Shiner - Oktoberfest Review
Oktoberfest seems to come earlier and earlier every year, to the point of having to stock up on beers in early August to have them during Fest time. I can’t lie, it’s pretty dang frustrating. But that’s why it’s important to have a brewer close to home to provide the cheer all season, not just in August, and not just for an outrageous price.
Fortunately for us, we live near Shiner, Texas, home of, you guessed it, K. Spoetzl Brewery and Shiner beers. Unfortunately for us, American craft brewing often falls very short of their German counterparts when it comes to deep, rich, quaffable Oktoberfest beers. But Shiner has a kicker here, and it’s not only that they’ve been around since 1909, but that their sweet little town was founded by German and Czech immigrants, and their sweet little brewery was founded by a Bavarian by the name of Kosmos Spoetzl.
That’s a couple two-tree legs up on their American competitors, and we’re hoping their Oktoberfest lager has some legs of its own with the use of 2-row, Munich, and Caramel malt, as well as Hallertau Tradition and Hersbrucker hops, the foundation of this 5.7% ABV and 18 IBU Marzen-style lager. Enough blabbering, let’s hoist a stein!
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Clear, deep gold, and topped with a beige head that maintains well. Looks mean a lot with these styles, and Shiner’s looking good.
On the Nose--Malty and sweet with notes of caramel, bread, and a touch of fruity and floral hop character.
On the Palate--Sweet at first sip before the deep roastiness takes control and offers a toasty note that touches the edge of burnt, but only the edge, sort of similar to chicory, really, but it’s quickly wiped away with a floral hoppy hit and a very dry finish, and I do mean very dry, leaving only a bit of roastiness lingering, and not too long with the moderate bitterness. Oktoberfest is medium-bodied and balanced, which shows by how quickly the palate is cleansed and ready for another go.
Food Pairings: Shiner suggests pairing their Marzen-style lager with bratwurst, soft pretzels and beer cheese, and stein hoisting, but I think anything German or hearty will do.
Final Thoughts:
Shiner is not only iconic in Texas, but all over the United States. Their brand is legendary, and they have many beers that are very good and rooted deep in their history. But I cannot lie, I thought I remembered drinking this beer 3-5 years ago and not liking it very much. I’ve stayed away from it since then, picking safer bets, and enjoying other Shiner beers in other parts of the year. It seems I’ve made a mistake.
Honestly, after drinking this Oktoberfest beer I’m quite sure I’ve never had this before. There may be a few reasons for that. It may have always been a ‘I’ll get it another time’ beer, or it may have been my developing palate, or maybe, just maybe, Shiner has altered their recipe a bit. Maybe.
Whichever one it is, I really enjoyed this Oktoberfest Marzen-style lager from a great Texas brewer. It’s aromatically pleasing, sweet and then roasty, roasty then moderately bitter and dry in the finish, which Shiner has definitely perfected. The roasted notes are punchy at the first sip, but quickly even out with the balance of the beer. It may not be as quaffable as some, but there is nothing wrong with this beer. And without a doubt, it is a Shiner beer to celebrate Texas (and German) cheer!
Prost!
Mr. Brew