Arbeiter Oktoberfest

 Arbeiter Oktoberfest.

5.6% ABV, 24 IBU, Arbeiter Brewing, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Clear, copper colored, fine white head..

In the nose: clean, malty, semi-sweet.

In the mouth: unmistakable Märzen flavors right off the bat, crisp, clean, easy going, malty, quite tasty. Medium bodied and a good drinker. Goes down oh, so nice. 

This moderately strong, rich, and malty yet highly drinkable lager style was traditionally brewed in Bavaria in the month March (März or Märzen in German) and allowed to rest, or lager, in cool caves all summer long to be enjoyed in the fall. Before modern brewing equipment, much less refrigeration, the summer months were simply too warm to properly brew lager biers, so they had to brew a lot of beer through the winter and spring to get them through to the fall when temperatures cooled to allow brewing to commence again. Since they already had this Märzenbier on hand in the fall, they began serving it at very early occurrences of the annual celebration of the royal wedding that eventually became the Oktoberfest many of us are familiar with.

Little Thistle Grabürschnitzel Oktoberfest

Little Thistle Grabürschnitzel Oktoberfest. Märzen-style. 

5.3% ABV, Little Thistle Brewing, Rochester, MN.

I had this beer for the first time about five weeks ago at the brewery. Took a pic of my pint and it for my Untappd check-in. The next day, we closed our night at the brewery again, and I bought two cans, and drank one in the hotel room. Took a pic, etc, etc. The other day, I sat down to write these note with the second can, poured it into an appropriate glass, and forgot to take the pic. That’s why I’m using the hotel pic, in the plastic cup. Oops, sorry. I’ll do better next time. 

Clear, copper color, prodigious creamy foam above.

In the nose: malty, bready, caramel, light spice, moderately hopped.

In the mouth: sweet, but balanced. High ease of drinking. Toasty, caramel-y, classic Märzen flavors. Medium bodied. An utter delight. 

Where’d I put my pretzels? 

Oktoberfest Lager with notes of caramel and toffee.

Fat Orange Cat Bavarian Kittens

 Fat Orange Cat Bavarian Kittens  Festbier.  

5.3 % ABV, Fat Orange Cat Brew Co., North Haven, CT.

Despite saying Festbier on the front, the side of the label states “Märzen style lager.” One more example of an Oktoberfest that won’t say Oktoberfest.

 Clear, amber hue, slim ivory head. 

In the nose: sweet and malty, earthy, caramel-y. Perfect Märzen nose.

In the mouth: rich, toasty, delicious. Liquid bread. Hearty and satisfying. Medium bodied when a long, malty finish. Quite likable. 

Unmapped Flannel Roots Fall Lager

 Unmapped Flannel Roots Fall Lager. 

5.4 % ABV, 29 IBU, Unmapped Brewing, Minnesota, Minnesota.

Clear, copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: malty, rich, caramel toned.

In the mouth: crisp, clean, earthy, malty, moderately hopped. Medium bodied, easily drinkable. Toasty, bready, delicious. They have packaged a Märzen Oktoberfest without going near any of those words. 

The following was found on Untappd, but does not appear on the can label: 

We brewed this copper-colored lager to welcome in the glorious season of Flannel (a.k.a. Autumn) and to celebrate the grand Oktoberfest tradition of Bavaria. This tasty marzen lager is light and refreshing, but it also has a lovely malt flavor to keep things interesting. Prost!

Dangerous Man Oktoberfest

Dangerous Man Oktoberfest.

5.9 % ABV, 20 IBU, Danger Man Brewing, Maple Lake, MN. 

Clear, copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: herbal, malty, sweet, earthy.

In the mouth: caramel tones, sweetness abounds, but nicely balanced. Minor hops, easy drinking, especially delicious. My kind of Märzen. 

Celebrate with our Oktoberfest Märzen beer! It’s a German classic with a toasty and bready backbone, enriched with malt sweetness and hints of caramel, all culminating in a crisp and clean finish! Prost!

Bent Paddle Munchin’’ Pretzels Märzen Party Lager

 Bent Paddle Munchin’ Pretzels Märzen Party Lager.

5.6 % ABV, 18 IBU, Bent Paddle Brewing, Duluth, Minnesota. 

To the best of my knowledge, this is the first year that Bent Paddle has packaged this Oktoberfest beer, although they don’t call it that on the label. They call it a Märzen Party Lager. They’re not the only one, Fair State also calls their Festbier “party lager”. What does this mean? Don’t all parties have lagers? (I said parties, not bottle shares.) I’ve noticed more and more beers will be labeled Märzen or Festbier (even when they are Märzens), and not Oktoberfest at all. This is probably a smart move for a style of beer being released in July.

Also, what kind of name is Munchin’ pretzels? Is it because munchin’ sounds like the German word for Munich? Why don’t we call it that? If we can say “munchin’”, we can say Munchen. And you know what they call Bavaria? Bayern. Sounds like something my mom would say. Don’t leave the Bayern door open.

I wish I had some pretzels, but I don’t. I almost bought some today, but there was a man standing in front of them in the grocery aisle and he was taking too long. so I didn’t buy any. So here I am having a party lager at home taking notes with no pretzels to munch. Maybe if I put on some polka music, it’ll be okay. 

For 60 Minutes, I’m Andy Rooney.

Clear, Amber/copper colored, slim white head.

In the nose: sweet and malty, nobly hopped, bready…pretzel-y?

In the mouth: more sweetness on the palate, but well balanced. Smooth and maltalicious. (That’s a real word I made up just now.) A lager for communal enjoyment, for schnitzels and spaetzels, and yeah, the twisty bead stick. This one goes down nice and easy, chock-ful of Märzen-y goodness.

Münchin' Pretzels is a classic Märzenbier that boasts a rich amber color and a medium-bodied mouthfeel. Brewed with traditional German malts and hops, this beer offers a perfect balance of sweetness and bitterness. The aroma is characterized by notes of toasted bread, caramel, and a subtle hint of hops. The flavor profile is dominated by a delicious bready malt character with hints of caramel, making it an excellent choice to pair with traditional German cuisine, especially soft pretzels and sausages. Prost!

Malty | Bavarian | Festy

Revolution Oktoberfest

 Revolution Oktoberfest. German-style lager. 

5.7% ABV, Revolution Brewing, Chicago, Illinois.

We’re getting close to the end of the new Oktoberfest beers I tried this year. One more to go after this one.

Clear, amber hue, slim white head.

In the nose: malty, grainy, classic. 

In the mouth: sweet, caramel-y flavors dominate the palate. Noble hops here for balance. Nice and toasty. Light bodied and easily consumed. Pairs well with tubas and bratwurst. Tasty märzen goodness. 

A stein full of traditional Märzen offered in anticipation of those days filled with sausage, pretzels, and a table full of friends. Our brewers put all the time and care into this long-lagered beauty using traditional German ingredients and methods. Smooth, toasty flavor and the inviting aromas of hearth-baked bread, finishing with just enough Noble hop character to keep you coming back for another round. One of our most popular food-pairing beers, or worthy of a hearty "prost!" on its own.