Hügelkultur
Brookeville Beer Farm

Wasn't sure what this was at first, but 19.99 for a twelve pack is a bargain these days so gave it a shot. Brief head and solid bread note in the nose. A little more full bodied and featuring more dark malt than most modern marzens, this feels a little old school. Texture is lean and little hop flavor is noticeable. Finish is clean. A bit rustic, perhaps, but not a bad version of the style, and a relative value at that.

Clear copper with a small beige head that disappeared as soon as it was poured. Aroma of sweet malts and dark bread. Malts remained the focus of the flavor although noble hops became more pronounced. Toffee-ish aftertaste. Softly carbonated, medium bodied mouthfeel.

This one wraps up the seasonal onslaught of O'fests (and Marzens) for me. Time to focus on some hearty Winter offerings.

16 oz can poured into a tulip pint glass. Pours a surprisingly dark amber, as dark as some brown ales, with a quickly fading fizzy head. Aroma and flavor feature sweet caramel malt, toffee, and light hops. Again, reminiscent of a brown ale (or dunkel lager, I suppose). My wife enjoyed it, and I agree it was drinkable at any rate, but it is not a great style example IMO.

For fun, I mixed a couple of ounces of this beer with some Thin Man Oktoberfest (which is much lighter and hoppier) and the blended beer was better than either on its own. And that's not IMO - it's a fact. ;-)

 

 

16 ounce can poured into a dimpled mug.

It pours cloudy and is a murky copper color but does show a lot of visible carbonation. The half inch antique white head is thin and fades quickly to a solid perpetual ring.

At the pour malty bread and honey aromas lead before fading to a subtle mineral and spicy hop aroma. After it warms a bit, notes of bread reappear. The taste opens slightly malt forward but quickly becomes closely balanced the rest of the way. It is well attenuated and the toasted grain and spicy hop flavors are subtle. Bitterness is low but stands up a bit for a short aftertaste that doesn't build as I drink. Mouthfeel is medium-light with medium-high carbonation, opens crisp, then smooths for a softer almost creamy feel before sharpening for a finish with a small bite.

Overall this drank fast and left me wanting a second. I think this is a good, more traditional example of a Marzen.

Went through a 4pk of 16oz cans "Drink Fresh - J121243" (???) this week. Poured into a 0.5L German-style dimpled mug resulting in a large frothy white head that ultimately disappears completely. Light copper color body. Slight bready aroma. Tastes even more bready. Lighter-bodied with a pleasant level of CO2. NOT too shabby, would probably do again.

Poured from the can into a Libbey style pilsner glass. Vintage 2019.

What an interesting looking Marzen. Beaming crystal clear, and a practically near perfect orange color. Nearly orange but gives to brass light yellow highlights and a gleaming shine. Head creation is two fingers off white, almost khaki, and settles to a bubbled collar with minimal puck.

Very nice light toasty grains, hints faint clove but with a presence of soft toffee like malt action. Minimal herbal hop presence. Fairly straightforward aroma and solid.

Palate keeps things straightforward. A most slightly noticeable light to wet mouthfeel dumbs down some of the base flavors. Slight malty touch of caramel, but opens into more wet peanut flavors interestingly as time goes on. Hits with a bit of steely grain and some interesting bready toasty flavors, more on a nuttier side of a brown like ale quality. There is a real peanut character to this beer strangely, but in a good way, but there is some powdery quality to the grain and beer's taste.

Interesting take on a marzen, almost into real solid quality.

 

Clear light copper, white head, not much in the way of retention or lace.
Bready malt. So bready. Right on.
Bready, clean, dry. What I want in an Oktoberfest
Mouthfeel is right on. Could stand just a touch more carbonation.
I super dig this