American Made Marzens

The next time I go to Aldi, I am definitely looking for the Third Street Brewhouse Oktoberfest Session Marzen (4.6% ABV - 16-oz. can). Last year batch, including the packs found in Cicero, IL. back in May, were packaged on 23 June 2019. If it was brewed at the same time this year, it should be in distribution.
Did I mention the 4-pack usually sells for $6.99?

 

And their Marzen Kellerbier - pretty tasty stuff as well! I think it is also made in a smoked version, although I haven't seen it personally.

Von Trapp - when I can find it locally - is enjoyable as has been noted.

 

my go to is sam adams oktoberfest, i live here in daytona beach and i there isn’t much of a selection. but i did try the left hand last year and that was stellar

 

Altstadts just hit the shelf here, so maybe not too much longer for your area.

 

Jack also mentioned Sly Fox. Is it really that good? They have never done anything that has impressed me.

 

Red Oak makes a pretty good Oktoberfest, like most of their beers it runs about almost too malty for my taste. Almost, but not quite. I think old Meck makes a very nice beer too, every beer they make I like, the simple Copper Alt might be my favorite, it’s amber but not overly sweet or too heavy on the malt.

 

I’m a big fan of Sly Fox Oktoberfest as well. Definitely worth a shot at the price point, even if you’re not a huge fan of their other beers.

 

I love it and it's one of my favorites and the price is great too. But their Helles and Pikeland Pils are some of my favorites for the style also and I really enjoy many of their Lagers.

@JackHorzempa or anyone else have you ever had this beer? I didn't even know that it existed until I saw it on a shelf recently, in hindsight I probably should have picked some up (BB date was in October):

https://www.slyfoxbeer.com/beer/maibock

There's not enough Maibocks unfortunately.

 

I do not enjoy it but only cause something in it comes out as metallic for me. Maybe I’m super sensitive to that taste or I’m perceiving something in it as metallic I’m not sure. It wasn’t just me my friend who also loves lagers said the same thing. I may give it a whirl again this year but not sure. Does anyone else get that or is it just something weird that happens to me?

 

Zero Gravity can hold its own against Sly Fox.

Actually, both brews lean pretty heavily on Vienna Malt for their character so there's a similarity there. And they are both top tier O'fests.

I was only able to get Zero Gravity in Manhattan last year myself, so here's hoping that it sees NJ this year.

 

Yes, I have had the Sly Fox Maibock many times and I enjoy drinking that beer. They produce it every spring to serve it at their Bock Fest / Goat race. This beer really shines when served on cask:



They just started canning this beer a year ago:



A Willi Becher glass is best for this beer (@TongoRad).

I discussed this beer in NBS last year:

Overall:

For my palate this is an excellent Maibock with the rich maltiness being front and center but properly accompanied by moderate hop bitterness. Perfectly balanced for a Maibock IMO.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/american-made-marzens.644094/page-2#post-6981079

Cheers!

@Jacobier10

 

I too endorse Zero Gravity Oktoberfest.

I discussed this beer in a past NBS thread:

Overall:

This beer is very good; I enjoyed drinking it. IMO this beer is consistent with “adherence to the outstanding qualities of classic beer styles”.



https://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/new-beer-sunday-week-661.542177/#post-5691604

Cheers!

 

Great Lakes Oktoberfest is pretty amazing!

 

One of our locals, Idle Hands, makes an excellent Maibock that they also serve on cask at their annual "Maifest". They have this festival in May, so unfortunately they didn't hold it this year.

I had it on cask there last year, and it was amazing.

 

Bell's and Duck-Rabbit Octoberfest.
Based on the rest of their line, would love to see Great Lakes. Had a period two years ago when TW's in South FL were stocking GLBC, when they just as suddenly stopped. Don't know if distribution went to shit or what.

 

@patto1ro - Try to count the number of things about an American brewer making a 4.6% "session Marzen" that make you want to hit your head against the wall. I lost count myself.

No offense pudgym29. My issue is only with the brewer's label.

 

So, it's simply a light Vienna Lager?

 

I have no idea, but it's neither a session beer nor a German Märzen. "Session Märzen" are two words that shouldn't be combined for both logical and cultural reasons.

 

Maybe they are going for an early 1930s Märzen:




With a high enough original gravity, above the 13% mark, and a low enough degree of attenuation a post-WW1 Munich type Märzen at 4.6% abv ought to be entirely doable. Of course the Third Street beer is probably no stronger than 11-12% plato (so akin to a modern day Austrian Märzen instead), and different in many other aspects. But it's worth keeping in mind that in Bavarian/German lager beer tradition beer strenght is based on the original gravity of the wort. When tax classes were introduced in Germany in 1919 the starkbier class, or strong beer class, was 13% plato or more, in the 1930s it had become 16% plato or more. It made no mention of alcoholic content.

 

When I reviewed it a few years ago I noted that if it had been labeled a Vienna I'd have probably given it more points.