10 Oct Saint Arnold Oktoberfest by Tony

Saint Arnold Oktoberfest

Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Houston, TX

Märzen

ABV: 6.6%

IBUs: 15

Packaging: 12oz. Bottles and on draft

Oktoberfests are one of the styles of beer I really like to try. 1. Because there are so many, and more importantly, 2. because it’s a style of beer that’s rooted in creativity. Before keggerators and koozies, the brewers had to figure out how to brew beer that wouldn’t spoil as it fermented. Creativity + ingenuity = seasonal beers like Märzenbier, a Bavarian lager. I just enjoy the historical creativity that makes beer possible.

Anyhow, Saint Arnold Oktoberfest is a freaking fantastic fall beer!! It starts off crisp and it develops a sort of sweet, malty flavor as it goes down, just as Saint Arnold described. It has a caramel, toffee, sort of aroma at the end, and it leaves you with a mild boozy after taste, but it’s not overwhelming. No hop flavor at all, and very low in bitterness.

It’s bolder and more full-bodied than the Karbach Oktoberfest, and it feels a bit heavier, too. Saint Arnold Oktoberfest has more flavor than the Shiner counterpart as well, but I haven’t officially reviewed that one.

It’s almost perfect, in my opinion. The more I think about it as I write, I almost want to bump it up to a 5 star, but I have to follow my gut. I enjoy beer that’s tasty and refreshing, simple as that. This beer has all the flavor, body, etc., but it doesn’t come across as heavy.

Saint Arnold Oktoberfest is a reddish brown, dark copper color. It had a thin tan head that didn’t stick around for long. The lace delicately coated the glass with each sip.

I expected a good beer. Saint Arnold, in my opinion, is reliable for at least a good beer. I expected lots of flavor, but very drinkable, and that’s what I got. Saint Arnold Oktoberfest was better than good – it was great.

The Saint Arnold Oktoberfest artwork is now fully illustrated. The patron saint finds his home in the center circle, per usual. This time, he’s flanked by fall leaves, and the circle contains a football stadium – perfect. The background is filled with an illustration of orange and yellow leaves.

I got my Saint Arnold Oktoberfest HEB. Saint Arnold is everywhere in Houston, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find. However, Oktoberfests are seasonal, so hurry up and buy!

It seems like everybody does an Oktoberfest for fall, so there are a lot of options. Which one was your favorite, if not Oktoberfest? Let us know.