Difference between Maibock and Marzen

Who else in Germany is making an Amber Maibock other than Munich Hofbrau and Einbecker?

 

Oh, yeah I forgot about that. Although Ayinger sort of cheats by saying "Oktober Fest-Marzen".

I like both terms though to distinguish between the two styles.

Just as I like "Helles Bock" and "Dunkles Bock" to distinguish between two types of Maibock.

 

Marketing creativity.

Well... that's not exactly accurate either because there's Bock (I guess we call it traditional), Maibock, and Doppelbock. Within those categories "shades" vary a lot. Toss in Eisbock, but I don't know that I've seen a light version of that, but it's probably out there.

Look at Einbecker's lineup, I think they cover all of the Bock bases.

 

Me, either... but all that means is I read the label!

All bets are off, though, for a blind taste!

 

... in Germany, maybe.

In the USA (even with some German brewer's exports)? Not so much.

 

Not many, but thats what the style is defined.
Most Breweries put out a "Frühlingsbock", which is a Heller Bock

 

How many German export Maibocks do you see these days? Seems like HB is about the only one I see released as a seasonal and it's already been established as a different type of Maibock. Used to see Spaten all the time 20 years ago, but I don't know if they even brew it anymore.

 

Only Hofbräuhaus for Maibock in stores here, but I was referring to the distinction between Märzen & Festbier.

 

Im goping to repeat this for the ten drillionth time: Märzen just refers to strength. They come in every imaginable colour. The Munich breweries still call their Oktoberfest beers Märzen. Export can also come in a variety of colours. Most Munich Dunkles are called Dunkles Export by the brewery.

 

Yes. By the brewers who make and the German brewers association.

 

Even in Germany, it is a bit more complex than that, historically.

Today? ... It mainly refers to a fall seasonal lager that does not contain pumpkin spices! (based on observing what is on the shelf, anyway... )... (from a USA craft beer perspective...)

 

Lager, Export, Märzen and Bock just refer to strength and have done for more than 100 years.

 

Sorry, late in the evening, reading impaired.

 

The first Oktoberfest Märzens definitely were amber in colour.

 

Sorry -- misunderstood that.

 

Mine was more a question of early Maibock -- it doesn't sound as though you've seen the Hofbrau (Munich) Maibock we get here in the U.S., but it's an amber-bronze color -- in contrast to the deep yellow gold of most Maibocks.

 

I guess what I was trying to say is that, for my palate, Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier pushes the upper limits of a Festbier/Märzen as far as strength, malt flavor, and body, which limits how much I'm able to drink of it. The sweetness you mentioned adds to that a bit as well.

I'd love to do a side by side of the Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier with a pale Maibock or Helles Bock sometime to compare.

 

I think that without even looking at them, I'd be able to tell with a decent amount of reproducibility.

Maibocks are stronger and hoppier, while Marzens are less strong and more malt forward. While that certainly doesn't cover all cases, I feel that even beyond that, their fermentation characters are different and the "bock-iness" of the maibock would stand out for me. Certainly wouldn't pretend to know for sure unless I did the blind test, though.

 

100 years goes back to 1917. Märzenbier originated in the 1870s and got its name from when it was brewed. That's all I meant.

Also, the term (like just about all style-related terms) has been thoroughly abused by American craft brewers.

 

Unless you homebrew a Maibock/Helles Bock, that might be difficult considering they're six months apart in seasons.