Octoberfest 2007: Round 1

Harpoon versus Paper City Brewery Summit House Oktoberfest

Coat of Arms: There was not a huge difference in appearance here. Both were amber, with the Harpoon slightly more on the brown side, Paper City with more reddish/orange hues. I give the edge to Paper City here, as the brownish tint of the Harpoon did not appeal to me as much.

First Pass: There is no question here: Paper City is hands down the better beer. The Harpoon started with a vague hint of nuttiness. Any additional flavor was overwhelmed by its carbonation as it went down. I was left with a faint, bitter after taste.

On the other hand, Summit City's beer was smoother without the overwhelming carbonation of the Harpoon. The malts were much more apparent and enjoyable, with a nice, smooth caramel feel to it. A very smooth, enjoyable beer. Harpoon is wrenched from his horse!

WINNER: SUMMIT CITY BREWERY