Maerzen - Heiner Brau

dpsychoholic69

Mississippi

4.33/5  rDev +21.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured a nice amber color with an off white head. Foam dissipated normally. Not much lacing.

Malty, yeasty smell some caramel, earthy smell.

Yum, nice balanced flavor, malts are not too strong, caramel just right.

Avery smooth lager, not too thin, silky going down. Reminds me of a good 15 year old scotch.

Gotta say, I was surprised with this beer. Went down very smooth, not bitter. A good lager even on a hot day. Good job H.B., seems like the South is coming out with some nice quality beers finally.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2009 02:29:08 | More by dpsychoholic69

sonicdescent

Pennsylvania

4.25/5  rDev +19%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 5

Got this one as an extra from theghost3, cheers and thank you sir!

Pour started out at average, the head goes pretty thin and has a creamy look to it, liquid is a blurry red hue. Upon closer inspection it has a ton of carbonation and some good lacing, bringing this to a solid 4.0.

Scent is a tad off from what I was expecting, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Actually has a coffee kind of scent, reminds me of a slightly less strong Coffee Bender, but I have been known to confuse this scent with that of altbiers as well. No hops or booze to be found here.

Taste is quite good. I love the creamy and thick mouthfeel with just enough bubbly to back it up. More malt shows up here than I expected, and it actually has a taste that reminds me of coffee bender as well. This is a really, surprisingly good brew.

Overall, while it may slightly differ from the advertised style, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to anyone. Extremely easy to drink.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2009 04:26:26 | More by sonicdescent

RonaldTheriot

Louisiana

4.22/5  rDev +18.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Heiner Brau Maerzen has a creamy, thick, off-white head, which is fairly thick. This beer is only moderately bubbly. It's color is deep amber and just the slightest bit cloudy. Aroma is of grain or vegetable matter. The taste has a barley or vegetable flavor predominating. While this is rather shocking and/or unusual, it is not unpleasant. This beer has a fairly good bite to it. Mouthfeel is medium. Heiner Brau Maerzen starts off smooth and finishes so. Overall, I really liked this one and rate it high.

RJT

Serving type: bottle

04-04-2010 02:10:40 | More by RonaldTheriot

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4/5  rDev +12%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Received this one as an extra from a kind trader who sent me some beer from Alabama! Served cold and poured into a pint glass, this one was consumed on 05/15/2009.

The pour was decent enough, rich dark caramel in color with a light head of off white. Nice clarity revealed some hints of red around the edges. Lots of carbonation bubbling up with this one. Caramel and bready malts lead the way here, seriously big aroma of bread and grain with a light herbal hop note melded in. Smooth even flavor and carbonation with a light feel and smooth, sweet taste that was very easy to drink.

Overall a very solid example of the style. Crisp, clean, refreshing and very well done. I would have no issue with trying this one again.

Serving type: bottle

05-16-2009 00:27:22 | More by mikesgroove

soupermirl

Mississippi

3.95/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Appearance: This beer poured out a nice amber color with a decent size off white head which dissappears quickly. Lacing is VERY minimal if almost nonexistent.
Malty sweet and easy to drink. Hops is in there, but not nearly as pronounced as the malt - it is an amber. Solid and balanced with a great color.
So... Poured nice with very little head. Ring stayed around for awhile though. Smelled malty tasted malty, very good. Not a great deal of hops. Just very smooth. Extremely easy to drink.

Serving type: on-tap

02-22-2009 22:57:46 | More by soupermirl

theboozecruise

Louisiana

3.95/5  rDev +10.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass from a 12 oz. bottle, this one is a beautiful clear amber color with about a finger of head. The retention is poor and lacing nonexistent.

The aroma on this one is fantastic. It's rich with amber and caramel malt flavors. Very nice but there really isn't anything complimentary.

The taste is more of the same. It's just a bold malt-bomb of a lager.

It's a little thin given how much malt is there, but still a very enjoyable beer.

A good one, one of Heiner Brau's better beers in my opinion.

Serving type: bottle

06-12-2011 23:10:48 | More by theboozecruise

brewskifan55

Mississippi

3.93/5  rDev +10.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served on tap in a plastic cup at the German beer garden at GretnaFest.

Appearance: amber with a half finger head that quickly dissipates. Lots of lacing

Smell: Malty goodness

Taste: Malts pop up nicely with a clean, hint of hops finish. This is what I look for in an Oktoberfest.

