Seedstock Oktoberfest by Seedstock Brewery is being evaluated as a traditional Oktoberfest/Märzen (2015 BJCP Category 6A). Upon the pour, it presents itself as a lovely deep amber beer with an orange hue and brilliant clarity along with a stand of cream-colored foam that’s persistent.
Moderate bread with intense bread crusts and Maillard products dominate the nose of the beer. Additional support from caramel deepens its complexity. No hops were found nor any fermentation flaws such as esters or diacetyl.
The taste picks up where the aroma leaves off. The bread crusts and toasted caramel malt is more intense relative to the aroma and fully dominate the flavor. Low bitterness helps to offset any residual sweetness although the fermentation was clean and well attenuated with no off-flavors. The taste starts sweet but dries out in the end, which aids in drinkability… perfect for the liter or the boot. Toast and bread crusts linger far into the aftertaste. This Märzen is exactly what you’d expect for the style.
This Oktoberfest should be a staple of your fall lineup. It hits the hallmarks of the style. Additional base malt complexity would make this a world-class, not-to-be missed beer, but I’d be happy to pay for this rendition. Prost!