- Mike Riedel
Top of Main - Märzen Style Fest Lager: As Oktoberfest season keeps on keeping on, more breweries continue to showcase their versions of Märzen-style Festbier. This version comes with a traditional 6.0 percent ABV.
This lager pours a deep, candied orange, close to amber. The beer pours with an aggressive head of yellowing bubbles that form a creamy canopy over the beer, about two fingers high. The head lasts for quite some time, but when it dissipates, splotches of fluffy foam are left behind.
In body the beer is clean yet dark, with a steady stream of carbonation from the bottom of the glass. Very little haze is present; light is easily visible from the other side of the glass. On the nose, the Märzen smells of caramel malts. Cooked biscuits and toffee swim thickly onto the nose and leave a sticky sense in the nostrils. Faint, spicy hops and grass play at the fringes of this beer's smell.
On the tongue, the beer begins as rich toffee and honey biscuits. Caramel, maple syrup, and rich breads play across the palate as the flavor slowly swings to the bitter end with dry grass, spicy hay and faint green tea. The finish is smooth caramel with touches of bitter grass, but the aftertaste is mostly grassy. The beer feels creamy, with a medium-plus body and a middling carbonation that works to try and keep the beer's sweetness in check. It leaves a sticky feeling on the cheeks and a sweetness on the tongue.
Verdict: Very easy to drink and enjoyable, easily sessionable and not a problem at all in drinking a 16-ounce can. The beer tastes bready-sweet, with definite hop touches that provide a soft, building bitterness that is slightly spicy. A faint salinity can also be found in the malt character, and light acidity gives it light herbal notes. The balance of this beer leans slightly toward the sweet section, though the bitters do wonders for drying out the finish.
Grid City - Monogamy Barrel-Aged Porter: This new porter spent nine months aging in Rye and Bourbon barrels acquired from 8 Settlers Distillery in Cottonwood Heights. It pours black and looks viscous coming out of the can. The deep abyss of a body is capped by a thin-bubbled tan head, which recedes into small islands and a fading coastal blend of colors. If there has ever been a beer that smells like straight up fudge, this is it—liquid fudge doused in oak and booze.
It smells decadent. And it is.
The first sip shows dense, rich, chocolatey fudge with caramel and walnut highlights, making this a euphoric dessert experience. The oak and booze play supporting cast perfectly, rather than dominating the delicious base. A slight dark-cherry tartness only elevates the flavor. The mouthfeel matches just as it should; it is in fact decadent with a smooth, creamy, syrupy body. It's definitely on the sweet side, but has a wonderful charred and oaky presence to keep it in check. Every sip coats the mouth, and lingers long enough to allow intermissions between each sip.
Verdict: Everything here tells me that I'm coming back for another visit. The well-integrated flavors from the barrel and base beer create high drinkability, considering its 10.3 percent ABV.
It's 16-ounce cans all around this week as well. I'd love it if it were feasible for breweries to offer their boozier beers in smaller cans, but I understand it's not entirely practical. As these two beers are seasonal offerings, there will be limited availability, so pursue them sooner rather than later at their respective breweries.
As always, cheers!