Mouthfeel: Light with good carbonation

Overall: After being dissappointed with Heiner Brau's Kolsch, I was hesitant at first. But my wife had one and I loved it after one sip. Really one of the better Oktoberfests I've tried. Perhaps being on-tap brought out more flavors. You done good, Heiner Brau!

Serving type: on-tap

10-14-2011 15:30:24 | More by brewskifan55

tetu

Louisiana

3.9/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a dark amber color, with a small head.

Caramel Toffee and Bread smell

Slight hops in the beginning with maltiness filling in the rest, roasted caramel, and a bread taste throughout.

Medium body and wasn't as heavy on the stomach as I would've though.

I've always enjoyed this beer.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2011 23:19:48 | More by tetu

ChrisCage

Alberta (Canada)

3.9/5  rDev +9.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Got this on a trip earlier in the year, that took us to Mardi Gras in NOLA!!

A- This pours a partially cloudy brown color, with rust colored hues mixed in. The head isn't super big, but this does retain quite well, settling down to a puffy layer over the brew. It's clear enough to see the carbonation, and it looks to be of a finer variety. The lacing is quite nice to look at, leaving behind lots of shapely foam patches on the glass....oh do a see a deer?

S- I detect lots of sweet toasty malt going on here in the aroma, that has hints of brown sugar, molasses, and hints of cocoa dusted almonds too! The end has subtle hop presence but nothing much....

T- Much the same here, but the overall flavors are cleaned up and don't lumber as much as the aromas let on. Again, there are delicious tastes of sweet malts, some brown sugar, and some off sweet toffee/molasses. In addition to this, there is a distinct yeasty tone that lingers after the swallow. The finish shows more of the hop bitterness that the aroma teased, leaving this beer with a crisp ending.

M- I'd put the body of this brew in the medium category. The carbonation is more zippy than it looked initially but I don't find it abnormal for the style. At the same time, there is a robust character that makes this feel creamier than other Maerzen beers that I've tried. Very nice overall in this category.

O- This is a cozy, yet refreshing brew that I'm really enjoying as I do this review. The alcohol hides well, whatever the percentage is, and I find this to be a well rounded, quite drinkable beer. Give this a try if given the chance, or when in Bayou Country!

Serving type: bottle

11-29-2011 04:22:56 | More by ChrisCage

biggmike

Mississippi

3.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I have nothing but good things to say about this beer. I was certainly pleasantly surprised. Poured a dark amber color with head that it retained for a while. Aroma was malty, but flavor was just perfectly balanced. Mouthfeel was great and drinkability was off the charts. I was really impressed with this. Great session beer.

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2008 23:28:06 | More by biggmike

kingcrowing

Vermont

3.88/5  rDev +8.7%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 5

12oz bottle poured in a pint glass, thanks to theghost3 for this extra!

Pours a deep amber color with a slight reddish color. Smell is very malty and sweet, slightly toasty/bready. No hops here.

Taste is complex, but still light in body, very drinkable which is essential for an Oktoberfest. The maltiness is really just spot on, a very tasty fall beer.

I could totally see myself drinking this by the Liter in Bavaria.

Serving type: bottle

08-29-2009 23:35:10 | More by kingcrowing

ccbrewer138

Louisiana

3.85/5  rDev +7.8%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Nothing too special about appearance. A fluffy pale head sits on top of this amber brown lager. The head quickly disappears, leaving nothing by at least halfway through the beer. Has a great smell, very bready and toasty, no hop aroma whatsoever. Tastes bready, just like the label says, also some toasted malt flavor. Different than a lot of commercial lagers that it is warming. Almost tastes like a nut brown fermented with lager yeast. Would be a great beer in my mind, but like all the beers I have tried from this brewery so far, becomes completly flat after a few sips. I would like to see a lacing of foam throughout the glass.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2010 01:13:46 | More by ccbrewer138

Beerbuddha

Louisiana

3.83/5  rDev +7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: This beer poured out a nice amber color with a decent size off white head which dissappears quickly. Lacing is VERY minimal if almost nonexistent.

Smell: Nice and big malty smell. Very sweet smell with a slight hint of floral hops.

Taste: True to style this beer is malty. There is a nice balance between the sweet and the bitterness of the hops though. The hops add a nice floral character. Great aftertaste which is dry with a hint of pepper.

Mouthfeel: This is a medium body brew with low carbonation.

