After work last night I rode over to the Widmer Brothers Brewery for their fifth annual Oktoberfest.  There are nothing like sausages and oompha bands after a hard day’s work!

Since this is my first Oktoberfest season in Portland, I was a bit unsure of what to expect.  However, Portland is supposed to be Beervana so my hopes were high.  Widmer decked out their lot with tons of food venders, musical acts and, most importantly, beer tents.

According to the flier, Oktoberfest is “where beer is quaffed from stein’s the size of your head and oompah bands ring in the season.”  Regrettably, I didn’t hear any oompah bands.  Granted, I arrived at Widmer well into the night; however, I left with my hankering for accordions and reed instruments unfilled.  Despite this, my thirst was most definitely quenched with several steins of Widmer’s seasonal Oktoberfest offering, Okto.

Okto pours a dark copper color with a thin, off-white head and malty aroma.  In my opinion, this beer is just what an Oktoberfest beer should be—light on the hops, heavy on the malts and incredibly smooth and drinkable.  When I think of Oktoberfest brews, I focus more on how the suds will accompany my pretzel and brats then how it will fare in a head-to-head flavor competition.  This being said, Widmer’s Okto fits the bill perfectly.  The steins went down smooth and for the price (four bucks for a fresh fill) I can’t complain.

Although I sorely missed my oompah music, I did get to enjoy a few tasty beers and take home a couple of forgotten steins.

Cheers to all the drunks who supplied me with some much needed glassware!