Brewview#30: Bisonfest by Flying Bison Brewing Company

Alright, back with another Oktoberfest lager to continue on with our journey towards the upcoming Oktoberfest celebration. So far the beers we have explored were from Rochester and Ellicotville, Bisonfest on the other hand is Buffalo born and brewed by Flying Bison Brewing Company. I find myself drawn there quite frequently especially after a hard day at work, their delicious beers are an excellent stress reliever. Not only that, the welcome and service you will experience there is amazing, questions are always answered and thirst is always quenched. But for tonight our main focus will only be Bisonfest, Flying Bison’s amazing Oktoberfest lager.

Let’s get drinking!

Brewer’s Introduction

On their website among their seasonal beers, Flying Bison provides an in depth if not mouth watering introduction for Bisonfest. Straight from the introduction:

‘We brew it with a variety of German malts to give the beer its rich malty flavor and orange amber color. The spice of the hops balances this beer perfectly.’

If you want to read more or inquire about Flying Bison’s numerous other beers, please visit their website http://www.flyingbisonbrewing.com .

The Beer

Bisonfest Oktoberfest lager by Flying Bison Brewing Company

ABV: 6.3% IBU: 18

Malt Profile: Pilsner

Munich

Vienna

Hop Profile: Magnum

Tettnang

Hallertau

Cracking the Bottle Open

Popping the cap off the bottle gave me a feeling of joy. I’ve had Bisonfest before both on draft and bottled, but this will be my first time dissecting the beer and seeing what it truly has to offer. So I guess you could say I’ve been highly anticipating this.

Aromas?

At first take it is easy to dismiss the aromas as if this was just another Oktoberfest lager. But when one takes some time to appreciate the complexity of aromas you can pick up on every hop and malt used in the brewing process. All the malts put together provide an excellent malt aroma, maybe with a sweet side provided by the Pilsner malt. Regarding the hops, the Magnum hops have no place in the aroma arena with its clean bittering principle that keeps it from interfering with aroma hops. But from the Tettnang and Hallertau hops I am getting floral and straw aromas, both are equally enlightening.

Flying Bison was spot on with the color of this beer, a crystal clear orange amber. With Bisonfest being crystal clear you can see all the energy packed into this beer, the bubbles have yet to cease since I poured it. Altogether, the aromas and appearance of this beer provides you with a mouth watering first impression.

Time to Empty the Glass

With all this build up to the flavor of the beer I am sure that Bisonfest will hold its ground. Before each sip I am hit with those magnificent aromas mentioned earlier, after which is an interesting synthesis of flavors. Again coming from the malts you have a strong malt backbone which alone is refreshing, but it’d be criminal to stop there. As I go further down the rabbit hole I am hit with every aspect of the Tettnang hops, the spice characteristic more so than the floral flavor but it is still there in  the background. The Hallertau hops provide a very clean straw flavor. All of this is concluded with a very clean bittering, thanks to the Magnum hops, that provides a nice kick as the beer goes down. The body of the beer makes it an easy beer to drink Bisonfest all night, very light that when all is said and done you’re left with a slight creamy mouth feel.

In Conclusion

Simply put, I will be drinking Bisonfest for the remainder of the season! Looking at the previous Oktoberfest beers I’ve drank, Bisonfest is a bit more complex when looking at the malts and hops. More specifically the hops, Hallertau and Tettnang both originate in Germany and bring amazing qualities to the table. Though only two hops were indeed used for flavor, Flying Bison was able to capture each quality of those hops and instill them into Bisonfest. If you drink Bisonfest with haste I fear you will not be able to appreciate or even capture a glimpse of what Bisonfest has to offer. Each sip brings forth different qualities of the beer, another reason for why this beer rocks in my mind. What else is there to say?

Flying Bison Brewing Company, excellent job I’ll be sure to stop by for some more Bisonfest soon!

Thanks for reading, keep your glasses full my friends!

Prost!