Bob's 47 Oktoberfest - Boulevard Brewing, Kansas City

Ah, Bob's 47... I haven't had one of these in probably four years. One fall I mistakenly picked up a six pack of Bob's 47 instead of the Bully Porter and it put me in a bit of a bad mood. I didn't think very highly of the Bob's 47 at the time and I pretty much wrote if off as a bad beer. After a couple of Boulevard Brewery tours and hearing the story behind the Bob's 47 seasonal I thought it deserved another try. For those of you who weren't aware, the name for Bob's 47 comes from a master brewer's graduate recipe. Bob Werkowtich, the master brewer, graduated from the US Brewer's Academy in 1947 and this was his final project. I thought it was a pretty cool story. The history alone was enough to convince me to pick up more of a beer I'd already had, and disliked... So, was this beer any better the second time around?

Nope, this beer was not any better than I remember... My main problem with the Bob's 47 is that it's Boulevard's fall seasonal beer. It even has Oktoberfest written on the label. My objection is that this beer really doesn't taste like any Oktoberfest or Märzen beer... The Bob's 47 is hoppier and spicier than the Oktoberfests I prefer. The body of Bob's 47 is also really crisp, not as malty and creamy as I was expecting. The Bob's 47 isn't a horrible beer, it just doesn't deliver what it promises. If you're looking for a good Oktoberfest beer, don't bother with Bob's 47.... Now, if you're looking for a spicier, lighter, hoppier beer that has a warm and lightly-toasted bread flavor - then Bob's is for you. I'll stick with with a stronger Märzen for my Oktoberfest celebration.