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Beer Reviews

Focktoberfest

Other reviews for this beer:
Franz Mueller		read it ›

Lakefront Brewery, Inc.
Milwaukee, WI
USA
http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/

Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen

Nigel’s Rating:
   (Outstanding within its style.)


Comments:
A few months back, Franz concocted a review for a beer called Art Kumbalek’s Focktoberfest, which he claimed was made by Milwaukee’s Lakefront Brewery. Although I’ve known Franz for years and had never before questioned his intelligence or honesty, this was only his second review, so I thought perhaps he took the “Beer Dork” title a bit too literally and had created his own make-believe, Willy Wonka-like beer. I mean, c’mon … Focktoberfest? A märzen released in winter? Art Kumbalek? While I didn’t live in Milwaukee at the time, I thought I knew the city pretty well and was very familiar with Lakefront’s line of beer. I had never heard of this brew or this person before, and was beginning to wonder if Franz had written the review during one of his post-work hallucinogenic trances that often set in after spending eight hours inhaling yeast in the lab of an evil purveyor of bad beer (yes, Franz works for the enemy).

As it turns out, Franz was on the cutting edge, though it’s still quite possible that he was high at the time. He must have been one of the first people to review the limited Lakefront release known as Focktoberfest, which the fun-loving folks at the brewery named after a popular columnist for Shepherd Express, a free, independent weekly newspaper that circulates throughout Milwaukee County. The release of Focktoberfest coincided with Lakefront’s celebration of their 20th anniversary in 2007, and this is certainly one hell of a way to celebrate. Focktoberfest captures Lakefront’s brewing ethos to a tee: fun, creative, tree-hugging (I had to throw that in), and scoring one for the little guy by creating a quality, well-rounded beverage for all to enjoy. This may just be the best Oktoberfest/märzen I’ve ever had, although as I’ve enumerated in the past, I typically find this style to be pretty much standard fare, without any that blow me away or thoroughly disgust me.

That is, until now. This is a fantastic beer and it really did blow me away, but that may have been aided by the fact that I had a giant burrito from Chipotle for dinner, which left Nigel a bit gassy. Focktoberfest is a perfect märzen in every way: look, smell, taste, and feel (yes, Nigel actually stuck his hand in his glass to make sure it felt like a “real” Oktoberfest).

Focktoberfest pours perfect for the style, with a mild head that quickly settles, leaving a beautiful, ruby-red/coppery brew in the glass with a tad bit of lace dancing along the sides. The aroma is nice, and a bit stronger than a typical Oktoberfest. The earthy, bready (I hate that word) maltiness really comes through, giving it both a tinge of sweetness and solid roasted, nutty aroma. The taste is awesome—no doubt it’s the best flavor I’ve experienced with a märzen/Oktoberfest. Heavy on the malt as you would expect, the initial flavor is a nice, mild roasted nuttiness, with just a hint of the earthiness that embodies a brew that is so heavy on the grains. A secondary shot of sweetness comes through next, with sugary flavors of caramel balancing the initial cereal-like flavor. To top it all off, a mild fruity zip and the slightest of hop zings add to a complex, ultra-flavorful brew that is perfect for late autumn days. Medium bodied, Focktoberfest goes down extremely smooth. This brew is sure to please any lover of good beer, regardless of favored style. Not too light, not too dark, not too hoppy, not malty to the extreme, this is just a damn fine beverage, period. Many thanks to Franz for turning me on to it, and I apologize for that nasty e-mail I sent questioning your integrity.

Focktoberfest is available in bottles at select Milwaukee-area good beer retailers (Nigel gets his at Discount Liquors on Oklahoma Avenue, reasonably priced at two for $3 … not sure if they come in six-pack form). I’ve been to Lakefront three times in the past two months, but have yet to see it on tap at the brewery. Also, note that Focktoberfest is a completely different brew than Lakefront’s more widely released Oktoberfest, which is a yearly seasonal (Oktoberfest is a decent märzen, but pales in comparison to Focktoberfest). If you’re in the Milwaukee area anytime soon, be sure to track this down—you’ll be thankful for the experience.

Cheers!

Reviewed by Nigel Tanner on November 2, 2007.

Drinkin’ And Thinkin’

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