Background – From The Devil’s Backbone brewing themselves “Inspired by modern German Oktoberfest bier, O’Fest will make you want to hoist a stein at your local bier hall and say “Prost!” We hear that means “cheers” in German. It’s medium-bodied, golden in color, and tastes smooth, malty & bready thanks to the contemporary blend of malts and hops. You’ll love it whether it’s October or Oktober”

Appearance – Now this is what an Oktoberfest beer bottle should look like. A great depiction of people drinking from the steins and celebrating. I always appreciate more effort going into these labels. Once poured I was shocked because you get a clear burnt golden color and not the amber that you would expect from a Marzen

Aroma – The aroma is bright and crisp, like a fresh wake up with notes of malt and apple. While it may not be heavy in the aroma the notes that you do get are all pleasant. 

Taste: The taste is crisp with notes of malts and bread but it is very light. It almost surprises me how much it doesnt feel like a marzen. This reminds me of the festbier style lager, but either way it tastes good.

Drinkability – The O’fest is an extremely easy beer to drink with a dry finish. It goes down smooth and at 5.9% it may be a bit too smooth. I love brews like this that are perfect for a warmer September day.

Overall –  I like what this beer is going for, even at 5.9% this feels lighter than most of the Oktoberfest beers I have tried so far. If it is available near you then I suggest grabbing a 6 pack. 

Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I decided to pick Lego Jurassic World. Something about this beer made we want to go outside, and hell why not be outside with some dinosaurs. The lego games never disappoint and with this beer you will be able to enjoy yourself that much more.

Moving on with the Pumpkin Beer reviews I am trying out the Devil’s Backbone München on Pumpkin Lager. It tends to be less common to find pumpkin lagers versus ales, so I am always exited to try one when I see it out in the wild. You can see more on their website here. So lets see if this one is worth all the hype.

“It’s no secret we’ve always been inspired by the classic brews that originated in München (aka that’s Munich for our stateside friends.) The proof is in that sixer of Vienna Lager that’s probably in your fridge right now.  Well we’re bringing that traditional lager into the 21st century and customizing it for all those folks who have been impatiently waiting for fall.  No need to choose if you’ll celebrate Oktoberfest or pumpkin spice this year – grab a München on Pumpkin and enjoy the best of both worlds! “

Appearance: The label threw me off at first because of the flag background, which made me think of a Marzen style beer. But once I looked closer I liked what I saw. A tattooed brewer laying back in some pumpkins enjoying a brew. I also am a sucker for a label that has a custom cut.

Aroma: The aroma is much lighter than most ales. I notice a tasted bread with a slight hint of cinnamon which gets stronger as the beer warms.

Taste: The flavor is similar but lighter and semi crisp. There are hints of cinammon and a little bit of pumpkin but its very subtle.

Experience: By far this is one of the easiest drinking pumpkin beers I have had. The mouthfeel is light with a dry finish. Almost no sweetness lingers. This would be a perfect session beer that isn’t a light lager.

Game Pairing: When it comes to game pairing I decided to go with Monster Party for the NES. This is a fun twist on horror with all the typical elements of a difficult 8 bit platformer. There are a ton of monsters and more specifically bosses to deal with so you are going to need a beer that doesnt sit too heavy. Grab a 6 pack, sit back and enjoy.