Ah, fall, when the wonderful beer gods bless us with the wonders of Octoberfest.  Plenty of darker style beers arrive on the scene to break the wave of lagers and pilsners, but the traditional style is Märzen.  Originating in Bavaria, Märzen is a pale lager, that ranges from pale (Helles Märzen) to dark (Dunkles Märzen).  While the traditional Austrian style has more of a sweetness than it’s German counterpart, Harpoon Octoberfest hails from Boston, Massachusetts, so anything could be possible.

Sight:  Light garnet, leaning orange.  A quickly diminishing head.

Smell:  There’s a roasty caramel smell, almost like caramel coating a red apple skin with a bit of spice. The malts come through, but there’s just enough hopping to make it slightly spicy.  There are also hints of delicious earthy smells, like crunchy leaves on a smoky fall day.

Sip:  There’s a light pucker to lead off, the carbonation is smooth, and the spicy fall flavors and red apple skin carry through.  The slight pucker continues throughout, leaning towards orange pith and raw nutmeg.  There’s an almost lightly roasted coffee elegance to it. [A.B.V. 5.5%]

Savor:  It’s gets ever so slightly mocha like, but maintains that earthy spice.  The flavor is somewhat reminiscent of a lightly spice chai, but with a bit of pith and caramel.

Overall, Harpoon Octoberfest offers a very enjoyable balance between bitter spice and sweet caramel.  The combination is a bit like fall in essence, it’s a bittersweet symphony to the changing of the seasons, and all the good and bad that comes with the changing of the seasons.  The final product ends up being more than the sum of it’s parts, offering a pleasant beer to enjoy over and over, without being too complicated for anyone who’s thirsty.

Verdict:  A leaf in the wind
Price: $7.99 for a 6 pack
Boston, MA
http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/