Difference between Maibock and Marzen

This is a good question. One very important difference is that the maibock can be significantly stronger up to 7.4 percent and that will carry through to flavor and mouthfeel. No adjuncts in either and the other difference is that munich malt is used in the oktoberfest and not in the maibock. Hence the color to which you refer. That bit of toasty malt defines the flavor profile and noble hops are used in both. Marzen is the word used for the export version of the traditional festbier. That is why you will see regional beers looking lighter like sierra nevada's with milterberger and darker versions like genesee and ellicottville. If you will take a moment to note that between SN/milternberger and lets say elicottville there is weihenstephaner. That beer is a mere shade darker than some others and the rich flavor it imparts is easy to see.

Please correct me if I have soemething wrong =)

 

Much more caramel malt and sweetness in Marzen. Maibocks can be as strong or stronger but will be crisper with a more biscuity malt and can have a decent Noble hop presence. Think spring vs. fall flavors and it all kind of makes sense.

 

A Maibock has to be at least 16º Plato, Märzen is 13.5-14º Plato.

 

Maibock is stronger than the Märzen, 6-7.5% abv while the Märzen is 5.5-6.

Maibocks are lighter color which corresponds with the malt flavor. The Maibocks ideally have a bready flavor with the version I had in Dortmund had a honey like sweetness.
Märzen is darker, more copper colored. Uses Munich malt for a rich toasty almost caramel sweetness.

Maibocks often have a solid hop presence while Märzens hop flavors should be low to none.

Maibocks are brewed to be drank in May which is where that name came from. Märzens were brewed and lagered to be drank in September.

 

That's not necessarily true. There are plenty of pale yellow Märzens - Oktoberfest beers, for example.

 

Also, Hofbrau Maibock is still a darker amber.

 

The one served at the Oktoberfest? not had it so I don't know.

 

One served at their Bockbieranstich

 

This isn't anything official, simply how I see things breaking down in my head...

Munich Helles > "Festbier" (pale Oktoberfest) > Helles Bock (pale Maibock in this thread) > pale Doppelbocks

Vienna Lager/Munich Dunkel > Märzen (amber Oktoberfest) > Dunkles Bock (amber Maibock) > amber/dark Doppelbocks

Again, not claiming any of this is technically stylistically correct. And I also know some terms likely aren't correct, but I've left them where they are to make it easier to understand according to the thread. For example, "Märzen" as a style.

 

I can honestly say that I've never mistaken one for the other.

 

Hofbrau imports their to the US, it's one of the only dark/amber Maibocks that I see over here. Some US examples and Ayinger's (I've only see it on draft) are pale.

 

One brewed in March, the other in May....simple!!!

 

Is the current style of beer served at Oktoberfest still considered Märzen? Because I've normally seen Festbier on the ones here.

Märzen WAS the style served at Oktoberfest before it started being fazed out sometime around 1970 for the paler beer that you are referencing here which seems to have more in common with Exportbier instead of Märzen.

 

Maibock at the Oktoberfest? C'mon Ron.

 

The 2017 Sierra Nevada Octoberfest (which is delicious) tastes like a Maibock to me.

 

I'm working on my first non-skunked 6-pack of Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier, so I'm finally getting a true taste of it. If I were tasting it blind, I think I would guess I was drinking a Maibock. In my opinion, it's strong, with a heavy malt flavor and medium to full body. I'm taking an educated guess that they brew it to Märzen specs for gravity and don't get it up to the 16º Plato required for a Maibock. Which means they must get the final gravity pretty low (for the style) to reach 6.3% ABV.

The funny thing is Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier tastes and looks nothing like their Maibock, which is decidedly an amber version of the style, as mentioned earlier.

 

The only imported pale Maibock I've had was Ayinger's on draft. I would say Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier is much sweeter than a pale Maibock, lighter in body, and the bready notes are less robust. All this contributing to a beer that is much easier to consume in large quantities (ABV aside). But I see what you're saying, and it's a good observation.

I also really like the term "Oktoberfestbier". If "Festbier" does in fact simply mean a beer brewed for a festival, and not necessarily Oktoberfest, this kind of simplifies things.

 

It's because only Munich breweries can label their beer "Oktoberfest(bier)." All other breweries (in Germany, anyway -- Ami breweries don't give a...) have to stick with Festbier.

Because HB refers to their Maibock as "Original" (Urbock), I think they're implying that their rendition is closer to what was brewed when Maibock was first introduced. @patto1ro Ron may have more input on the far back history of the style.

 

Nowadays there's a pretty clear distinction between Märzen & Festbier.
Most Oktoberfest versions available in the US are Amber Märzens, while the actual Oktoberfestbier served are pale Versions as well as with other Beers brewed for all those local Festivals in southern Germany during Summer/late Summer.

Maibock is brewed at a higher OG.It usually ends up around 6.5-7% Abv.
It also is amber in colour.