Avery "The Kaiser" Imperial Oktoberfest Lager

Avery Brewing Company
Boulder, Colorado

APPEARANCE: 2.75/3
Orange-red-copper. White head that rings the glass. Crisp and clear (as an Oktoberfest should be).

AROMA: 3.25/4
Clean–sweet cream, candy corn. Very little hop aroma.

TASTE: 8.25/10
Hop/Malt Balance: 3/4: Very little hop. Caramel apple, apple juice notes.
Aftertaste: 2.25/3: Very malty–sweet but not cloyingly so. Subtle bitterness at finish.
Mouth-Feel: 2.5/3: There's some alcohol here–big, smooth, a full-mouth beer.

OVERALL: 2.25/3: Nice. A big, sweet beer. Dances on the edge of cloying, but pulls it back. I don't know why we overlook Avery, because they make good beer.

TOTAL: 16/20–Pour Me Another

NOTES:
Matt: The best Oktoberfest I had this year; a bit sweet for my taste (most Avery products we've tried tend to be), but very nice for the style.
Ben: Very clean, very sweet, very big. As Oktoberfests go, it's definitely worth a try (and get it while you can, there can't be too many more out there).