American Made Marzens

I should have said in Germany.

These days I don't go to the beer stores in the US.

Someday I will get back to Germany.

 

I bought a 12 pack cans of 3 Sheeps Oktoberfest Marzenbier. It seems different this year. I am getting a little roast and dry chocolate. old world traditional Ur- Marzen ??????

 

It is a shorter, lighter bottle than the one used in Germany (see pictures in my post above), since they wont be returned and reused they don't need to be able to withstand as much (they can be made lighter/thinner) and the brewery gets to save some money on shipping by the lower weight.

 

Oh, they're in the U.S.

@FBarber

 

It should come as no surprise that when Edmunds Oast Brewing Co. decides to do a Marzen, the result is delicious.

Uber malty, slightly sweet, I could easily drink this by the liter.

 

Anyone heard what Bierkeller in Columbia, SC has planned for this year's Okto offering?

@herrburgess

 

Here's a good picture from last year showing the difference. The three NRW bottles (Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner) in the bottom picture correspond to the two bottles on the left in the top picture, with the more bulbous top clearly evident. The export bottles on the right in the top picture are similar enough to a German NRW bottle that you wont notice it unless you happen to compare them against an NRW bottle like I did.

A couple of pictures of the bottles as sold through the Swedish monopoly from this year, note the tops (and interestingly enough they appear to have some wear marks as if they were refilled):

 

Paulaner has recently repacked their 1/3 liter bottles to be more like the stubby Euro bottles.

The one thing about half-liter beers is that although I love the quantity available, I wish they were packaged to be handier to carry out of the store - in Europe these are usually offered in six-packs or 12-pack cartons.

 

In Sweden they package the 50cl returnable bottles in plastic crate 15 packs but you typically buy them by the bottle, a few bottles at a time and carry them home in a plastic bag. People who buy beer by the case typically buy cans instead. The 50cl bottles are alot bulkier and heavier. They are more common in restaurants and bars, especially those that don't have draft beer.

 

I hope to see some Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest this year, I liked last year's a lot. Spaten is good this year, but last year's Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest was excellent. Sam Adams last year to me wasn't as good as it used to be.

 

I'd love to see some Yards available in Eastern TN and NC.

 

Any Yards reviews yet? I can only find it in 12 packs, so sort of on the fence at this point.

 

I will let you know, I grabbed a single I plan to try this weekend before committing to a whole six or 12.

 

I picked up a six pack of it, drank 2 so far. Pretty good, slightly sweet but not too much so.

 

@JackHorzempa I've recently seen the Weihenstephaner 500ml bottles like these at Wegmans

 

That's had I scratch my Vitus itch.

 

Drinking yards right now... main thing I notice is it’s got a subtle sweetness to it. It’s on the lighter side of amber to my eyes and it’s definitely very easy to drink. It’s easy enjoy because it’s not really that complex which is kind of nice, just a very good drinking beer.

@TongoRad

 

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Sounds like a 12 pack is in my future.

 

Not sure if its been mentioned yet, but 4 Noses offering is delicious this year and seems fairly traditional.

 

I been drinking 2nd Shift Oktoberfest the last couple days and it is pretty damn good!