Oktoberfest officially ended in Brisbane last weekend, so I feel it’s appropriate that this be my last Oktoberfest themed post for the year; even more appropriate that it’s about a beer brewed especially for the celebration – Erdinger Oktoberfest Weissbier!
A german girl and boy…or girl and girl??
The bottle says:
The moment you see the label you can tell this beer is all about festive fun. It’s a bright sky blue colour with green grass outlining the edge and balloons in the background. It certainly looks like a party…or maybe a packet of lollies? The label also features two figures in full Oktoberfest gear; the first is a buxom blonde beer wench carrying the customary three steins in one hand (I’m assuming she has three more in the other hand) The other person is either a feminine looking German boy with a stein of beer (which would be odd) or girl with a short haircut dressed in lederhosen (also odd). Oh those Germans…
First Half:
For the final time this year (maybe…) the beer was served in my Erdinger glass. It’s a surprisingly dark gold colour and seems to emit an orange aura. The body is cloudy, and the head is big, fluffy, white…everything you would expect from a German wheat beer.
The initial aroma is dominated by fresh bread and a slightly sweet smell, leaning more towards alcohol than fruit. The first mouthful is full and very carbonated, a little too much so. It’s not a light effervescence that lifts the beer and cleanses the palate; instead the bubbles seem to explode out of the beer, leaving your tongue coated in an almost oily residue. The carbonation also disguises the flavours a bit. All I can recognise is malt and alcohol (who’d have thought) with a candy like sweetness. There’s also a slight hop bitterness in the aftertaste, which lasts for a decent amount of time. Overall it’s not as well rounded as I was expecting.
Second Half:
The carbonation has settled a bit now, allowing the flavours to command more notice. The flavours are big; big malt, big alcohol sweetness. The last few mouthfuls reveal a slight nutty flavour, but nothing too bold. It really lets you know that you’re drinking a ‘festively’ strong beer, and that you should be having a good time. If it could talk I’m sure it would proclaim in a strong German accent “I am a beer, and I taste like one”
Final Thoughts:
There was nothing amazing about this beer; no amazing aromas, no fantastic flavours. This isn’t a negative comment, as I found the beer tasty and would happily enjoy a few more. It just wasn’t that special. I suppose this makes sense given that this beer is brewed specifically for Oktoberfest, the biggest beer drinking festival in the world. The majority of people in attendance aren’t there to ponder the aromas and appreciate the intricacies of the flavours; they’re there to drink and be merry! This beer assists with that by not being too bold, while keeping you aware that you’re drinking a strong beer. I’d like the carbonation to be turned down a little, but this would be the last thing on my mind if I were in the hallowed beer tents in Theresienwiese.
Chasing Ale 