Ayinger Oktoberfest-Märzen

Since I’ve got what I hope turns out to be a reasonable Oktoberfest-Märzen fermenting right now, I figured it was a good time to refresh my tastebuds on what the original style from Ayinger tastes like. I remembered it being a pleasantly malty, coppery, well balanced beer that suits these dark winter days quite well. A little glass of late-summer/early-fall sunshine to cheer us up!

From the bottle, it pours clear and the color of sun-baked straw; golden and a little toasty. There is a little head retention and some foam lacing on the sides of the pint glass. The aroma is of malt and a hint of corn and spice, with a slight alcohol and ester edge to it. It has a fairly delicate mouthfeel, not a strong carbonation but just enough to tell you that the beer isn’t flat and make it feel alive.

The flavor is definitely malty, a little bit sweet, with a slight metallic tang on the finish. A slight hoppy bitterness at the end keeps the sweetness from being cloying, drying the flavor out quite a bit. There’s a bit of an alcohol and corn or grain (think Grapenuts) flavor, which I’m sure is from the malts used.

So, I remembered correctly! It’s a sunny, warming beer that I’d look forward to drinking in the fall and winter. Here’s hoping mine turns out even remotely this well.