This is overall a fairly pleasant beer. It's got a triply redundant name (Oktoberfest beers are, by definition, Marzens, and the lot of them are amber), which is odd by normal standards, but fairly tame by brewing standards. On the pour, the beer shows its 'amberness,' with a lovely pour; carbonation rises during the entire glass. The head is moderate and white, and dissipates fairly quickly. The nose is rich and full of malt notes, with a hint of a certain something I can't put my finger on, but tells me without a doubt that this is a Paulaner beer (I've noticed this same thing in every other beer of theirs that I've tried). First taste keeps with this impression: richly malty, with the Paulaner 'tang' following. The hop notes are a subdued spicyness, just strong enough to balance the malt. The finish maintains the lingering malt, but is quite dry. While a bit stronger than my average daily quaff, it's still very drinkable; it definitely falls into the "I'd order another" category. Let's say, 3.5 stars out of five...
I'll also be brewing again on the 14th. I'm leaning towards a fairly simple APA recipe; not too strong, not too hoppy. I think the compressor on my lagering chest needs a new charge of coolant--it's "just" holding a nice, cool 58 degrees--so it's ales for me for a little while, I think. (Somehow, I believe I'll survive.)Labels: brew day, equipment, reviews