Oktoberfest celebrations can vary depending on where you
are, but if the festival is on top of things, and trying to be authentic, there
is one thing it will have for sure: Märzen. When you see Germans drinking beer
out of those over sized steins and mugs (and boots), they are drinking a particular
style of beer known as Märzen, which is commonly called Oktoberfest beer in the
States. But what exactly is Märzen?
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| The real stuff... live from Bavaria |
Oktoberfest Blog Post Part 2: The Beer
Pronunciation guide: "Maer-tsen". Pronounce the
"ae" in the first syllable like the "a" in "bad".
Do NOT pronounce it like the planet Mars with an "en" at the end!
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| Gzuffa! |
Märzen is the historic forerunner of the Oktoberfestbier.
In the Middle Ages, brewers had a difficult time brewing good-tasting beers
during the hot summer months when the brew could easily become infected with airborne
bacteria. In fact, the Bavarian authorities decreed that all beer had to be
brewed before April 23rd, and brewing couldn’t resume until September 23rd. In
order to have an ample supply of saleable beer on hand during the summer,
brewers worked overtime in March to brew an extra strong and well-hopped beer
that would keep for a long time. Märzen is German for March, so the beer came
to be known for the month in which it was brewed.
In time, the March beer turned into an October beer. When
the summer was over and it was safe to resume brewing again, the brewers needed
to empty their kegs to make room for the new brews. That meant that Märzen had
to be finished off in a hurry. Throw a little bit of merriment into the mix,
and you've got an Oktoberfest with a Märzen beer party. Modern Märzen, like
Oktoberfestbier, is always well-aged, usually for at least four to eight weeks.
Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in color with a
medium to high alcohol content.
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| Another official Oktoberfest beer |
The common Munich Oktoberfest beer served at Wies'n (the
location at which Munich celebrates its Oktoberfest) contains roughly 5.0-6.0%
alcohol by volume, is dark/copper in color, has a mild hop profile and is
typically labeled as a Bavarian Märzenbier in style, even though by definition,
Märzen is a specialized Vienna Lager. It is typically brewed with dark roasted
Munich and caramelized Munich malts, which give the beer its dark amber color
and malty aroma. The style is characterized by a medium to full body, a malty
flavor and a clean dry finish. In Germany, the term covers beers which vary in
color from pale (Helles Märzen), through amber to dark brown (Dunkles Märzen).
Common names for Märzen include Märzenbier, Wiener Märzen, Festbier, and
Oktoberfestbier. There are six Munich breweries that supply the official
Oktoberfest Märzen: Hacker-Pschorr, Lowenbrau, Spaten, Hofbrauhaus, Augustiner,
and Paulaner. Blogger’s Note: I personally
got into ten Spaten Oktoberfest Märzens last Saturday at my local Oktoberfest,
but fear not, I did not become a Bierleichen (beer corpse)… I’m a professional.
Obviously, Märzens are created with care and perfection
in their home land of Bavaria, Germany. However, we make some pretty good
versions of the classic Oktoberfest beer here in the States. Some of the better
American Märzen beers I’ve had are Harpoon Brewing Co’s Octoberfest (even
though they spell it wrong), Great Lakes Brewing Co’s Oktoberfest, Clipper City
Brewing Co’s Heavy Seas Märzen, Clipper City Brewing Co’s Heavy Seas Prosit!,
Victory Brewing Co’s Festbier, Gordon Biersch Brewery’s Märzen, and Avery
Brewing Co’s The Kaiser. All of these and many more are available at your local
craft beer supply outlet. So go get some. And go find a local Oktoberfest
celebration near you and drink the real stuff!
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| A Colorado adaptation of a Bavarian classic |
Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Prost!
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