Beer of the Weekend #24: Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber
It’s that time of year, again — my favorite time of year. Ghost and goblin decorations go up, the weather cools, the sun sets sooner, and the leaves change colors and fall — in the real parts of the country, at least.
It’s October!
I love October, love autumn. It’s my birth month and season, but I’m unsure how much that influences my natural adoration for fall and the 10th month. It might have something to do with the memories I have of jumping and playing in piles of leaves or visiting Wilson’s Apple Orchard when I was a kid. Maybe it was the hayrack rides, haunted houses, or the spooky, dark theme affiliated with the entire month. Or perhaps it could all be about ripping open presents and blowing out birthday candles. But regardless of the reason (maybe I’ll never get to the root of it) October and autumn have always possessed an awe striking ethereal essence for me. When the air is filled with harvest dust the sunsets bathe the heartland in deep oranges and reds. The house I grew up in faced west and the beautiful reddish-yellow light illuminated each room during the evening.
In regards to beer, October and early autumn are synonymous with Oktoberfest. Aptly, the beer this weekend is Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber, brewed by Paulaner of Munich, Germany.
Ironically, most of Oktoberfest takes place in September. This year’s festival runs from September 20th to October 5th, so I’m just under the deadline to finally try an Oktoberfest brew. Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber may be my first official tasting, but the sixer of Schell Octoberfest I had when I was back home was my first experience with the Märzen style. (Shout out to Nixon, the recently married.)
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles.
Appearance: Brown, which was surprising to me. My Schell Octoberfest was copper red, reminding me of amber ale. This has an amber hint to it, as you can see in the pic, and it has “amber” in the name, but I think it’s a little browner. The difference in color, though, shouldn’t be surprising. Märzens vary in color from pale to dark brown. A light, effervescent head dissipated quickly and left a ring around the outside.
Smell: Barnyard malts, which are a little toasted. It has that grassy smell of a helles, which was also surprising to me. I was expecting this to be an altogether different style of German beer, but it has turned out to be a dark colored lager.
Taste: Very smooth and malty. Only a slight hint of hops at the back of the tongue, which is a plus for me (I’m definitely not a heavy hop-head). The taste aligns with the appearance and smell and is much like a helles.
Drinkability: Very drinkable, which is probably why Oktoberfest patrons drink 6,940,600 liters of it.
Fun facts about Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber:
-Serving temp.: 45-50°F. (I seriously think this temperature range is BeerAdvocate’s boilerplate recommendation. It’s been the range for nearly every beer I’ve ever searched for on the site, except for stouts. Unfortunately, Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber is not listed in either of my beer books, so the BA temperatures will have to do.)
-Alcohol content: 5.8 percent ABV. Shit! Märzen alcohol content ranges from 5.5 percent to 6.0 percent ABV.
-Märzen, or Märzenbier, is the style of beer drank for Oktoberfest. The name is derived from the German word for the month of March (März) because…
Also, Märzen is brewed in March and let to age over the summer for serving in the fall.
-Interestingly, today — October 3rd — is German Unity Day, which celebrates the reunification of East Germany and West Germany in 1990. Normally Oktoberfest ends on the first Sunday of October. However, that year the schedule was altered so the festival will always continue through October 3rd even if it is a day or two after the first Sunday.
-The Paulaner beer tent in Munich, Winzerer Fähndl, is the largest at the Theresienwiese, where Oktoberfest is held. It seats 8,450 inside and 2,450 outside.
The Quiet Man’s grade: I was a little disappointed in the style, originally thinking it was going to be vastly different than anything I had ever tried. But I was very pleased, nonetheless. Smooth, clean, and tasty. B+.
It’s October!
I love October, love autumn. It’s my birth month and season, but I’m unsure how much that influences my natural adoration for fall and the 10th month. It might have something to do with the memories I have of jumping and playing in piles of leaves or visiting Wilson’s Apple Orchard when I was a kid. Maybe it was the hayrack rides, haunted houses, or the spooky, dark theme affiliated with the entire month. Or perhaps it could all be about ripping open presents and blowing out birthday candles. But regardless of the reason (maybe I’ll never get to the root of it) October and autumn have always possessed an awe striking ethereal essence for me. When the air is filled with harvest dust the sunsets bathe the heartland in deep oranges and reds. The house I grew up in faced west and the beautiful reddish-yellow light illuminated each room during the evening.
In regards to beer, October and early autumn are synonymous with Oktoberfest. Aptly, the beer this weekend is Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber, brewed by Paulaner of Munich, Germany.
Ironically, most of Oktoberfest takes place in September. This year’s festival runs from September 20th to October 5th, so I’m just under the deadline to finally try an Oktoberfest brew. Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber may be my first official tasting, but the sixer of Schell Octoberfest I had when I was back home was my first experience with the Märzen style. (Shout out to Nixon, the recently married.)
Serving type: Six 12-ounce bottles.
Appearance: Brown, which was surprising to me. My Schell Octoberfest was copper red, reminding me of amber ale. This has an amber hint to it, as you can see in the pic, and it has “amber” in the name, but I think it’s a little browner. The difference in color, though, shouldn’t be surprising. Märzens vary in color from pale to dark brown. A light, effervescent head dissipated quickly and left a ring around the outside.
Smell: Barnyard malts, which are a little toasted. It has that grassy smell of a helles, which was also surprising to me. I was expecting this to be an altogether different style of German beer, but it has turned out to be a dark colored lager.
Taste: Very smooth and malty. Only a slight hint of hops at the back of the tongue, which is a plus for me (I’m definitely not a heavy hop-head). The taste aligns with the appearance and smell and is much like a helles.
Drinkability: Very drinkable, which is probably why Oktoberfest patrons drink 6,940,600 liters of it.
Fun facts about Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber:
-Serving temp.: 45-50°F. (I seriously think this temperature range is BeerAdvocate’s boilerplate recommendation. It’s been the range for nearly every beer I’ve ever searched for on the site, except for stouts. Unfortunately, Oktoberfest-Märzen Amber is not listed in either of my beer books, so the BA temperatures will have to do.)
-Alcohol content: 5.8 percent ABV. Shit! Märzen alcohol content ranges from 5.5 percent to 6.0 percent ABV.
-Märzen, or Märzenbier, is the style of beer drank for Oktoberfest. The name is derived from the German word for the month of March (März) because…
Märzen was lagered (stored) in caves or stone cellars built into the sides of mountains or hills. Frequently these locations were chosen because there was a pond nearby. During the winter, when the pond had frozen, blocks of ice would be cut and put into the cave or cellar to keep the chamber cool. The ice would eventually melt, but could frequently last until March, which is also where the name Märzen comes from. (Wikipedia)
Also, Märzen is brewed in March and let to age over the summer for serving in the fall.
-Interestingly, today — October 3rd — is German Unity Day, which celebrates the reunification of East Germany and West Germany in 1990. Normally Oktoberfest ends on the first Sunday of October. However, that year the schedule was altered so the festival will always continue through October 3rd even if it is a day or two after the first Sunday.
-The Paulaner beer tent in Munich, Winzerer Fähndl, is the largest at the Theresienwiese, where Oktoberfest is held. It seats 8,450 inside and 2,450 outside.
The Quiet Man’s grade: I was a little disappointed in the style, originally thinking it was going to be vastly different than anything I had ever tried. But I was very pleased, nonetheless. Smooth, clean, and tasty. B+.
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