This is my favorite time of the year when it comes to beers.  I am such a fan of Pumpkin Ales and Oktoberfest brews.  The competition is tough and it takes a lot to stand out in the seasonal beer aisle.

I stumbled upon Schlafly Oktoberfest while perusing the shelves of my local Roger Wilco and something about it caught my eye.  Perhaps it was the bright blue label in the sea of orange, earth-toned labels.  Whatever the reason, Schlafly Oktoberfest was the beer of choice for this week’s Malt Monday review.

According to Schlafly’s website and the beer bottle’s label, “This beer style was traditionally brewed in March for Munich’s Oktoberfest celebration in the fall and is sometimes known as Märzen.”   Available August through October, the beer poured a rich amber color, almost orange in tone.  I poured my beer from the bottle to a pilsner glass where a nice foam appeared.  The overall flavor profile of the beer was subtle; not too strong and slightly sweet.  I noticed caramel flavors, some bread and even a little citrus.  It was good but nothing to rave about. Very smooth to drink and it went down very easy but lacked that slight bite that I enjoy from Oktoberfests.  This would be a nice introduction  to Oktoberfests if you never had one before but a seasoned beer drinker will end up feeling a little cheated.

Like I said in the opening statement, Oktoberfests are in tough competition right now and while this one was good, I know there are much better ones out there.  Sorry Schlafly, this one is on the fence but for sake of staying true to Malt Mondays, I have to give this one a pass.