Hey Folks,
Yep, I am finally getting the chance to sit down and write another BWBB. I apologize for the delay. Sometimes, life gets in the way.
Anyways, this week's beer is Staghorn from New Glarus. With Octoberfest coming around, it seems like every brewery is coming out with their own version of an Octoberfest....only problem is that most of them are not good. Honestly, I'm never a big fan of seasonal brews, but Octoberfests really seem to be the worst. With that being said, Staghorn is really good. I bought a six pack two weeks ago on a whim. I saw it sitting in the cooler at my favorite liquor store and thought, "New Glarus makes good beer. So if I am ever going to like an Octoberfest, this is probably it." And yes, I was right.
When you pour Staghorn, it's color is a bit surprising. It has a noticeable amber/red tint to it. Much more than you typically see from other Octoberfests...although most are actually reds. It is 6.25% ABV, so in the mid to high range for an Octoberfest. It doesn't really pour with much head, but that was ok in my opinion. I would also say that Staghorn is pretty heavily carbonated. If I had one criticism, it would be over-carbonation. The amount of bubbles consistently rising from the glass was a bit much for me. But overall, the appearance is good.
As for smell, I didn't think the beer had any extreme odor. You can definitely smell the roasted aspect of the malt. That was the only odor that really struck me.
When I first tasted Staghorn, I was really impressed with the amount of caramel flavor. The sweet caramel was balanced well with a nice spicy finish, and the spicy finish didn't have any of the bitter aftertaste that sometimes ruins Octoberfests. Additionally, Staghorn is distinctly hoppy compared to the majority of Octoberfests...and you know I'm a sucker for hops.
One additional note: Staghorn is incredibly easy to drink. It doesn't have that heaviness that leaves you feeling full.
Overall, it's a really good Octoberfest. Probably my favorite ever. I should also note that I have had both Flying Dog's and Sprecher's Octoberfests in the past few weeks. And, Staghorn blows those two away. It's really not even close in my opinion. For that reason, I am going to give Staghorn 8 pints out of 10. New Glarus is always making consistently awesome beer, and this one is no different.
Interesting side note: I recently saw a sign for Spotted Cow and it said, "Only Available in Wisconsin." So I looked into that claim, and sure enough, New Glarus does not distribute to anyone outside of Wisconsin....How crazy is that?!?!
Ok, that's all for today. I'm glad I got to sit down and write another blog.
Until next time....
