Oktoberfest
Golden Road Brewing


- From:
- Golden Road Brewing
- California, United States
- Style:
- Märzen
Ranked #384 - ABV:
- 5.8%
- Score:
- 84
Ranked #31,993 - Avg:
- 3.61 | pDev: 8.31%
- Ratings:
- | reviews: 9
- Status:
- Active
- Rated:
- May 26, 2025
- Added:
- Sep 25, 2014
- Wants:
- 0
- Gots:
- 2
Golden Road has always been inspired by brewing tradition, California culture, and lifestyle. For years we’ve celebrated a (Southern) California Oktoberfest at our pubs with our Märzen Oktoberfest beer. And now, it’s available in a can. We collaborated with Spaten on this traditional Marzen recipe, and were blessed to work with Steven Harrington on the packaging design. Steven is an iconic Los Angeles based artist, coincidentally a long time Golden Road drinker. His California-inspired psychedelic-pop art was the perfect way to bring this brand to life and celebrate some beers with us along the way. The result is a Märzen Oktoberfest bier, displayed as an artform, as this traditional masterpiece from our brewers should be! New World meets Old World. California meets Oktoberfest.
Malt: 2-Row, Vienna, Light Munich, Cara Munich, Cara Vienna, Dextrin, Carafa 3
Hops: German Tradition
Tasting Notes:German-style Oktoberfest Märzen with a blend of Vienna and Munich Malts and German hops. Deep Amber color with medium body, wonderful notes of caramel and a nice smooth, toasty finish.
Malt: 2-Row, Vienna, Light Munich, Cara Munich, Cara Vienna, Dextrin, Carafa 3
Hops: German Tradition
Tasting Notes:German-style Oktoberfest Märzen with a blend of Vienna and Munich Malts and German hops. Deep Amber color with medium body, wonderful notes of caramel and a nice smooth, toasty finish.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Rated by DoctorRobert1969 from California
3.25/5 rDev -10%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
3.25/5 rDev -10%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25
Pretty tasty. Just a bit watery and weak. Perfectly drinkable. Just not memorable.
May 26, 2025Reviewed by defunksta from Wisconsin
3.61/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
3.61/5 rDev 0%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: Pours a clear, deep orange to early amber color with a moderate off-white head. SRM of 12. (4.00)
Aroma: Moderate to stronger aromas of baked bread, brown bread, earthy German strudel and wafter. Toasted bread malts off the finish. (4.25)
Flavor: Moderate flavors of toasted bread malt, brown cereal malt., some corn mash and adjunct flavors. Grainy malts off the finish. (3.25)
Feel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation with a grainy, watery mouthfeel. (3.50)
Compared to AleSmith Oktoberfest 10/3/22: Pours a darker color. Stronger aromas and flavors. More toasted bread, cereal and grain malts. Less smooth pale malts.
Overall: An okay Marzen here at best. Nails the appearance aromas. Great toasted German bread malt and strudel/wafer aromas. But then on the flavor almost has a cereal and sourdough grain and adjunct flavor which is a bit off-putting. And it doesn't dissipate. (Rating: 3.61-)
Oct 03, 2022Aroma: Moderate to stronger aromas of baked bread, brown bread, earthy German strudel and wafter. Toasted bread malts off the finish. (4.25)
Flavor: Moderate flavors of toasted bread malt, brown cereal malt., some corn mash and adjunct flavors. Grainy malts off the finish. (3.25)
Feel: Medium-bodied. Moderate carbonation with a grainy, watery mouthfeel. (3.50)
Compared to AleSmith Oktoberfest 10/3/22: Pours a darker color. Stronger aromas and flavors. More toasted bread, cereal and grain malts. Less smooth pale malts.
Overall: An okay Marzen here at best. Nails the appearance aromas. Great toasted German bread malt and strudel/wafer aromas. But then on the flavor almost has a cereal and sourdough grain and adjunct flavor which is a bit off-putting. And it doesn't dissipate. (Rating: 3.61-)
Reviewed by Skywave from Oklahoma
3.6/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
3.6/5 rDev -0.3%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5
Appearance:
Medium Copper, Clear, Tight Buff head and good lacing.
Aroma:
Mild Munich malts, noble hops
Flavor:
Crisp, malty,
Mouthfeel:
Medium, nominal CO2 no astringency or other flaws
Overall:
A decent American O-Fest
Sep 28, 2022Medium Copper, Clear, Tight Buff head and good lacing.
