I am squeezing in one final Oktoberfest review before the month is over and I start my transition towards winter styles (hooray for porters and stouts!) In general, lager styles are gaining a lot of steam amongst craft beer drinkers. They might not have the buzz on Instagram and Untappd that hazy IPAs and pastry stouts carry, but the combination of drinkability and approachability is driving a demonstrable resurgence in craft lagers. This is never more apparent than in the fall, where the pumpkin beer craze has faded a bit and more brewers are making traditional Oktoberfest styles. For lager-only breweries this is a great time of year to introduce your beers to a wider audience, even many hop heads will pick up some quality festbiers to celebrate the cooler fall weather. A good example of a lager-only establishment is Von Trapp Brewing out of Vermont, who releases their take on a traditional German marzen every fall. Von Trapp Oktoberfest is available every fall on draft and in 12 oz cans.
Von Trapp Oktoberfest pours clear deep orange with a massive off-white head. The aroma is mild, some old-world hops and a touch of malt. This is very balanced for an Oktoberfest. The malts add notes of toast, biscuits and roasted nuts. There is more hop flavor than I usually expect from the style, floral, grassy and herbal. Von Trapp Oktoberfest is light and easy-drinking, not overly boozy at 5.6% ABV. The finish is crisp and clean with some residual hop and malt flavors. This is a very interesting take on the Oktoberfest style and a tasty beer that fits the fall season! Hoppy Boston score: 4.0/5.
Previous Von Trapp Reviews:
Hoppy Boston 
