Oktoberfest: Wiesn and Märzen

Internet. Ayinger is one of those weird in-between brewers that's not big enough to be carried by the major guys and not a local brewer (to most of us) so no one carries it. So you could either go to Munich or use Biershop Bayern. From what I can gather, Ayinger hasn't released their "Kirta Halbe" yet - which I take to be their Oktoberfest seasonal rebranded either for Germany (where they may not be allowed to use the word "Oktoberfest") or for everyone. I believe it's due out soon.

 

Well, I don't think Paulaner invented the "Wiesn" term, just capitalizing on a nickname. But you're not one of the band-wagon jumpers I was talking about, you have your finger on the pulse of good German beer.

 

2L bottles… wow, never seen them for sale. I agree, for home brewing it's great score. I'd buy them simply for the bottles. Where did you see these? From the background, it looks like a Getränkemarkt somewhere in Germany.

Second, I've had Pfungstädter's Festbier (Märzen) every year when it comes out. As MJ knows well, too, it's a small town just south of Darmstadt, which is in Hessen. So even in Hessen they produce Märzen. It's a good beer, and I need to buy one and I'll review it here for y'all.

 

Need some ?

 

They definitely didn't invent the nick name "Wies'n" but they're the first I recall in the US using it to describe their actual beer (in terms of a style). Do you remember anyone else using it?

 

Not that I've seen on anything makes its way into SEPA.

 

You might be interested in Tony’s (Boddhitree) review of Camba Bavaria's Märzen. Several things to take note of:

· Cambria states: “Wies‘n-Märzen”. So, another brewery (beyond Paulaner) that uses the word “wiesn”.

· Cambria brews this beer using caramel malt.

· Tony makes mention of: “ …just like you're sucking on a roasted caramel bon bon”

It sounds like Cambria does a really good job achieving a balanced beer between the aspects of malt (including caramel) and hops to result in a beer that is not too cloying and still has some dryness.

Let’s discuss the topic of “too cloying” a bit. A beer being “too cloying” is very much subjective. Beer drinker A could describe a given beer as being “too cloying” while beer drinker beer could describe that same beer as having a “round sweetness” and it being not too cloying.

For example, I personally find Hopslam to be “too cloying” but there are lots of beer drinkers who really enjoy Hopslam and they would not describe this beer as being “too cloying”. We all have our own unique palate and our own unique desires in what we like in a given beer (beer style).

http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/bayernbiere-bought-and-drunk.55872/page-18#post-1688073

Prost!

 

Yeah, my friends and me about 6 years ago. They ripped us off!

But yeah, as said -- they're capitalizing on a nickname -- and I have that Jackson book, I'll have to pull it out. I'm pretty sure any use of Wiesn is a nickname, not any direct style.

 

Found these images when googling:




The last one from Tavern trove claims that the label dates from 1962.

 

maybe... if I can't find any here, but let me do thorough search first.

 

You should call up Paulaner, get a free Maßkrug.

I thought the locals use it as an abbreviation for the festival itself. Meaning Wiesen-Marzen could simply mean, Oktoberfest-Marzen. And "Wies'n" is just referring to the festival, Marzen being the beer.

 

Wies'n refers to the Theresienwiese, the traditional location of the Oktoberfest. No decent Münchner would ever go to the "Oktoberfest" (as in using that term), they go "auf'd Wies'n" and everyone knows what that refers to.

 

It's the Trinkgut Getränkemarkt in Wiesbaden. It wasn't even officially on sale yet, I just saw the boxes standing there with the Hacker-Pschorr logo. Being not a crate, but a box, I was curious what was inside and opened one to find this.
I found the Pfungstädter Festbier sixpack at the Real market. Being only € 3.99, that was a fair price for taking a chance on that one. It's actually quite good. Somewhat sweet, but also with a slight alcoholic note tending towards the Bockbier-region.

 

Since I already have some "free" Maßkrug from them, maybe they're just getting back at me!

 

This has been one of the most interesting discussions I've read on here in ages. Had Paulaner, Great Lakes, and Sam Adams side by side last night after reading and it really illustrated the roasty/toasty difference. I had Weihenstephaner fest last year and was suprised by how different it was from what I thought was a traditional for an octoberfest. Cheers to all involved for teaching me alot about one(or two) of my favorite styles! Hopefully I can track down some Ayinger fest this year...

 

Revisited the Shiner Oktoberfest last night after starting out the evening with some homebrewed Koelsch. Was likely a matter of my palate having been altered by the Koelsch, but I picked up on a much more pronounced, almost-sugary sweetness this time. Was slightly off-putting and makes me somewhat retract my previously unqualified praise of that beer. Still a good U.S. take on the style, but perhaps not quite as good as I initially thought. Not sure if I'll be buying it again.

Anyone else drink some in the meantime and want to add their thoughts?

 

I had a GABF gold medal winner last night, BJ's Oktoberfest. While I liked it, it was most definitely on the sweeter side. The nose was spot on with German examples (most notably Ayinger), but it was a bit on the sugary side. Almost like cookies OR when a German draft lager is old enough that the hops have faded a little, but it hasn't "turned" yet.
Not as sweet as the one from Sam Adams, but not as dry as Spaten's. It was good and certainly worth ordering if there's a BJ's near you, but it isn't my favorite.

 

BJs did indeed win a Gold Medal in the 2008 GABF but interestingly they submitted their Oktoberfest in the American-Style Amber Lager category.

“American-Style Amber Lager

Gold: BJ’s Oktoberfest, BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery - Chandler, Huntington Beach, CA

Silver: Old Scratch Amber Lager, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD

Bronze: El Oso, Bear Republic Brewing Co., Healdsburg, CA”

Cheers!

 

I had some of the Shiner when it first came out and really enjoyed it. Recently saw 12 packs at a good price so I may have to opt for some more.

Since the season has started I've had quite a few Okto-Märzens from both sides of the Atlantic. Capital is probably my favorite American (though I haven't found Schell's yet), and the very fresh 12 pack of Spaten was absolutely delicious.

I'll still shout out for Ayinger, Paulaner and H-P (though, more & more those 2 are pretty identical), but I also enjoyed Weihenstephan and HB in the Wiesn variety.

In the Americans I'll have to admit that New Glarus is growing on me and I found Left Hand's to be less dry than I'd found it in the past, so it was pretty tasty.

 

Go figure, although I guess that's not too shocking. Seems that every year there are a bunch of winners that seem to be in the wrong style based upon their names.