Avery Brewing - The Kaiser Review
There are a few brewers in American craft that have been taking it to the edge since the beginning. One of those brewers is Avery Brewing out of Boulder, Colorado, and they go hard into brews, testing the limits with the likes of Maharaja IPA, a 10% ABV hop monster, and their Reverend Belgian-style quad, also coming in at 10%. But Avery offers a special seasonal that brings the punch of high ABV to a German classic.
The Kaiser is an Imperial Oktoberfest Lager that comes in at 8.0% ABV on the back of Dark Munich, Munich, Vienna, Aromatic, and 2-Row malt balanced by Hersbrucker and Bravo hops. All that is brought together with their House Bohemian Lager yeast, and it’s ready to fight.
Yet I find myself skeptical of such a twist on a well-loved (especially in my house) classic like the Oktoberfest lager. Can Avery pull it off like they have with other wild beers? Only one way to find out.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Copper, slightly hazy, and topped with an off-white and tight-pored head that maintains well. Looks a lot like a good marzen.
On the Nose--Bready and deep with sweet caramel and a promising toastiness while maintaining those craveably clean lager qualities.
On the Palate--Much sweeter than expected but very complex with a stroke of caramel right at the front that gives way to a toasty note which competes nicely with a dried fruit (akin to apricot) and decently strong floral hop presence. Full-bodied and dry in the finish with only a bit of hoppy and dried fruit character lingering. The higher ABV is noticeable but balanced well with the malt sweetness and floral hop character.
Brewing Tip: If you love homebrewing, you’ll be pleased to know Avery has homebrew recipes on their website so you can brew their beers at home. They give it to you straight and easy with nothing to hide. We’ll probably try a few of our own soon. Happy Brewing!
Final Thoughts:
Tampering with beer classics always gives me pause. I mean, what is wrong with a traditional marzen? Properly concocted, I would place this classic style in the category of best beers, so why ramp it up? Well, because a person can, I suppose, and what Avery has created is something really unique.
Honestly, this beer makes me think of a blend of marzen and doppelbock. It has the look, toastiness, and body of a marzen with the complexity, richness, and malt depth of a doppelbock, with the ABV to match. More of a sipper than a typically quaffable Oktoberfest beer, but certainly a treat for those who like unique innovations of old world beers. It’s certainly a beer for the adventurous drinker, and I’m glad we were finally able to get our hands on it. It’s much sweeter than I was expecting, but the Kaiser’s complexity and kick make it fun. If you see it and have the funds, buy it, because it goes quickly.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew
You know, drinking this beer reminded me of a doppelbock from a Texas legend. See if you also find some similarities with Year Lator Doppelbock from Altstadt.
And if you’re an Oktoberfest purist, go for Hacker-Pschorr’s Oktoberfest Marzen. We love it!