Octoberfest 2007: Round 1: Saranac verus Thomas Hooker

Coat of Arms

Winner: Saranac

As you can see, the Thomas Hooker is noticeably darker, but I liked the tones of the Saranac better.

First Pass winner: Thomas Hooker won on this one, with the initial impression of a stronger more distinctive flavor and an aftertaste that seemed to have more of a bite. The Saranac did not leave any particular positive or negative impression with a smooth but non-descript feel. But Saranac managed to stay alive for another pass.

Three Passes Later: Saranac took over as I came to realize that I preferred the overall flavor of this beer. No particular flavor stood out, other than its smoothness, but the overall result was pleasant. The Thomas Hooker's slightly bitter aftertaste became less enjoyable for me the more I drank it.

WINNER: SARANAC

Octoberfest 2007: Paulaner versus Dogtoberfest

Round 1 of Octoberfest begins!

Coat of Arms: About even. Paulaner's was a little clearer, but I kind of am letting this go since I made the mistake of chilling these in the freezer, then had to go tend to my 5 year old, then ended up leaving them in for too long. Interestingly, the Paulaner did not freeze, whereas the Dogtoberfest did partially freeze, resulting in the slight slushiness you see towards the top of the glass. Paulaner has the traditional edge.

First Pass:

Paulaner: A notably distinctive flavor to it, a crisp start with a malted roll as it went down.

Dogtoberfest: A more even flavor throughout, with a well-balanced if less obvious malted flavoring to it. Dogtoberfest has the better first impression. Paulaner is shaken, but not thrown off. Additional passes will be required.

Second, Third and Fourth Passes:

Paulaner: The gentle waves of maltiness and other flavors I am still trying to put a word too (pumpkin caramel?) washed over and won me over. Imagine having a pitcher of this stuff at the bar.

Dogtoberfest: The same even, enjoyable flavor throughout. I would drink this again; in fact, its the best I've tried from this brewer.

WINNER: PAULANER. More complex, and more enjoyable the longer I drank it.

Landshark Lager v.Opa Opa Light Lager

Landshark Lager

Opa Opa Light Lager

I apologize about the quality of these pictures and the fact that I ended up taking them at different times...and that I couldn't resist taking a pre-picture swig of the Landshark. Oh well, I never claimed that this would be completely scientific.

Coat of Arms: Landshark appeared a little more impressive; the bottle, the color, beckoned to be drunk on this hot night.

Passes: This took several swigs to decide. There, really wasn't, in my view, an obviously superior beer here. Both of these beers were quite light and crisp. I really enjoyed them both; good beers that will go down easy on a hot day, which are quickly fading away. But, after several drinks, Landshark has conceded! Opa Opa was just a little smoother, a little more thirst quenching, which is what I look for in these types of beers.

Winner: Opa Opa