Overall: Decent representation of the marzen style. Very easy to drink and one of Heiner Braus better beers.

Serving type: bottle

10-18-2008 19:34:33 | More by Beerbuddha

acrawf6

Louisiana

3.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours out a dark clear orange amber with a small tan head.

Smell. Smell is light, but still malty. a bit on the sweeter side; i even get some bubblegum. A mild aroma, but nice.

Taste. Malts come out more here, but are still not that heavy. the balance is quite nice as though it isnt bitter, i still get a small floral taste. As it warms in my mouth, i get a bit more of the sweetness. Its not a heavy sweetness, or fruity, just a sugary sweetness. Aftertaste dries up a little and has just a touch of pepperyness.

Mouthfeel. Body is medium, but slick. Carbonation is a little low, but goes nice with this particular beer.

Overall, i do not think this is a good representation of the style- seems a little light, but a very easy one to drink. It has a flavor characteristic similar to other heiner brau's (guessing it could be the yeast). A very easy one to kick back and have a six pack to, but not a typical maerzen.

Serving type: bottle

05-02-2007 01:56:33 | More by acrawf6

DannyS

New York

3.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

An extra from a trade with theghost3. Served in a pint glass, poured from a 12 oz. bottle.

A - Cloudy dark red amber with a thin yet resilient head. Leaves good lacing.

S - Slightly smoky and musty on the nose, like wet hops and/or fresh soil. Not a bad aroma, mind you.

T - A light bourbon taste with very light hops and lots of fresh grain. Also slightly spiced on the taste.

M - medium body and good carbonation. Substantial yet refreshing.

D - Good drinkability. A bit filling, but smooth and clean finishing. One or two would be great.

overall - A solid brew. Tastes like how a farm in spring smells, when everything's blooming and growing again. Definitely appropriate for the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-12-2009 00:26:50 | More by DannyS

BayouBengal1537

Louisiana

3.68/5  rDev +3.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into pint glass. Pours a nice amber color, off white head. Smells of caramel and bready malts, not much on the hop aroma. Taste resembles the aroma but more pronounced. Big roasty and toasty caramel malts, bready. Mouthfeel was light to medium, well balanced and crisp. Overall very drinkable and makes a nice fall beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-05-2011 18:12:02 | More by BayouBengal1537

philipquarles

Louisiana

3.63/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Fresh 12oz bottle. Pours copper/amber with a nice, long-lived white head that leaves good lacing. Smells of caramel malt and a bit of sulfur (though it blows off after a few minutes). Some light hops. Clean amber malt taste with faint mineral notes. Pleasant light bitterness. It's really hard to fault this one; just a nice, true-to-style märzen.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2009 23:08:45 | More by philipquarles

gford217

Georgia

3.6/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a slightly hazy amber with a small and short-lived off-white head that dissipates quickly to a small ring and leaves no lacing.

The aroma is a balance of toasted bread and sweet caramel malts with a slight musty hop aroma in the background.

The taste follows the aroma with a big toasted bready malt backbone that has hints of sweetness and earthy hops on top. The finish is very crisp and dry.

The mouthfeel is light to medium bodied with average carbonation and, as mentioned before, dry and toasted in the finish.

This is a decent session beer from Heiner though I probably enjoyed the kolsch a little more.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2009 14:10:47 | More by gford217

Nerudamann

Arizona

3.6/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured from a bottle into a mug/stein.

Look - clear and copper in color. Very little foam, good carbonation.

Smell - a little more malty than hoppy. Slightly sweet smelling.

Taste and Mouthfeel - Sweet in the beginning and middle. More malty in taste, hardly no bitterness at all. This might be considered too sweet for a lot of Bavarian beers. Texture is well-balanced.

Drinkability - Decent brew, but not terribly complex in taste.

Serving type: bottle

12-23-2010 02:42:11 | More by Nerudamann

DoppleJock

Illinois

3.58/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

02/14/2010
12 oz. bottle poured into a 16 oz. go-cup on the banks of the Mississippi in New Orleans. (Bought it at Sidney's on Decatur).

A: Poured an amber with 1-finger off-white head. Decent lacing.

S: Sweet, toasty malts.

T: Slightly bready/biscuity with some mildly sweet malts. Not much for hops but the maltiness is nice.

M: Pretty smooth, but on the verge of being watery.

