American Made Marzens

As always, you are generous... very, very generous.

 

I don't know if this place does one but if they do I'd love to try it.

https://kcbier.com/our-story/

I had their weizen, pils, helles, dunkel and maibock this past weekend and they are outstanding. Decoction and double decoction brewing methods for several.

 

Found Goose Island's Oktoberfest at a great six-pack price the other day and couldn't pass it up for old-time's sake.

Wish I had -- first taste was very astringent and metallic. Thought maybe it wasn't chilled enough, but I tried another after chilling properly -- with the same results.

There was some caramel and noble hop character, but they didn't make up for the off flavors.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

 

First purchase this year: jacks Abby oktober, 5 day old beer. It disappeared quick around here last year, maybe placed don’t order too much. In fact this year its the first oktoberfest I’ve seen on shelves around here so far.

 

It does. I saw it here in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area last fall. Beyond that, I don't know. It's rye barrel aged, which may mean rather limited production compared to their other offerings.

I'll be looking for it in a month or so.

 

Sly Fox Oktoberfest is now in distribution in southeast PA!!

 

On a widely available basis: Jack's Abby Copper Legend

On a much smaller availability, but perhaps the best American Oktoberfest I've ever had: Barewolf Marzen Retrograde.

 

first purchase this year was jacks Abby. Already drank two of the 6 pack. It is a very good one IMO. Has some nice toastiness to it that I really enjoy.

 

Had a Bell's Oktoberfest today; crackery malts and spicy hops. Not quite Bavarian in style, but highly quaffable.

 

I do not believe Jack's Abby Copper Legend hits distro here. I'll keep an eye out for it though

 

Jack's Abby makes a great festbier in addition to Copper Legend (which is a little on the heavy side for me). Last year it was taproom only but I bought a case passing through the area.

Locally in NY, Barrier's Mars Zen is great. Last time I had it, it looked like a darker Marzen but drank more like a lighter festbier.

 

Grocery store chain had Great Lakes Oktoberfest yesterday. Got two sixers chilling in the frig. Should be ready for these after a weekend of revisiting WCIPA's.

 

+1 for Olde Mecklenburg Mecktoberfest. I used to not like Marzens/Oktoberfests but that was the one that turned me around

 

My constant fear when I look at traditional styles done by domestic brewers - did they follow the style or did they succumb to the temptation to open the hops closet and crafterize it? I feel much better about places like Metropolitan or Bell's who, in my experience, tend to do the right thing, but I won't touch Founder's or Revolution or Goose Island marzens with a 10 foot pole.

 

While I agree that many Ami Oktos suffer the Americanized hop-craze, I think many more suffer from American expectation (and perpetuation) that an Amber Marzen should be caramel-sweet, not bready and smooth.

How many Ami Oktos have you had that could win best Brown Ale or ESB in a beer competition?

BTW -- love "crafterize."

 

Thankfully, very few. If I want bitter in my drink - I have a bottle of Campari for that.

 

Bell’s Octoberfest is now on store shelves. It pretty good, IMO.

 

See, I like a good ESB or Brown Ale, but if it says Oktoberfest Marzen on the label -- that's what I'm expecting!

 

I own a slow race car.

It doesn’t really work out well.