Sägemehl Stadt Fest Bier

A take on the marzen style, Sägemehl Stadt Fest Bier is an amber lager from the Sawdust City Brewing Co. It’s a 5% alcohol beer brewed in Gravenhurst, Ontario. I picked up a 473mL can direct from the source. It was a clear, copper lager with a lush white head.

The beer featured a fresh, damp malt aroma with some raisin notes. Malt was the most prominent flavour note, along with biscuit and a slightly bitter tinge to the finish.

 

SSFB was a pretty tasty Ontarian take on a classic German style. It had a fairly rich, malt body that I found pleasant. A bit more booze bombast might have given this harvest lager a bit more chilly weather warmth, though.

Rating: 7.5 out of 10.

Holsten Festbock

The Holsten-Brauerai in Hamburg, Germany builds Festbock, a brownish-copper coloured brew. It's quite clear and pours with a foamy ring of tan head. It has a boozy aroma that encompasses prunes and raisins. For a strong beer, there really isn't a tonne of flavour--notes of dried fruit sitting atop a malty base. The aftertaste has a slight cherry cola ring to it.

Holsten Festbock definitely doesn't taste like a beer containing 7% alcohol, but that's what the cheery 500mL can says. It's not an outstanding beer, but not a bad one either. I've had better bocks than this one, but I certainly wouldn't turn down a pint.

Rating: 6.5 out of 10.