Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen
Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu

 

This beer is oh so German, *clap* *clap*

 

Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen
3.5 | Good

Look – 3.25
Deep copper drifting toward brown, darker than many Märzens. Cream-colored head takes a bit of work but settles in fine. Persistent lacing sticks around thanks to solid protein structure, working all the way down the glass.

Smell – 3.5
That familiar green-bottle note up front — light sulfur, a touch of struck match — expected and fleeting. Beneath it: toasted malt, caramel, and a distinctly old-school German lager character.

Taste – 3.75
Once it warms toward 50°F (started at 40° F) , this comes alive. Clean drive up front, malt sweetness leading the way with toast and caramel (not roast), followed by a quick, tidy bitter close. Whispers of honey and something like late-summer sunshine linger if you give it time between sips. Slightly tilted sweet, but never cloying.

Mouthfeel – 3.5
Medium body with carbonation that softens nicely as it warms. Smooth, easy, and very drinkable — especially in a half-liter mug.

Overall – 3.5
A classic Märzen experience done right. Best enjoyed starting cold while you’re thirsty, then slowing down as it warms and opens up. Not flashy, not modern — just honest, traditional, and quietly satisfying.

Tasting notes:
Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen — 50°F sweet spot
Poured cold, this one opens with that familiar green-bottle note—sulfur, a little struck match—classic and expected. If you’ve had Beck’s Dark or its cousins, you know the smell. It fades fast once the beer breathes.
Color lands in a deep copper drifting toward brown, darker than most Märzens I’ve had. Cream-colored head took a bit of effort but settled in nicely, supported by fine CO₂ streams. As it relaxes, the lacing just keeps working—protein structure from the Märzen malt doing exactly what it’s supposed to all the way down the glass.
After a palate reset and a few minutes to warm, right around 50°, everything snaps into focus. Carbonation softens, sweetness shows itself, and the beer finds its balance. Clean drive up front, then a quick, tidy bitter close. Caramel and toasted malt lead—not roast—followed by whispers of honey and something like late-summer sunshine. It lingers if you give it time between sips.
This is a beer that rewards patience. Drink it cold while you’re thirsty, then slow down as it warms. Honestly, a second cold mug would be tempting—but tradition got it right. The half-liter is the move. Plenty at first, then the burden of hoisting the mug eases as the beer warms and the pale straw-gold glow pulls you gently toward evening.
Not flashy. Not modern. Just classic, honest, and quietly satisfying.

(review from September 2017) Excellently lighter but flavorful Ofest that's refreshing & with a clean finish that belies its darker color. Nice malty aftertaste.

 

 

 

Great beer, drinks differently than it tastes. So quality on draft ofc

 

 

Bottle pour into a .5L mug. Look is dark amber color with an off-white head that piles high on the pour, but falls quickly to a collar and some thin whisps. The beer is still and clear in the glass. Some lacing left behind, but it's minimal. Smell is malty, dark bread dough, herbal hops, grain. Taste starts malty and sweet up front. There's a bit of caramel flavor in the middle as it transitions a bit. The finish is a bit more earthy and herbal with the hops kicking up a bit. There's a little bitterness then that balances the sweeter malt. Still, dark bread malty flavors tend to dominate. The feel is full bodied with very light carbonation. Finish is relatively clean. Overall, this is a fine Marzen that is easy to drink. I think I'd like a cleaner finish, but I do appreciate this beer.

 

 

 

 

One dimensional in nature, but this is more than acceptable with a rich malt character featuring toffee and red ale notes. Floral hops are present, but not as forward as some. Feel is quite nice, not too heavy yet not thin. Overall, can't go wrong here. Would choose others first, but could drink this happily if it was my only choice

 

RB transfer

Copper pour, 1 finger of dense head. Nose is roasted malt. Tongue is a sweet malt embrace. Taste wise there is a hint of smoke, with caramel and subtle hops. Good alone, good with food.|8/31/2012