Harpoon Octoberfest

I'll probably never understand civilization's madness for pumpkin-flavored things. It's an aggressive, leathery taste, trying to be sweet and savory at the same time and failing at both. And yet it ends up in everything this time of year: pies, coffees, cupcakes, and, bleakest of all, beers. I agree that the closing of the sweat box that is August and September and the approach of October's humane crispness is worthy of celebration. But we've got to find a better flavor to mark that passage. Luckily, the Germans (yes, the Germans have beaten us in the flavor department... let that sink in) have found the perfect alternative, at least for beer (there may be no similar aid for pie) with the usually-welcome Märzen style. And it, represented here by Harpoon Octoberfest, is here to rescue us from the hegemony of the pumpkin.

Harpoon Octoberfest pours heady and darker than one usually sees in the style--promising some deeper flavor than we're likely to get.

Light caramel peppers the nose--sweet and dark--with strong hints of the malt that's to come.

Indeed, malt dominates the taste, along with some light hops. But it's the malt that's most present, perhaps at the expense of some of the other potential flavors, such as the aforementioned caramel.

Thin-to-medium bodied, Harpoon leans on a dry feel that forces your mouth to ask for more, whether or not you particularly want it.

A thin, though ultimately pleasant, beer, Harpoon hits the usual Märzen notes, but with little further exploration of the style's possibilities. And though Märzen typical has more to offer, Harpoon Octoberfest isn't entirely a disappointment and worth a glass or two before it disappears in the winter. And at least it's not bloody pumpkin.

Grade: B-

Happy Oktoberfest, everyone!