Festbier
Würzburger Hofbräu AG

 

This one pours a dark yellow-ish color, mostly clear, with a good level of lacing and a small head.

This smells like pilsner malt, water crackers, slight sweetness and floral hops.

This is another one in the pale festbier style that I love. There's a nice snappy hop bitterness, floral and a little grassy, with a good level of malt sweetness. It's not too high, not too low- just right.

This is light bodied, crisp and pretty clean, with a good level of carbonation.

This is a really nice beer. It's not the best of the style but it's pretty close, honestly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On-tap at Alphabet City Beer Company, New York, NY

A: The beer is slightly hazy dark yellow in color and has a very slight amount of visible carbonation. It poured with specks of bubbles covering the surface that eventually completely faded away, leaving only a thin collar around the edge of the glass.
S: There are very faint aromas of fruit in the nose along with some hints of malts.
T: The taste is both fruity and malty. The malts also contribute a little sweetness.
M: It feels medium-bodied and a little thick on the palate with a low to moderate amount of carbonation.
O: The fruitiness of this beer makes it interesting compared to other beers in the style.

 

Pale gold color with a light chill haze. Modest bar pour head. Settles to a thin coating. Leaves a webby lace.

Very mild aroma. Soft pale malt with nearly no hop nose. Still it's inviting.

Classic start to this Mazen--lots of pale malt. The hop bite is stronger than most, but I think makes this beer more interesting. One could call this a hophead's Marzen--not that it remotely approaches an IPA in flavor. Body and carbonation are as one would expect for the style. Overall, this one of my preferred Oktoberfest beers.

Had on tap at New World Tavern, Plymouth

Appearance: 1/4 head, medium carbonation, gold in color, clear

Smell: grass and sweet caramel malt

Taste: grass and sweet caramel malt--There is an earthy bitterness there as well

Mouthfeel: sweet with bitterness in the background that lessens as the beer warms, moderate carbonation, light bodied

Overall: Nothing too complex but a nice and light marzen. I may get this again, but I have found better examples in the style. An above average beer.

Poured from a growler into an American pint glass.

A--Body comes out more golden than copper, sort of a darkish pilsner more than your typical amber marzen. Head lingers from two fingers of white foam with traces around the sides as you deplete the resource. Bubbles kept twinkling up throughout the tasting.

S--Maybe the best part of this beer: lots of green apple mixed with floral nectar when you first pour, followed by tons of sweet caramel malt, more honey than roast. But excellent all the way around.

T--Also very good, just not as complex. Big punch of Munich malt that's so enjoyable, especially this time of year, with a little more earthiness than the smell would permit. Finish comes out bitter and a little tart, even vinegary, to be honest, especially as it warms a touch, which is the only knock I have on the flavor.

M&D--Both are great. The mouthfeel is creamy and smooth, and I could certainly polish this growler off without too much trouble if other duties didn't call, despite the complexity and relative spiciness (for the style). One of the better German representatives in this category, I would say, along with Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr. Worth trying.