Mill Street Oktoberfest Märzen

Brewed by Mill St. Brewery
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Toronto, Canada

I will preface this rating by stating that I was never a huge fan of Denison’s Märzen. I always found it a weak link in their lineup (except the smoked version). But Mill Street brewer Michael Duggan has demonstrated that when he wants to (ie. not during batches of Organic Lager), he can brew some serious beer. So putting his skills together with Denison’s impresario Michael Hancock seems to have put this Oktoberfest through the roof.

Bright bronze colour is quite eye-catching, though if you tasted this in one of those frozen space-glasses at Pure Spirits you’d probably not notice. Not much head, though. Aroma is typical Oktoberfest fare – bread crust, iron, hints of nuts and caramel. The palate, however, is a new level. Richly malty, very toasty, with lots of bread crust, and slightly smokey toffee notes. Full body, lots of melanoidins. Long, complex finish. In terms of flavour and palate, this is the most complete Oktoberfestbier I’ve ever had. The strongest outing yet from this vibrant upstart.

Tapped a amber-orange with a fair cap with moderate retention. Aroma is light toasted bread crusts over some herbal-woody noble tones. Medium bodied decent malt spine toasty-woodsy character, creamy mouth feel. Nice toasty malts in the front, joinded by ample noble balance...deep woody-herbal-toasty tones mid palate...finishes lightly drying with nice Hersbrucker"bite" in the finish and a slow herbal bittering with a bready after taste. Good malty O-fest...slightly hop biased...very very drinkable.

AT PUB YESTERDAY - nice solid lager with a good density of malt flavors and a hint of fruitiness. ORIGINAL RATING Sampled at brewery - yeast and light spice in the nose, noticeable grain flavor, smooth, malty, a touch sweet, a little sour and bitter at first impression but not bad at all. 7 3 7 4 12 = 3.3

Draught (2005 version). At BeerBistro. Poured deep clear orange with a small white head. Solid aroma of fresh orange zest hops, light roast malt to counter. Taste follows, but there were *lots* of hops, again the light roast malt, a touch of cereal grain, and some very mild spiciness - this has a longish hop-bitter finish, but pleasant, not harsh. Decent body, simple but spot-on character. Reading the earlier reviews I have to conclude they’ve changed this recipe significantly - I’d describe this as very much like a west coast US mild pale ale with more malt character. Lovely

Beautiful coppery colour with minimal head. Sweet caramel and bread aromas. Bread and malt flavours move through with a nice mild bitterness. Nicely balanced and smoothly easy-drinking.

Bright orange-amber colour with minimal head. Aroma is malty & bready, mild but impressive. Body is full and active, well carbonated by not unpleasantly so. Flavour is smooth with lots of subtle notes - caramel, toffee, bread, brown sugar - and a perfectly balanced bitterness in the finish. It seems deceptively simple, but there's a lot going on in this beer. Nice stuff indeed.

draught. translucent orange-copper body with a frothy white head and sheet lacing. aroma is fruity cereal grain with prominent floral hops. body has a fruitiness to it with a sharp bitterness up front which leads into a somewhat bready malt finish. pretty nice.

clear amber, white head. toasted bready malt aroma with a bit of hop. juicy malt flavour and a good bitter and dry finish. nice.