Aroma:
Mild Munich malts, noble hops
Flavor:
Crisp, malty,
Mouthfeel:
Medium, nominal CO2 no astringency or other flaws
Overall:
A decent American O-Fest
Reviewed by dkoehler42 from New York
4.02/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
4.02/5 rDev +11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Hailing from California is Golden Road's Oktoberfest entry. This a märzen that poor is a dark amber with an off-white head. The nose is expectedly malt. The flavor is sweet, but note overpowering and is complimented by a clean mouthfeel. To be brutally honest, this is good, really good. My only potential complaint could be a bitter note that seems to linger on the tongue. Well done Golden Road Brewery.
Sep 18, 2022Reviewed by jkblr from Indiana
3/5 rDev -16.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -16.9%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3
12oz can stamped BEST ENJOYED BY 11/18/2022 poured into a mug at fridge temp 5.8% ABV per can. The beer pours mostly bright copper in color with light khaki head. The head fizzles away in a few minutes. There are some bubbles rising around the edge of the glass and an island of microscopic bubbles in the center. Not a bit of lacing. The aroma is caramel malt with a hint of bready malt. The taste is semisweet caramel malt with a bit of twang and virtually nothing past mid palate. No hop flavor or bitterness. The mouthfeel is thin bodied, even watery with average carbonation and a mostly dry finish. Fairly clean lager. Overall, ok. Nothing about this beer in my glass suggests that it is the same beer described on its BA page. Think caramel colored AAL...
Aug 21, 2022Reviewed by BillAfromSoCal from California
3.58/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
3.58/5 rDev -0.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5
Marzen for the masses...this collaboration definitely has the Americanized, toned-down, muted characteristics I have come to associate with most of the offerings from Golden Road. Pours a nice golden amber with persistent, stiff, dense, off-white head, but that is the highlight. The smell is nearly classic "Marzen", but as if you are standing a foot or more away, rather than with your nose at the glass. Some caramel, some brown bread, malt, as expected, but not very intense. Same goes with the taste. The mouthfeel was not as I expected; a bit more fizzy than I expected. Overall, perhaps not a bad introduction to the style for those not accustomed to the style who that want to sneak up on the "full Marzen experience" but not one of the best ones out there.
Sep 19, 2021Reviewed by REVZEB from Illinois
3.96/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
3.96/5 rDev +9.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
Bronzed amber with a white cap. Smells of caramel, bread, and with some finishing orange zest, very light. Taste is much the same but with the some nuts. Caramel and bread carry the load though, breadiness expands through the sip. Feel is bready too, with general maltiness, and decent crispness. The wife liked it
Oct 24, 2020Reviewed by Troy-Hawaii from Hawaii
3/5 rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
3/5 rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3
Uploaded picture you see.
Bought a 6-pack cans $9.59 Foodland
90 days before best by date
Light smell of caramel
Clear amber color
Medium-light mouthfeel
Light roasted malt, cola flavors
Light carbonation
Overall nothing exciting. Kind of a weak beer. Lacks the stronger roasted malt flavors of a Marzen. Would not buy again.
Oct 12, 2020Bought a 6-pack cans $9.59 Foodland
90 days before best by date
Light smell of caramel
Clear amber color
Medium-light mouthfeel
Light roasted malt, cola flavors
Light carbonation
Overall nothing exciting. Kind of a weak beer. Lacks the stronger roasted malt flavors of a Marzen. Would not buy again.
Reviewed by UCLABrewN84 from California
3.89/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
3.89/5 rDev +7.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 4
On tap at Golden Road Brewing in Los Angeles, CA.
Pours a hazy gold with a foamy white head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, caramel, and nut aromas. Taste is much the same with toast, caramel, and nut flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of toast bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.
Serving type: on tap.
Nov 22, 2014Pours a hazy gold with a foamy white head that settles to a partial film on top of the beer. Small dots of lace form around the glass on the drink down. Smell is of malt, grain, caramel, and nut aromas. Taste is much the same with toast, caramel, and nut flavors on the finish. There is a mild amount of toast bitterness on the palate with each sip. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a good beer that is tasty and easy to drink.
Serving type: on tap.
Reviewed by Modernrickk from California
3.85/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
3.85/5 rDev +6.6%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75
A great take on the Oktoberfest style.. I could expect no less now that they have a lager guy (Novak) brewing back there .. Eh maybe I'm over analyzing but that's my favorite part of this site anyways .. Good job on the is one golden road
Sep 25, 2014
We love reviews (150 characters or more)! Check out: How to Review a Beer. You don't need to get fancy. Drop some thoughts on the beer's attributes (look, smell, taste, feel) plus your overall impression. Something that backs up your rating and helps others. Thanks!