An Oktoberfestbier 'style' question...

Except they didn't serve Märzen at the Oktoberfest until more than 50 years later.

 

I think there are a ciouple of good online sources on beer history.

 

Well done!

I would say in the NE we have a few breweries brewing authentic Marzens. One of my favorite styles!

 

where?

 

Show us?

 

I get that it was a dunkel for the first decades, but would it not be a dunkel märzen?

 

I can't link to anything now, I can search later. But I believe the focus during the first Oktoberfests was the horse races. The beer was brewed in March and consumed over the course of the summer because they couldn't brew in the summer months. The beer for Oktoberfest was simply leftover. Someone please add to this or correct me if you have more accurate information.

 

Ron and Martyn have excellent ones.

 

1871 was the first year Märzen was sold at the Oktoberfest. It was sold by the publican Michael Schottenhamel, was called Franziskaner-Leistbrauerei Ur-märzen and cost 12 Kreuzer while the weaker beer usually sold at the festival only cost 9. Despite costing more it was very popular and the other brewers copied it.
Source: "Die Spaten Brauerei 1397 - 1997" by Wolfgang Behringer, 1997, pages 211 - 212.

 

I've never seen any evidence to what colour it was. My guess would be dark, but that is just a guess.

 

Wasn't Munich beer dark in the early 1800s? Without explicit evidence that they had invented a new paler beer for the festival (highly unlikely), all evidence points to a dark lager. With English pale malting techniques not yet established in the region, it seems like the only option.

 

Yes, Munich Lagers were all dark up until Thomas-bräu brewed a beer "nach Pilsner Art" in the 1890's. Munich Lagers came in a wide variety of strengths, the weakest were under 4% ABV. I've an analysis of Leistbräu's Märzen from 1898 and it has a gravity of 16.1 Plato - much higher than modern Märzen, which by German law is a maximum of 14 Plato. The 19th-century Austrian Märzen's I have details of were 13.8 to 15.4 Plato.

 

Found some bottled in late April -- early May... in the next county over from mine.

FYI -- It's damn fresh and just about the best Amber Märzen I've had this season; sweet bready, melanoidin malt character up front, finishing lightly dry with a great touch of spicy noble hops. Truly liquid bread.

 

But Ron, can we define when Märzen evolved from process to style? Before refrigeration all beers brewed in March (März) were considered Märzen, were they not?

I'm not familiar with when electric refrigeration became common in brewing, but I would think it was long after 1871 when the first "Oktoberfest" beer as a "specialty" was introduced.

 

There is quite a bit of discussion on what defines “Marzen”. For many of us American beer drinkers the term “Marzen” equates to a beer style.

In Germany the term Marzen refers to a beer strength as bullettrain76 posted previously:

“Maerzen is more of a strength category in Germany, in between vollbier (normal helles, export, dunkel) and bock, and has and extract of 13-14 degrees plato. Two color levels are commonly brewed, a golden version at 11-12EBC and an amber copper version at 40-42EBC. Alcohol content is roughly 5.5-6% depending on attenuation level.”

So, as regards the topic of: “when was a Marzen first served at the Oktoberfest celebration” that would relate to when was a beer of strength 13-14P (5.5 – 6% ABV) served. It would appear that a Marzen beer was first served at the Oktoberfest celebration in 1871; the Franziskaner-Leistbrauerei Ur-märzen. I am assuming that particular beer met the requirements of 13-14P (5.5 – 6% ABV).

Cheers!

 

Van Linde fitted out out Spaten with artificial refrigeration in about 1870 (can't be arsed to pull out the book to check the exact date).

 

Just returned from the sto', where in lieu of Torpedo I picked up a six of Warsteiner and a six of Sam Octoberfest. Chilling, as we speak. Favorite mug has been picked out, and I cannot wait to experience the goodness of these fine beers.

Happy College football, and prosit, my BA friends.

 

Try Berkshire Brewery. Very tasty. Sam Adams is sweeter. Narragansett is a good value (inexpensive). Newport Storm and Harpoon I take a pass on.
German imports are available. I'm wolfing down some Hacker Pschorr Amber Marzen right now. Surprisingly, some of the pale varieties (Festbeirs) are a little sweeter than the ambers.

Stupid question are you in the Northeast or Nebraska. If it's Northeast marzens are all over the place. If it's Nebraska go Huskers (and I have Tommy Frazier's autograph).

 

Frazier was a great college QB. Didn't translate well to the pros, tho. Hacker-Pschorr is a fine brewery. Hard to find around here these days. Fixin' to dig into sum Sam Octoberfest, myself. I absolutely love the style. (Leinenkugel makes one, I almost bought it. Have u tried it? I haven't yet).

 

"Artificial?" Enough to keep beer free from airborne nasties?

Even still, to my original (and long sought after) query, when did Märzen stop being known as a process and more as a style?