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!

Sam Adams Octoberfest

The last time I had Sam Adams Octoberfest was probably two or three years ago.  We got a case of it  to enjoy with some friends while watching college football.  This time around, however, I had it on tap at a local bar:

Vittles:
Octoberfest/Marzen
5.3% abv
16 IBU
20 SRM
187 cal.

Score:
Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 21/25
Taste: 36/40
Mouthfeel: 8/10
Style: 5/5
Drinkability: 8/10
Overall: 86/100

Impression:
The head wasn't exactly impressive this time around.  The aroma was a little more satisfying, with caramel, toffee, and lots of toasted malt notes.  The flavors are on par with the aroma, except I taste something nutty in the background, too.  I like the herbal, earthy hops characteristics -- Hallertau hops are some of my favorites all around, and they're nicely complemented by the malt bill in this beer.  This isn't a strong-flavored beer, but it is fairly well balanced and a decent representation of the style.

Cheers!