Gordon Biersch Märzen

Brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Palo Alto, California USA

Tap at the DC brewpub. Mild corny, vegetal, munich malts. Thin body, a bit cheesy, very light, but drinkable. Marzen-like but unassertive. A bit fizzy. A weak example of the style.

bottle, amber color with tan head fading fast, nose of sugary malt and taste is the same, a little light but overall pretty drinkable

On tap at El Palomar. Served too cold and over-carbonated in a pint glass. Subtle toasty malt aroma. Mostly clear copper-amber color with a small beige head that leaves a lasting ring of foam. Lots of visible bubbles in a champaign-like way, which translated into an overly fizzy mouthfeel. Medium bodied, a little sweet malt flavor up front with some caramel and a little bread crust. Finishes pretty dry with some grassy hop bitterness that is pretty indistinct, but provides proper balance. Super easy-drinking, though it could definitely have been enhanced by a higher serving temp and less carbonation. I would give it an other go if in the mood, and it seems not too far off of the German oktoberfests I’ve had.

Golden yellow with a quickly dissipating white head. Aroma of herbal hops, earthy hops, bread and some sweet malt. Thin and very watery with next to no taste and a finish just as empty that’s main attribute is that it’s a little astringent. Not a good marzen.

Amber, malty, sweet smooth, bready, caramel, dry with a slight hop finish. A nice local.

On tap at the KC location. Pours a clear copper with a thin, off-white head. The aroma is a muted iced tea and faint fruity note; no discernible bready/Munich malt on the nose. Light-bodied with tight carbonation and a slightly bitter and metallic finish. Metallic, bready malt with a lightly grassy hop finish. This one is a bit better than their Golden Export, but it’s still pretty mediocre.

5/17/08 from the bottle. Aroma is of light roast with sweet caramel and no hop flora. Appearance is slightly hazy copper with a good cream colored head. Flavor is malt forward, sweet, slightly sour, simple, with almost no hop bittering or flora. Roast/munich character a bit low. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with a low carb texture. Overall, the flavor is a bit of a letdown from the aroma.

From a pint/0.5L glass at the Gordon Biersch in LAX. Aroma is malty and just a hint of earthy/flowery hops. Color is a brilliantly clear amber with an off white head. Flavor is malty and balanced. A little toast flavor in there. Balanced and drinkable. Light to medium bodied and dries in the finish.