Follow Sean Inman to the best in craft beer
Admit it, you saw the Brouwerij West name and thought IPA. But this new beer, Bears Ears, is a Märzen lager bier. Per the brewery, “German malts are the driving force behind this wonderfully delicious seasonal offering, with a slight sweetness quickly giving way to rich, toasty-bread crust qualities.”
The Bruery is not just a one trick pony. They have pastry stouts, hazy IPA’s, Bruesicles and barrel-aged sours and what I am even more excited for, Ruekeller. A series of lagers. Next up and in limited supply is the fall Märzen .
“Brewed with premium German grain and hops, including Magnum and Saphir— this medium-bodied lager has an enticing aroma of toasted malt and herbal characteristics from the German hops. These toasted flavors complement the slight bitterness from the hops for a perfectly refreshing experience.”
Now that we are in September, it is seasonally appropriate to talk Oktofest beers. Today, I will compare and contrast the gold standard (since the German collaborations have started) Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest and a local marzen from Chapman Crafted in Orange.
Starting with the latter. This is really quite biscuit rich. That creates a backbone for other flavors to play off of. I get a little citrus note as well as a bit of nutty. Good sparkle to this. May not have the mineral tinge that a classic may have but this is a beer that reminds what happens when malt is in the fore.
The Bitburger 2019 version of the Okto pours a red/brown color. Another malt forward beer but this is a notch or two lighter in both malt character and heft. There is a nice hop character here but the beer overall still tilts to the German side. Searching my memory, this seems like the lightest version so far. Part dunkel and bigger part lager.
Last year, Sunset Beer Co. collaborated with Monkish on a 3rd anniversary beer. This year they stayed closer to home and enlisted Eagle Rock Brewery to help them celebrate year 4.
Here are my thoughts on the Morgan Marzen…
#1 on the taplist at the crowded bar that was 1/2 Dodger faithful and 1/2 beer geeks, the beer pours a bright and crystal clear orange with reddish tints. This beer is all about the malt lots of toasty grain notes in each sip. It is also sparkly on the tongue with a good dose of carbonation. There is a Germanic note of lager metallic on the back end but the next taste re-asserts the grain to the forefront. This is very much to style. No bells or whistles, just a simple reproduction of a classic beer. Plus the colorful label is another design win.
For October, the theme is literally seasonal. Here are three Oktoberfest beers from Germany that I think should be in your ‘fridge instead of pumpkin beers. So forget the light, medium and dark descriptors.
~LIGHT
Ayinger / Oktober Fest Märzen 5.8% ABV
“…a deep golden color tinted with amber. It is lightly sweet with a malty nose balanced with floral hops. Its medium to big body and alcohol is not overpowering. The soft dryness comes from long maturation.”
~MEDIUM
Hacker-Pschorr / Oktober Fest Märzen 5.8% ABV
“Bavarian barley slow roasted, caramelized to a rich, red amber color combined with the purest spring waters from the Alps, exclusive yeast and the finest Hallertau hops.”
~DARK
Weihenstephaner / Oktoberfestbier 5.8% ABV
“A full rich bodied, hoppy, seasonal lager. Especially brewed for the Festbier season. This beer truly represents the Bavarian way of celebrating. Deep gold color, great mouthfeel and lots of flavor. Prost!”