Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen

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

Poured from tap a darker-amber with small head. Aroma is mildly spicy with something like cinnamon and anise, bready malt, and some wet cardboard. Flavor is slightly sweet with lightly toasted bread, malt, caramel, a touch of cinnamon, and some dry hay. Overall, I enjoyed this beer with my food, it was good. I could drink more.

The aroma was like a bad lager, but the flavor is really nice. A crisp, malty sweetness with a rich creamy palate. The sweetness is cut with just a touch of hops to keep it balanced, but this is all about the caramelly malt.

caramel colored pour. Darker than I expected. Very mild aroma, not very distinct. Light coffee and spice taste.

Light malt flavor. Not to much to the taste though. I wonder if this just might be a lot better when fresh?

On draft at the Asgaard in Cambridge, MA. I think this one suffered from poor handling and poor storage. Nice deep amber/brown color. Head was a bit thin. Had some funk in the aroma - again probably not the fault of the good folks at Spaten. Some roasty and sweet malty flavors, but it was a little bit out of balance. Made me want to hop on a plane to Munich and have the real thing!

A good Märzen. Very clear dark amber color. Bready toasted malt/hop flavor with caramel and just a hint of licorice and honey in the back. Pleasantly bitter hoppy palate.

Pours a clear, semi-dark amber, with a nice big head. Aroma is light (wheat) but fresh. Flavor balanced, with a bit of hops and spice, but is mainly bread and yeast. Palate is slick and medium bodied, but finishes far too dry for my tastes. A good, highly drinkable Marzen.

pours amber gold with a thin white head and a strong skunky grainy malt aroma. Flavour smooth pale malt and grassy hop. Slight herbal anise tone in the dry finish.