Gordon Biersch – Marzen
Image by Sharada Prasad
MÄRZEN
AKA:
Oktoberfestbier or Märzen-Oktoberfestbier
Pronunciation guide for English-speakers:
"Maer-tsen". Pronounce the "ae" in the first syllable like the "a" in "bad". Do NOT pronounce it like the planet Mars with an "en" at the end!
Definition:
Märzen is the historic forerunner of the Oktoberfestbier. In the Middle Ages, brewers had a difficult time brewing good-tasting beers during the hot summer months when the brew could easily become infected with air-born bacteria. To have an ample supply of saleable beer on hand during the summer, brewers worked overtime in March to brew an extra strong and well-hopped beer that would keep for a long time. Märzen is German for March, so the beer came to be known for the month in which it was brewed.
In time, the March beer turned into an October beer. When the summer was over and it was safe to resume brewing again, the brewers needed to empty their kegs to make room for the new brews. That meant that Märzen had to be finished off in a hurry. Throw a little bit of merriment into the mix, and you’ve got an Oktoberfest with a Märzen beer party. Modern Märzen, like Oktoberfestbier, is always well-aged, usually for at least four to eight weeks. It is usually amber in color and has an alcohol content of 5 to 6.2%.
Related beer style:
Oktoberfestbier
Source:http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/M%E4rzen.html
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Märzen (Mayrt-zen) was historically brewed in Bavaria from March through the end of October. It was brewed dark and strong, using dark roasted Munich and caramelized Munich malt to help cover up flavor changes from the lack of refrigeration (ice in those days) used to keep the beers cold in the cellars during the warm summer months. It was also the beer served at the Original Oktoberfest celebration, which originated as a wedding reception for the King Ludwig I and Maria Theresa. Bavaria was a very poor country and had little cause for celebration, so the King and Queen invited the entire population of Bavaria to the reception. They showed up that year and every year thereafter, and the event evolved into the modern day Oktoberfest. Gordon Biersch Märzen accentuates the flavors of the dark roasted imported malted barley and exhibits a caramel malt aftertaste, while downplaying the hop level.
Alcohol Volume: 5.8% Bitterness: 18 IBU Residual Sugar: 2.8%
Yeast Strain: Weihenstephan 34/70 Hops: Hallertau aroma