Round 3, Bout 5 of Master of Marzen 2020 sees Twisted Spike Brewing (OK) take on Sun King Brewery (IN).
I tried both of these breweries for the first time in this tournament and have really enjoyed their seasonal brews. This one will be awesome.
Packaging Design
This is an interesting comparison of can designs.
Twisted Spike has opted for a take on the traditional iconography and colors of the season for their Spiketoberfest packaging. A large wooden keg stands in front of the typical Bavarian check. Nicely done.
Sun King’s Oktoberfest is clean and modern, leaning into the two-tone blue color scheme of the season and using orange to punctuate it.
I’m a big fan of both, but I have to give a slight edge to Sun King. While Twisted Spike have stuck with the traditional imagery, Sun King’s clean design is amazingly well done. Running total: Twisted Spike 0-1 Sun King.
Aroma
Spiketoberfest gives off a deep, malty and slightly sweet aroma. It has a warm to it and presents as an incredibly well executed take on the seasonal style.
Sun King’s Oktoberfest also offers quite a pleasant and powerful aroma. It offers lots of toasted malts and a nice sweetness to round it out.
This was a tough decision, but I’m giving a slight edge to Sun King. Their aroma was slightly more powerful and complex. Running total: Twisted Spike 0-2 Sun King.
Flavor
Spiketoberfest opens subtly, but quickly accelerates into a powerful flavor. The back end is packed with a slightly dry and ever so bitter touch of gorgeously toasted malts. It also boasts enough sweetness to really tie it together and compliment the mix of flavors. A mild aftertaste retains. An excellent brew.
Sun King’s Oktoberfest is a more consistent experience, opening malty and sweet and closing out the same way. It has a more subtle flavor profile, resulting in a sweeter aftertaste, with a touch of the malt persisting.
This one goes to Spiketoberfest. Both are very tasty brews, but the added depth and complexity sets Twisted Spike’s apart. Running total: Twisted Spike 1-2 Sun King.
Body
Mouthfeel is a hard thing to separate in these similar brews. Both a mid-bodied, smooth and flavorful. Spiketoberfest is a little more carbonated, but the difference is minimal and it also carries a bit more flavor.
As you can see in the image above, head retention ended up being a small ring of foam for both.
Spiketoberfest also laced noticeably better as demonstrated above.
With all things considered, this point also goes to Twisted Spike. Running total: Twisted Spike 2-2 Sun King.
People’s Choice
As in last year’s tournament, my Instagram followers have the opportunity to shape the decisions of each bout. In the 24 hours directly preceding each bout, a poll is placed on my Instagram story. Whoever has the most votes when the poll closes, takes this fifth criteria. So how did it shape up?
Quite a one sided affair this time. Twisted Spike comfortably take the People’s Choice. Running total: Twisted Spike 3-2 Sun King.
Results
Twisted Spike had some catching up to do, and they’ve managed to just pull ahead in the end. They now progress to round 4 where they meet either Kros Strain or 14th Star.
Be sure to check back regularly and to follow me on Instagram for your latest updates and opportunity to vote on each bout throughout the tournament. Until next time, cheers y’all!
Sgt. Suds 