a cloudy amber appearance and attractive spoke-wheel lacing on the glass. Superlative presentation! The aroma is caramel and wheat and pretty well typical for the style. But the taste, you ask? It's sweet with the caramel malts up front alongside hints of a nutty, almost roasty, character. Very well done, and an enjoyable brew.
BOULEVARD BULLY! PORTER
(Kansas City, MO)
Amanda Smith – 4.0
This nutty porter has a wonderfully rich cocoa taste. If you are a fan of dark, complex porters, you will surely enjoy this one. The balance of roasted nuts against a warm chocolate makes this ideal to sip and savor or even enjoy with a dessert.
Jabez Martinez – 4.5
This beer poured a dark brown, almost black color. It had the standard roasted malts and coffee aroma, which matched its flavor. I could also taste some chocolate and even a little vanilla. It did have a little sweetness to the flavor, and the flavored lingered for a while. A nice Halloween party beer.
Todd Zachritz 4.0
This is a perfectly-executed porter with a deep black appearance and an overwhelming carbonation that leaves some extraordinary retention on the glass. First sniff reveals a nutty, roasty character, with a chocolate or cocoa overtone. Nice! Tastes burnt with a more bittersweet cocoa at the finish that seems to sweeten up as it warms. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this one, and any fans of porters or stouts will be pleased with it.
SHOCK TOP PUMPKIN WHEAT
(St. Louis, MO)
Amanda Smith 2.0
I am surprised at the amount of spice that this beer puts off. The underlying clove and pumpkin duo is strong enough, and I expected a fuller-bodied beer. I’m disappointed in how thin it is. I suspect I would like it better if it were fuller-bodied. And without instructions. I seriously don’t like beers with “how to drink” instructions.
Jabez Martinez 3.0
I had high hopes for this beer. I love the regular Shock Top but this was just a little average. It is a hazy orange colored beer. I could taste the pumpkin and spices but they were a little weak. If you have never had a pumpkin beer and would like to try one, this is a good starter. Nothing flashy, just average.
Todd Zachritz 1.0
This seasonal macro-posing-as-craft-beer pours a cloudy copper with an average head and very little lace. Smells like pumpkin rather than spice. Not bad so far. But the worst is yet to come! The flavor is metallic with a weird artificial-tasting pumpkin-spice mix. To boot, this one's watery and thin-bodied. There's something missing here. Avoid!
SHIPYARD PUMPKINHEAD
(Portland, ME)
Amanda Smith – 3.0
The flavor is a bit underwhelming. With the whole “Halloween” vibe it gives off, I was expecting more. What I did find was a medium-bodied brew with very subtle spicing. It would be a good beer for those who are just starting to explore the world of spiced brews.
Jabez Martinez – 2.5
I originally didn’t know if I really liked this beer or not. It had a strong pumpkin aroma but was a clear amber colored beer. It had a very sweet flavor and an ample pumpkin flavor. The more I drank it, the less I liked it. The flavor began to become bitter and the pumpkin flavor seemed to fade. I was not impressed by this offering from Shipyard.
Todd Zachritz 2.0
I wanted to like this one, being from Maine and boasting of a spooky-cool Ichabod Crane character on the label, but alas, this clear and golden ale, with limited head and no lace, proved disappointing. The nose seemed lagery, grainy, and thin...not very pumpkin-like at all. The flavor was also mild and bland, even. Imagine a typical adjunct lager beer with some pumpkin flavoring dropped in, and you have this unimaginative brew. Thanks, but no thanks.
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Ratings are given from 1-5. “5” is the best rating a reviewer can give, meaning they were very pleased with the beer and would strongly recommend it. “1” is the lowest rating a reviewer can give, meaning they did not enjoy the beer at all.
