Day 46 (9/8/2011) Oktoberfest by Sun King Brewing Company

 The Oktoberfest Quest continues! I was given this can a few weeks back and hung onto it so I could try it with others of its same style to compare and contrast. The real can won't look like the one above; this one is just a generic Sun King can.

It pours a far clearer, lighter copper than Moerlein's offering, with a lot larger of the head (though the head was the same off-white. The smell has the same caramel sweetness, though this one might smell a little fruitier.

In addition to the appearance of it, the taste and mouthfeel is a huge departure from the Moerleing Fifth and Vine. This is a great deal more sweeter than it, with an almost bubble gum note added to the malty sweetness. You don't get as much hops on the taste either (though the hops in Fifth  and Vine were not in the spotlight, by any means). You don't get much of the Noble hops used at all, but it's not really missed. The flavor is really solid.

What gets me about this beer is the carbonation. It seems very low. I'm not sure if all cans are like this or just mind, but it somewhat hindered the really good flavor. It's not flat or uncarbonated by any means. I just would have liked a little more.

Overall, this seems like another solid Oktoberfest. I've been a huge Sun King fan since I lived in Indianapolis and it always makes me happy to see them put out another good beer. I'd probably knock this one on the appearance and carbonation, but it surpasses Fifth and Vine on the nose and taste. I'd put these about even, maybe with the Sun King variety a tad ahead. Now I just have to find more Oktoberfests to try!

Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
ABV: 5.75% (?)
IBU: ?
Beer Advocate: B+
Ratebeer: N/A (Not enough ratings)

I was given a can of this at Beer and Sweat by an employee of Sun King, but you should be able to get this where Sunk King is distributed, which is neither NKY or Cincinnati. Indianapolis folks will be able to easily get ahold of it though.

Day 45 (9/7/2011) Fifth and Vine by Christian Moerlein Brewing Company

I have two confessions to make. First, I'm not a big Moerlein fan. I know, I know; support your hometown boys and all that other good stuff. Outside of the Northern Liberty IPA, I've found the beers largely to be hit or miss. The other confession is that I can probably count the number of Oktoberfest beers I have tried in my life on one hand. During my progression as a craft beer drinker from hoppy to roasty to sour (and on and on), I never really stopped to enjoy the non-stout/porter malty beers. This is much of the same reason I am largely ignorant of Scottish ales and the like.

With that in mind, I decided I would make a conscious effort to dive into the style and considering the time of year, it seems I will have a number to choose from. I will hopefully be trying a number of good ones and, at some point, I'll rank the ones I've tried in order of a combo of preference and adherence to style. I'm not going to rate any of them until I have a little context, though. Bear with me. I'm flying by the seat of my pants here.

Fifth and Vine pours a dark copper with a few fingers of off-white head. The little lacing that is left slides down the glass slowly. The smell is a sweet caramel with an almost fruity tint to it. There is also some breadiness from the yeast.

The taste has a slight roast to it, but the main flavor is the caramel and sweetness that was dominant on the nose. There seems to be some spiciness comparable to a nice Saison or beer utilizing Belgian yeast, which is completely unexpected. The body is just about medium with a tingly sensation from a just over medium carbonation.

This is easily one of the better Moerlein beers I've drank. I don't mind at all that I have five more of these in the fridge. I'm still on the fence concerning what I think about the style, though, but hopefully a broader exposure to the different offerings will allow me to appreciate its nuances.

Next up will be the Oktoberfest offering from Sun King Brewing (Indianapolis). This was a special gift from an employee there and I've been waiting to crack it open.

Style: Marzen/Oktoberfest
ABV: 5.7% (?)
IBU: ?
Beer Advocate: B+
Ratebeer: 63/85