Baraboo Bonfire

Baraboo Beers are a proprietary brand of the Hy-Vee chain of Midwestern supermarkets.  The beers are contract brewed by Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.  This is a seasonal offering from them for Oktoberfest, it is a Marzen lager with a smoky note.  Marzenbier is German for "March beer."  It is a traditional Oktoberfest style.  In 1553 the ruler of Bavaria forbade brewing between April 23 and September 29 to avoid bacterial infection from warm temperatures that spoiled the beer (although they didn't know it was bacteria at the time).  Brewers thus worked overtime in March to have enough beer brewed that they then stored cool (lagering) so that it would keep.  The style took the name at the 1841 Oktoberfest.  

The beer pours a deep brown-amber-orange in color, almost becoming ruby.  There is an inch of creamy, off-white head.  The aroma is malty, roasted, tangy, with the slightest hint of smoke, almost a light chipotle note.  The taste is deeply malty, roasted, dark caramel, with the same light chipotle undertone of the aroma (subtle, not out front). I use that description as it is akin to a "spicy" smokiness.  This is a tasty and interesting take on a Marzen, and another winner from Baraboo.  For proprietary grocery store chain contract brews, they do a really good job.