Wundergold Märzen
Castle Island Brewing Co.

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I first saw cans of Wundergold on the beer store shelf I was expecting it to be a Golden Ale. Very surprised and pleased to discover it was a Marzen Lager. I can't recall having had a Marzen from Castle Island previously but, as usual, they didn't disappoint. As a strong fan of Oktoberfests/Marzens, I'd have to rate this as an excellent entry into the category and another solid example of Castle Island's brewing versatility. I'll be looking for another 4-pack soon.

It's about time these guys finally put out a true Märzen! Their Festbier from a couple years back was an Oktoberfest-style ale (a beer style many beer fans like to affectionately refer to as a "mocktoberfest"), but it was really damn good for what it was. I was really excited to see CI actually go for a lager this season. Will it stand among the great New England Märzens, or will it be a forgettable entry I won't bother seeking out again? Last year presented some good ones I'd never had before including Relic's sweet-and-sturdy Oktoberfest, and the return of Otter Creek's collaboration with Camba Bavaria, which is among my favorite examples of this tried-and-true style.

Pours a clear deep amber color with an initially fluffy and large head that sinks down to about a quarter-finger after a few minutes in my glass. Decent legs but no lace, with only a smattering of microbubbles remaining on the surface. This is a beautifully-colored beer, and the clarity is definitely nice-looking, but that head retention leaves a bit to be desired. Still, Märzens are not really known for their great head formation or retention, so I can't fault them too much here.

Excellent toasted bread and light caramel/toffee notes mingling with a tiny bit of herbal hop and a slight grassiness. Very bready and lightly doughy with an inviting aroma that really pushes the best elements of a modern American take on the classic German amber festbier. If I really get my nose in here, I notice a very delicate undertone of dried orchard fruit such as pear and apple, but it's really more of a suggestion than anything.

Right upfront I'm really satisfied by the immense toasted bread character and great balance from the grassy and herbal hops. The mid-palate has a dense caramel flavor reminiscent of Sam Adams' classic (and over-hated) Oktoberfest, and the carbonation is much lower than most other beers in this style. That may be a drawback for some, but I think it drinks pretty well and makes the beer conducive to larger gulps than if it were a bit sharper in the CO2 department. Medium feel that borders heavy for the style. If you're looking for a new Ofest to try this year, you could do a lot worse than this. As I tend to prefer this style over the pale/wiesn Ofest beers, this is definitely worthy of a drink. I'll easily polish off my whole four-pack!

 

Clear and light amber color. Small, thick and lasting head. One ring of lace initially, streaks and lattice thereafter.

Toasted bread aroma. Lightly sweet, but mostly rich crystal malt nose.

The flavor mimics the smell with a strong deeply roasted malt flavor and nearly no perceptible hop. Fuller body with lower carbonation than normal for the style. The finish draws out a nuttiness I wasn't expecting.