Sudwerk Marzen

Brewed by Sudwerk Privatbrauerei Hubsch
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Davis, California USA

Serve in Dimpled mug, Lager glass, Stein

12oz. Bottle: Lightly sweet aroma of malt, grain, mash, bread, and toasted toffee. Poured amber in color with a tiny, rocky, off-white head that disappeared very quickly, except for around the edges. Clear. Sparkling. Flavor is medium sweet. Tastes of malt, bread, and grain. Medium body. Average texture. Average carbonation. Malt, grain, bread finish.

UPDATED: OCT 23, 2011 Re-rate - loads of cherries as well as stewed apples on the nose this time. Good malt profile, toffee plus bitter finish. A bit like a bitter done with lager yeast. Creamy, spicy, fruity finish! A dropped point on the appearance. Previous rating 02/09/11 7/5/7/5/15 = 3.9 355ml bottle. Pours a lovely orangey-red colour reiniscent of plum jam. There is a lovely head. The nose has delicate smoke and stewed apples. The taste has plum jam and a gentle smokiness. The palate is medium to large in structure, there’s a gorgeous tangy and creamy texture with a nice elegant clean finish. Overall, I really like this, so interesting but also so well balanced.

Bottle from Appellation Wines. Vegetable resin aroma. Clear reddish amber brown colour, reasonable head. Resin caramelr flavour, creamy texture. Not bad.

Looks creamy smells rather sweet. Taste is big malt. Creamy co2 commences to a palate then fades to flat. Strong alky bitter malt impact at the finish of each slug. Bready creamy. Must be more than 6%.

Nose is toasted malts, bread and caramel. I don’t know the pour as I drank it straight down from the bottle. Taste again has caramel and toasted malty taste. The finish is a little like malt loaf. It’s a very enjoyable Marzen. Not the best I’ve had but a brave effort from the Americans.

Deep apricot pour. Fluffy white head. Aroma is very malty, a hint of leather, and cooked carrots(what?). Flavor is very heavy on the malt up front, overripe fruit, almost a meaty flavor. This one was not enjoyable to speak of.

On tap. Pours with a small white head over a clear bronze body. Aromas are bready, toasty, light melanodins, flowery, light alcohol. Flavors are a bit spicy, caramel, some diacetyl that adds a slickness. Missing the complex malt profile of some of the better Marzen’s out there. Missing the melanoidins on the flavor. Lively bubbles. Okay.

Aroma is clean and crisp caramel. Appearance is ruby red caramel. Crystal clear and very attractive. Taste is just right. Caramel crisp with just the slightest hint of roast at the end. Palate is clean and crisp. Overall an excellent Marzen, easily the best American version of the style I have had.