The fall chill is finally setting to set in up in the Northeast. It is a brisk 50 degrees in the air and the pumpkins are everywhere. I recently grabbed a mixed six-pack of some autumn seasonals. One of the beers that caught my eye was the newly designed label of Flying Fish’s OktoberFish.

The re-branding brings a fresh new look to their rather dated looking labels in the past (of their standard line-up anyway). The beer pours a nice hazy brown color with a bit of a copper hue to it. I had to pour vigorously to get a nice two finger head with some good lacing. The aroma consisted of a solid Marzen-style malty backbone with oats and caramel accenting it. It’s definitely similar to the traditional “Fest” style but with a nice twist.

The flavor on the palate has a bold and sweet malt presence up-front. It transitioned midway through with spices and a dash of bittering hops, finishing with some subtle hints of caramel, spice and toffee. For the style it had a nice mouth feel, medium-bodied while being very easy drinking.

I can’t recall if I’ve had this one before, but overall this is a well-made seasonal for the New Jersey brewery. The malt base was solid and allowed the subtle secondary flavors to come out without weighing them down. I wouldn’t mind picking up a six pack of this one actually to keep on hand for the colder weather.

Rating

91
out of 100