Left Hand Brewing Company Oktoberfest A 6.6% ABV Märzen lager
Dick Doore, the co-founder of Left Hand, received a homebrewing kit as a Christmas present from his brother in 1990, which began his beer brewing obsession. He moved back to Colorado in August of 1993, where he met up with Left Hand co-founder, Eric Wallace. After brewing several batches that impressed their friends, they decided to open a brewery.
Just a few weeks later, in September of 1993, they incorporated as Indian Peaks Brewing Company, and in November the brewery found a home in a former meat packing plant next to the St. Vrain River near downtown Longmont, Colorado.
Unfortunately, the Indian Peaks name was being used by another brewery for a beer, so the name was changed to Left Hand, which is derived from the southern Arapahoe word “Niwot” meaning left hand.
They opened on January 22, 1994, serving Sawtooth Ale, a beer they still brew today. That same year, Left Hand took home 2 medals at the Great American Beer Festival: a Gold Medal in the Bitter Category for Sawtooth Ale, and a Bronze Medal in the Robust Porter Category for Black Jack Porter.
During the 2011 Great American Beer Festival, Left Hand introduced Milk Stout Nitro in a bottle. They became the first American and the first craft brewery to bottle a Nitrogen beer without a widget, allowing beer drinkers to enjoy the draft experience of a Nitro beer from home. Left Hand continues to break barrelage records each year, and in 2012 they made the Brewers Association’s Top 50 Craft Brewers list. Each year they continue to grow and expand, brewing more and more beer.
Left Hand’s Oktoberfest is dominated by toasty malt flavors up front from the Pilsner and Munich malts. Magnum and Spalter Select hops lead to a spicy and clean lager finish. Best served at 40 to 50°F, enjoy this beer in a one liter mass or a pub glass.
Left Hand says of this brew…
This is no festivus for the restuvus – on the contrary – we start brewing in the Spring and it takes a full two months to reach lagered perfection. Biscuity, malty goodness dominates upfront while the noble pedigree hops lend a properly spicy, dry finish. Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi. Time to roast your chicken and upend your stein before the air gets crisp, the leaves flame and fall and the skies fade to black. Auf geht’s!”
Appearance
Copper.
Aroma
Toasted malt and caramel.
Taste
Bready, toasted malts, caramel; hops present towards the end; finishes dry.
Mouthfeel
Medium-bodied, crisp and clean.
Overall
This beer helps me deny the fact that Oktoberfest season is almost over. Thank goodness for the Oktoberfest at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City next weekend!
Wanna pick this one up? Left Hand Brewing Company distributes to 27 states. Find out if it’s available near you with Left Hand’s beer finder.
Check out… this recipe for a spicy mustard using Left Hand’s Oktoberfest!
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