Sierra Nevada 'Oktoberfest' Lager 2015

Sierra Nevada 'Oktoberfest' Lager 2015. 6% abv. 30 IBU. Amber color. Two fingers of foamy white head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of sweet malt, cracker, faint earthy hop. Front taste of light roast malt, caramel, toasted bread. Aftertaste of sweet bread, roasted malt, herbal hops. Medium body. Mouthfeel is rich, sticky, bubbly.

This is an excellent Oktoberfest brew. It hits the notes of its category well, with a tall malt presence, sweet caramel, some toasty notes, and a slight herbal bite of hops in the aftertaste. It stands firmly beside other Oktoberfest beers. For me, a merely good Oktoberfest is still something to celebrate, and this new recipe for 2015 rises above. I'd surely have this again. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"We partnered with one of Germany's oldest breweries - Brauhaus Riegele - to create a true festival beer unlike any other brewed in the USA. Using traditional techniques and ingredients, were bringing the style back to its authentic roots with a deep golden color, delicate hop note, and rich malt complexity."

[source: bottle]

"A German-American collaboration on the classic festival beer. We’re on a mission to explore the roots of Germany’s festival beers. Each year, we’ll partner with one of a handful of incredible German brewers to create a traditional take on the most famous beer style in history. This year we’re working hand in hand with Brauhaus Riegele of Augsburg. Together we created an authentic Oktoberfest beer, true to the roots of the festival, that’s deep golden in color and rich with complex malt flavor from the use of traditional German Steffi barley."
[source: sierranevada.com]