D: Decent for a session beer. Glad I got to try it at least once. Wouldn't object to having it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-16-2010 05:13:12 | More by DoppleJock

wyatt

Louisiana

3.58/5  rDev +0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A - It looks good. dark amber color and a cream colored head that goes up about two fingers before it sinks back into the beer.

S + T - I have not Oktoberfest, but not Marzen before. It is a very tasty beer. I can taste the malt and it has a strange almost sweet taste on the back of my togue.

M - It is a little thiner than i expected. I would have preferred a bit fuller or thicker mouthfeel.

Overall it is a very good locally brewed beer. I will buy this again.

Serving type: bottle

08-08-2011 03:11:43 | More by wyatt

MasterSki

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to NewGeneric for sending me yet another obscure southern brew. Served in a pint glass.

A - Pours with two-plus fingers of off-white foam that dissipates to a thin cap, but fails to leave any lacing. Body is a translucent amber-orange color with lots of tiny bubbles racing upwards.

S - Toffee, bread, nuts, bananas, and lightly toasted grains. A little bit cloying, but otherwise quite nice.

T - Taste is less sweet, and more yeasty, with a hefty amount of bread and dough character. Certainly true to style. There's a tiny but of sourness in the finish that imparts historical accuracy, although I'm not entirely sure it was intentional.

M - Viscous, chewy, but slightly over-carbonated with a bit of burn on the upper lip. The body is sufficiently big to imply a higher-gravity beer meant for aging.

D - I drank a 12oz bottle pretty quickly, but I wouldn't go out of my way to have this again. Drinks like a meal, and carbonation is slightly off-putting.

Serving type: bottle

05-30-2010 20:12:19 | More by MasterSki

hoptualBrew

Florida

3.53/5  rDev -1.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle with no bottled/freshness date & no abv % on it. Strange that abv % isnt on the bottle, first time I have seen that. Brought back to me by my old man after a trip to Louisiana.

Poured aggressively a transluscent copper red color with a one finger off white fizzy head that falls within a matter of 20 seconds. No lacing at all. After the initial poor the appearance is quite drab - literally it takes me a half a minute to swirl up a tiny head. The bottle cap came off really easy, so this lack of head retention may be due to that. I will edit this review upon drinking a second bottle.

In the nose I get sweet toasty bready toffee caramel malts. Smells pretty good - nice & malty.

Taste follows the nose, bready caramel & booziness. Starts off with that sweet nutty maltiness & ends with a little booze bite. Looks can in fact be decieving.

I have read that Marzens are supposed to be full-bodied, in which this one doesnt stand up to par. It is really thin - which doesnt necessarily take away from the taste, but also doesnt enhance it.

Overall, it is pretty tasty but the look & feel just really are not there.

Serving type: bottle

07-06-2011 23:10:08 | More by hoptualBrew

Quinnpin

Louisiana

3.43/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A: light, golden and cloudy. the head didnt las long.

S: not much in the smell but a little earthy and grassy.

T: this is where the grass and vegetables come out in a good way.

M: not much body or depth but very crisp considering how earthy it is.

D: over all it is a nice brew and will go great with our Louisiana food.

Serving type: bottle

12-28-2010 03:16:51 | More by Quinnpin

msubulldog25

Oregon

3.4/5  rDev -4.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz. twist-capped bottled; enjoyed several of these on a mid-March trip to Louisiana, this is one of a couple leftovers. Poured to a pint glass.

Side label notes that 'Maerzen' means 'March', but also notes that southern German monks once called it 'Das fluessige Brot', or 'Liquid Bread'.

A: Perfectly bread-like amber pour, a 'toasted crust' that's amply cloudy and shows off a few rapidly-rising carbonation streams. A frothy off-white head builds to a finger, then fades quickly; the end result is a gauzy film and slim ring of fatter bubbles.

S: Hmmm. Modest 'baked bread' aroma, sweet and a touch nutty. Vague fruits, but hardly enough to make a lasting impression.

T: A tangy spice covers a fruitier lager, full of toffee and toasted malt. An odd souring in the finish, not sure if that is intentional. 'Sourdough' describes this well.

M: Moderately crisp, a light-medium body that really doesn't hold it's carbonation in the mouth...though the end result is a burpy/gassy feeling in the gut.

D: Easy enough to drink, a benign and unfiltered version that sips well, but isn't one I'd necessarily seek out again. Maybe worth a try, nothing more.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2010 02:20:06 | More by msubulldog25