Harpoon Octoberfest

I've had a few Harpoon beers before, and while they don't exactly stand out from the crowd, their beers are usually on the upside of decent.  One of the fall seasonals that found its way into my keezer was Harpoon Octoberfest:

Vittles:

Marzen/Oktoberfest

5.3% abv

32 IBUs

Score:

Appearance: 8/10

Aroma: 20/25

Taste: 36/40

Mouthfeel: 8/10

Style: 5/5

Drinkability: 8/10

Overall: 85/100

Impression:

Decent head persistence, and the foam left quite a bit of lacing as it fell.  The aroma has a nice balance between malt and hops, though neither aspect is very strong.  It smells malty-sweet, a little like caramel and toffee, offset by light grassy, floral, earthy hops notes.  The flavor is much the same, improved somewhat by the medium body of the brew.  The carbonation doesn't add much -- seems very weak.  What I like best about this beer is the balance and the smoothness.  (And it pairs well with roasted chicken.)

Cheers!