Sudwerk Marzen

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

On tap, part of the 10 beer sampler. Amber in color. Slightly hoppy, but also has a sweet side. One of the best of the brewers.

Bottle. Poured with a quarter inch light tan head, with a nice clear brown color. It’s sweet, and doesn’t have quite the body I expected from a Marzen, but it’s definitely good.

This is my favorite beer from Sudwerk brewery in Davis, CA. It has a strong, full aroma, but remains dry going down. This is a smooth beer and thankfully it is made year round.

Bottle Date of 03.13.07, Sampled September 2007
The beer pours with a frothy, initially three-finger thick, large bubbled, amber tinged, tan colored head. The beer is a brilliantly clear, rich amber hue that visually shows a light carbonation. The aroma is quite malty and even somewhat sweet. Aromas of caramel, browned bread crust, touches of brown sugar, biscuits and a definite sweet, slightly caramelized malt character.

Much drier tasting than the aroma would have suggested, but it still manages to have a fairly substantial body and even some palate coating character to it. The malt character is definitely dominant here, but there is a fair amount of hop contributed flavor as well. The hop character provides a solid, yet not overwhelming bitterness in the finish, as well as a herbal, not quite minty character in the finish as well. The herbal hop note actually is found throughout the flavor profile, it just becomes more noticeable towards the finish, and in fact lingers on in the palate (as does the bitterness) quite a long time after the beer has left my mouth. Lest I forget the malt influence, it is definitely here and fairly substantial. It is not overly sweet, yet does provide a richly caramelized maltiness, a crusty rustic bread flavor, a touch of toasted flavors.

This is quite tasty, and it seems to be another beer that is growing on me more as I work my way through the bottle. The aroma of this beer really starts to open up even more after warming up a bit; it becomes quite a bit more complex in its malt character, with even some aromatic notes reminiscent of honey. The flavor too picks up a flavor depth and richness as it warms as well. Overall this is a really great drinking beer. I haven’t really had these beers in years, but used to really enjoy my visits to the pub in the 90s.

A very grainy wheat aroma. And there is tons of maltiness in the beer. Some caramel in the aroma. Drinkable, and really pretty good.

Bottle from Beer on the Wall, which has become a favorite of mine due to the rapidly rotating inventory, fair shipping rates, and sturdy, reshippable cardboard boxes that they ship with. This one pours chill hazy deep copper with minimal head. Aroma is caramel malt, slight brown sugar, toffee, and red wine grapes. Tastes caramel malty for the most part, with notes of berry, brown sugar, almond, walnut, and cabernet.

Bottle. Pours amber with thin lacing. Dark pitted fruits are sensed via olfactory and tastes of maltiness and nutiness. A nice lager.

On tap at the brewpub. .3L sample size. Slightly toasted malty sweet aroma with some metallic notes present as well. Do I detect some chocolate malts as well? Aroma is a touch faint. Transparent amber color with a small, off-yellowish head that is rather quickly dissipating. Slightly sweet, doughy, toasty maltiness present to start. Light hoppiness to finish. Rich, chewy, drinkable. Tasty, with a lightly drop hoppiness in the end.