German / Imported Märzens

Anno 1050 is definitely worth a try.

 

Kostritzer Oktoberfest is great, I’ve had a hard time finding that one lately though.

 

I've never seen this and didn't know it existed. Are you upstate or down?

I prefer the weisn Oktoberfests over the märzen and the only märzen I specifically seek out is Schlenkerla's

 

I'm an ayinger fanboy, nothing else comes close for me.

 

I only saw it around here about 10 years ago. My first six-pack was so good that I bought a whole case, but I don't think it's been imported since -- if even brewed.

@officerbill it was a Fest style Märzen; very good melanoidin breadiness and highly drinkable.

 

Thanks, the only Kostritzer anything I've ever seen around here is the schwartzbier

 

I like all of the usual suspects when if comes to fhe imports.

Ayinger
Hacker Pschorr
Paulaner
Spaten (wish it shipped in brown bottles or at least mini kegs)
Weihenstephaner

 

Downstate/LI area, have to admit it’s been a while since I had it but it was awesome, marzen style Oktoberfest, 500 ml bottles

 

I’d love to see the kostritzer Oktoberfest return. That was prob the maltiest one I’ve had aside from the big boys of the Munich tents.

Side note- I’d also really love to see a wolters festbier come back, they haven’t brewed that in about 6 years. Since they moved over to the 500 ml can format with all their other beers I’d be interested to get a fresher taste at the brew. Had a very unique sort of minty aftertaste that I had not seen in any other beer.

 

Ayinger is the only German one I buy every year. (So, referencing the domestic Märzen thread, my every-year purchases are Ayinger and Schell's.)

Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen is my second favorite German Märzen.

As you can tell, I prefer the amber Märzen style to the lighter Fest style.

For the last several years, I have been adding one more German import to the Oktoberfest/Märzen's I have tried, but I'm running out of choices that are distributed to local stores. I have a couple more to go: Weihenstephan and Warsteiner. I'll be trying to track down the Weihenstephaner Festbier this year.

 

If you prefer the marzen style, the weihenstephaner might not be your bag. It’s not a bad brew at all, it’s just very much the festbier style. Warsteiner is a little bit more of the marzen style and definitely more of a bargain if you can find it by the case!

 

Addendum to my post above:

The German imports I have tried (and, hence, along with the Weihenstephan and Warsteiner are the only ones I've seen on shelves here) are:
Ayinger
Hacker-Pschorr
Hofbräu
Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen
Paulaner Oktoberfest Wiesn
Memminger Gold (in the Advent box from Costco)

 

Ayinger, Hacker-Pschorr, and Paulaner are all so incredible. It basically empties my bank account every year

 

holy fuck I didn’t even know they made one. As a heavy Köstritzer fanboi, I’ll be pestering every resource I know about it.

 

I checked their website -- it's not a part of the lineup anymore.

 

Of course, that doesn't mean that it's not still on the shelf in some US retail shops....

 

Where - where?!

Last BA review -- 2012.

 

My favorite style. I love when these start hitting the shelves!

My top 5:
Benediktiner Festbier
Ayinger Oktoberfest Märzen
Paulaner Wiesn
Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen
Spaten Ur-Märzen

The 5L mini-kegs of Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier are a real treat as well, when I can find them.