Oktober

Hello and thank you for joining me again here at Brewsounds. This is part two of Autumn Ears & Beers. Here will be reviewing Fall Seasonal brews and pairings with some great tunes to match. 

In the previous segment we looked at a rock solid example of the Pumkin Ale style from Smuttynose Brewing Co. Today in part two we will look at the Oktoberfest style. 

Oktoberfest is a style of German beer known as Märzen. Or more specifically Märzenbier. Now what is Märzen?  You see, back in the Old Country long before there was refrigeration beer could only be made in the cooler months because the summer was too hot for brewing. The beer was more likely to get infected from bacteria. So most beer was made in March. Hence, Märzen. Much of the beer made early in the year was cellared to allow fermentation and to avoid high temperatures. Some were also brewed at a higher gravity (i.e. higher alcohol content) to help better preserve the beer through the summer. Once fall arrived these beers were busted out to enjoy. Especially once Oktoberfest was established, which dates back to 1810. Märzen and Oktoberfest are essentially the same brews, but the Oktoberfest is typically slightly darker, more full bodied than the Märzen and with a slightly higher hops profile. Also the typical Märzen is between 4% and 6% abv. while the typical Oktoberfest is between 5% and 7% abv.

Brewery:

Avery Brewing Company

Brewery Website: http://www.averybrewing.com/

Name/Style: 

The Kaiser/Märzenbier/Oktoberfest

ABV(alcohol by volume):

10.03%

Now forget everything you just learned about Märzen. This is an Imperial Oktoberfest... Avery style. Avery is an American brewery out of the beer mecca that is Boulder, Colorado. They are one of the breweries leading the "Big Beer" craze we have in the states and have taken up the banner and never looked back.  By "Big Beer" I mean high abv. brews, hop bombs(brews with incredibly strong hop presence), malt bombs(very rich darker beers) and crazy strong stouts(one at 16% abv. which I will be going over as we near Halloween).  The Kaiser is everything I would expect from these guys and a little more.

This copper colored beauty come is a 22oz bottle known as a "Bomber". They brew and bottle this stuff in one vintage on August 1st every year so this is truly seasonal in every sense. Pours out a deep rich copper with an average head for a beer with this much alcohol content. Minimal carbonation. The lacing on this one is thick and sticky! The scent is big caramel maltiness, a little alcohol esters, too. Slightly bread-like in a small way. Not much in the way of a hop profile, but it is there. Just a bit fruity. 

The taste is even bigger than the smell. Huge malt character. Remember me mentioning malt bombs? Well this is a prime example. Imperial usually implies a large increase in the amount of malt used in the brewing process and this is IMPERIAL. But there is more there than malt. You get a warm spiciness from the alcohol as it makes its way to your tummy. Nice. And the hops sort of round out the end of the taste experience with some fruit flavors and tiny bit of bitterness. Starts sweet and ends sweet, but not too intense. This is one bomber that could really get you bombed in no time. Take this one on as a sipper.

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Musical Pairings


Now I intend to expand the music we cover more over the next few weeks. More information as to why the beer pairs well with the music. More recommendations and bringing in a local music/local brew aspect here and there. I hope to even get some interviews with some of the Tampa Bays best bands to talk music and a little beer.
But today I have only one pairing for The Kaiser.
Behold.
Richard Wagner-Ride Of The Valkyries, from Die Walküre

                        

Pumpkin Smashings

Welcome to the first installment of BeerSounds Autumn Ears & Beers. In this segment we will cover some great seasonal brews and some great seasonal sounds.


 Here in the Tampa Bay area we have been enjoying a first hint of cooler weather to come while much else of the country is well in the swing of Autumn. While the days are getting shorter and shorter and the nights getting colder and longer many turn their thoughts towards Thanksgiving and Halloween. The latter ushering in ghouls and goblins seeking candy at the front door and toilet paper flying through the trees. The former brings me memories of holiday get togethers with friends and  family. Tables full of food and plates overflowing with the gargantuan portions they strain to contain. All the good stuff we shouldn't eat is stacked high. Cranberry jams, turkey drenched in brown gravy,  three kinds of stuffing, home-made mashed potatoes whipped with cream not milk, pumpkin pie and if you look in the right places before you head to the party, pumpkin ale.

Brewery:
Smuttynose Brewing Company
Brewery website:  http://www.smuttynose.com/
Name/Stlye:
Pumkpin Ale/Pumpkin Ale
ABV(alcohol by volume):
6%

This is Smuttynose Brewing Company's seasonal Pumpkin Ale. Brewed in a style true to its colonial roots this pumpkin ale uses real pumpkin puree in the mash, instead of adding mystery "pumpkin flavor" that you will see on some other craft style ales, along with traditional spices. Those spices are what dominate the nose as the beer is poured into a my goblet. Nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger are right up front while the pumpkin, though it hides behind the spices, is present. A touch of malt is there, too. Very pleasant. Copper/Amber in the heart while turning to a more golden hue at the edge of the glass. Slight haze. All this capped by a creamy head made of tight white bubbles.