Live Oak Oaktoberfest

Much like the Halloween season, Oktoberfest season is coming to its gradual conclusion very soon as well.  And that bums me out.  So we're going to go down swinging around these parts, picking up as much of the dwindling supply of beer as possible.  Enter Oaktoberfest from Austin's Live Oak Brewing.  The 5.8% ABV Marzen pours a nice gold with a big and frothy white head.  Aromas of sweet breads and malts abounds with some hints of honey, while the flavor follows the nose along with some notes of caramel all in a light bodied brew.  It's a super easy beer to drink, perfect for any Fall activity.

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Stout Chocula

While i'm still primarily grooving on the standard Fall beers, i simply couldn't pass up a monster cereal themed brew from Ingenious Brewing in Humble, Texas.  Enter Stout Chocula.  The 10% ABV imperial stout was brewed with plenty of chocolate and marshmallows and pours a dark black with a foamy, off-white head.  Aromas of chocolate and sugar abound with some notes of vanilla and a hint of roasted malts.  The flavor is a very sweet mix of chocolate, marshmallow, and vanilla along with that same hint of roasted malts and an alcohol sting.  This one won't be for everyone, but it made for a nice dessert brew after dinner.

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Bell's Brewery Octoberfest

I've mentioned a hundred times on here how the Fall brings one of my favorite beer seasons, with pumpkin ales and Octoberfests abounding.  And this year, i was fortunate enough to get my grubby little hands on a pretty outstanding Octoberfest from Bell's Brewery.  The 5.5% ABV beer pours a crisp, coppery color with a white head and smells of bready malt with notes of caramel and some light hints of sweet fruit.  The flavor is a very balanced and delicious mix of roasted malts, caramel, toffee, and a touch of hops, just the right kind of libation to pair with a pretzel or bratwurst.  This one may be my new go-to come next Autumn.

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Jester King Phylactery Phactory Double Hazy IPA

It's still hot here, so we can't be drinking Fall brews all the time.  Enter the Phylactery Phactory Double Hazy IPA from the good folks at Jester King.  The 8.5% ABV brew pours a murky, hazy golden orange and smells of citrus, pineapple, and a ton of tropical fruit.  The flavor is similar, with lots of citrus and juice, lightly bitter, and maybe even just a touch sour.  It's definitely something good to drink in the sunshine.

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Fitzhugh Ethiopian Tella

I got to try a couple of styles of beer that i've never had before yesterday.  Here and there, when the weather has been nice and not too hot, i'll occasionally venture out to a brewery to sip their wares, though lately only if i can be outside and spaced away from others.  So, on Sunday, i hit up a new joint out in the hill country called Fitzhugh Brewery.  Picnic table secured, i gave their Ethiopian Tella a shot, and it's different and very good.  Here's what a Tella is:

Tella is a traditional beverage fermented with grains that are native to the Ethiopian region. This Tella is made of Ethiopian teff flour, sorghum flour, maize, millet, barley and honey. Traditionally this beer is bittered with an herb called Gesho which lends a subtle spiciness and earthiness to the beer that hops can't quite match.

The 6.8% ABV brew pours a slightly reddish brown with a white head and smells sweet and earthy with lots of grain notes and some hints of honey.  The flavor is that same mix of sweet and earthy, though not overly so, and pretty well balanced.  The lack of hops is certainly noticeable with the Gesho herb making for a very different kind of beer, and a wonderful brew to sip on outside on a warm Fall day.

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River Horse Gentle Giant

Going in a slightly different direction than i normally do during this time of year, taking a small break from Oktoberfests and pumpkin ales, i hit up a big ol' bottle of imperial witbier from New Jersey's River Horse Brewing.  The 8% ABV brew pours a hazy golden wheat with a white head and smells of orange peel and lemon grass along with some light notes of bread and a general, all around earthiness.  The flavor is a mix of said orange, citrus, and grass, followed by some notes of Belgian yeast and a hint of banana.  I don't know why, but this one made me feel like i should be watching baseball.

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Clown Shoes Pumpkin Sombrero

I am full on into pumpkin beer season these days, and my taste for the weekend came from Massachusetts' Clown Shoes Brewing.  The 7% ABV Mexican stout pours black with an off-white head and smells of pumpkin, spices, and roasted malts.  The flavor is an earthy mix of said roasted malts and pumpkin with notes of nutmeg and cinnamon.  It's a Fall brew, and Fall is here...kinda, so drink up while watching your team lose on Saturday, or watching your other team win on Sunday.

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