Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen

Brewed by Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu (InBev)
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Munich, Germany

Draft @ Rich O’s - Dull copper pour with a frothy head. The nose is real fruity - sweet peach and apples esthers abound. Very clean throughout. The creamy mouthfeel is the perfect vehicle for the caramel malts in the body. The body dries out near the finish with champagne-like fruitiness. Very drinkable!

Amber-gold pour with a big white head. Perfume-like aroma with light malts. Nice crisp taste with a good balance of hops. Bready and sweet flavors as well. Nice, clean beer.

Dark amber, Malty, sweet, smooth, caramel, hoppy, little nutty, slight spice.

What is marzen as a beer style? Marzen is a reddish to deep amber, malt accented, hearty brew, that was traditionally brewed in March, and consumed in the Fall. Wild yeasts would reek havoc with brewers yeast centuries ago, the conditions, and state of brewing beer, at the time, made it impossible for German brewers to brew in the summer months. So they would brew huge batches of beer in March(which is Marzen in German), lager (the German word for store), these huge batches in cold caves, containing natural ice, in the Bavarian Alps. Spaten was the first brewery to do this beer style, UR meaning original. So why go with the Germans? The reason is simple, a step in the brewing process, called decoction. All the German brewers of marzen use this step, and in my opinion, it is a vital one. It gives marzen its signature malt character. Decoction is a process where a portion of the mash is taken from the mash tun, heated to a higher temperature in another vessel, and returned to the mash tun. This step gives marzen very deep, toasty and nutty malt flavors that are the soul of this beer style. Some will argue that these flavors can be achieved through the use of special malts, but I have to disagree. That is why I think the German examples of marzen are by far my favorites, and the best examples. There are domestic breweries that do take this extra step, and their beers rival the Germans. Breweries like Old Dominion, and Victory use the decoction method, and you can really taste the results in their versions of marzen. Other domestic breweries choose not to, and you can tell. That is not to say that these versions are not, delicious, hearty lagers, or excellent brews. They just are not the best examples of marzen. Some breweries feel the need to put an Octoberfest beer out, but do not even bother to use a lager yeast strain. Breweries such as Harpoon, and Otter Creek make Octoberfest "ales". I fail to see the point of these beers, and I really think they should be avoided if you are looking for a true marzen. In fact, if you check my reviews from September and October of last year, you will see I did a series of reviews on marzen/Oktoberfest beer. Spaten UR Marzen, the original, and the one marzen I believe you should start with, pours to a deep amber color with a thick white head, and a moderated amount of carbonation. The nose on this beer is very malt accented, with aromas of sweet malt paired with toasty and nutty aromas. The palate is firm with more good malt character with lots of toasty and nutty flavors. This beer finishes malty up front with a nice bit of hop bitterness to balance this beer. Spaten UR Marzen is not at all cloying, it is a delicious, hearty lager that is smooth, drinkable, and has plenty of great malt flavor. Again, these signature deep malt flavors come from that extra step, decoction. This beer matches perfect with spanfekel(spit roasted) pork or chicken dishes, sauerbraten, and of course grilled bratwurst. Enjoy this beer, and this great beer style during the Oktoberfest season and beyond.

Small head on a clear, amber-and-orange beer. Average malt aromas with a hint of toffee some light orange. There is some thin sweetness among the flavors as well, with some average carbonation.

Pours an orangish amber with a bit of awhite head, thinning quickly. The aroma is a little skunked with sweet malt and a caramel subtext along with a hint of flowery/peppery hops. The palate is about appropriate for the beer. Average carbonation, a bit creamy, with low viscosity. The flavors are in line with the aromas, though the skunk is a bit less aggressive. The sweet malt has some caramel character and is balanced well by flowery/peppery hops. The aftertaste is a bit skunked up combination of caramel lingering and the end of the hop note. This might be better fresher, but this hasn’t been in the liquor store for long. Oh well!

A beautiful beer, amber in color, superb bubbling, Nice complex aroma that reminds me of spring water, light malt,, a little spice and some good hops. The flavor is so good and balanced. I really enjoy this beer. Nice pleasing texture, good bite, and very refreshing with a clean finish.

Amber body, white head. Not too great to look at. Aroma is...soap, wheat, fall leaves, faint spice. Decent. Taste is really good, especially balanced with excellent malt, a little spicy, caramel, fresh vegetable like hops, clay. Nice beer. Warm aftertaste, needly hops. Thanks to Jer for picking this one up at Norms in Vienna. Excellent fall beer.