Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen - Paulaner Brauerei GmbH & Co. KG

jayrod20

Texas

4.5/5  rDev +16.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Copper-amber color with small, but nice amount of head that provides some lacing. Very aromatic, sweet, sorta like butterscotch. Pleasant buttery-bread flavor set to a minerally medium bodied liquid texture. Same great taste that I remember from a classic (and major) German brewery.

A good staple in beer drinking.

Serving type: nitro-tap

05-06-2008 04:22:10 | More by jayrod20

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

4.03/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Amber beer with a frothy head, a definite drinking beer look. Orange hues and light carbonation apparent.

S - Wonderful aromas of sweetness and grain. First thing coming to mind is a sweet slice of bread, coated with some butter and plenty of honey, lightly toasted. Farm honey sweetness and hearty grains.

T - The flavors match with the smells. It has a good deal of chewy grain, bread goodness, hearty carbs. Mild hop notes blending in too. There is foremost a bit of dryness there, with a sweet aftertaste. Sweet syrup and honey on the palate. Superb flavors of a drinking beer.

M - Soft and smooth, very pleasant feel. Highly drinkable and quenching.

O - Holding very well to what you would want from a German Oktoberfest beer. Smooth, sweet, easy on the way down.

Serving type: bottle

04-19-2013 21:57:03 | More by BeerForMuscle

MattSweatshirt

Texas

3.35/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.25 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz bottle best by 11/13

Pours out a clear copper body with a white head that recedes to not much by the end of the glass.

Big malty character of toasted bread and caramel. Some herbal hop and alcohol.

Again with the alcohol and not enough of the other characteristics to make up for that aspect for me(most notably caramel). Bread and herbal hop dominate. Slight hop bitterness.

Seems a bit too light bodied and just washes away too quick for my liking. The carbonation is a touch too much until a few swirls down the road it drinks pretty good.

Good Märzen but I would almost have to reach for their Wiesn instead when Oktoberfest rolls around.

Serving type: bottle

03-18-2013 01:14:17 | More by MattSweatshirt

BuckeyeSlim

Ohio

3.68/5  rDev -4.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.75

11.2 oz bottle poured into a shaker pint glass.

A – Pours a very pale gold khaki. Big, fluffy three-finger head sets up instantly, necessitating waiting to finish the pour. Pillowy off-white foam collapses slowly as large bubbles pop. Eventually, all that's left is a thin sheen across the surface. Beer is a dark orange-amber and clear.

S – Nicely toasted malts. Some slightly burnt caramels. Soft nose stays buried in the glass. Hints of Bananas Foster when it warms up, along with more caramels.

T – Medium dark caramel with a touch of toffee spread on lightly grilled toast. Noble bittering hops immediately follow to balance any residual sugar, so what lingers is more of an almost-burnt toast taste rather than sugars. Pretty simple and straightforward, but tasty.

M – A bit fizzy, but not over-carbonated. Body is thin, on the edge of watery. Structure is a bit light, especially compared to American-style Oktoberfests. Finish is a tad bitter, and snaps off across the back of the tongue.

O – A refreshing German Marzen. Lighter than most Americans, but with a bit more flavor than a number of Germans. I especially appreciate that it lacks the American trend of over-hopping every style, but still has enough present to prevent any sense of sweetness. I'd include this in a six-pack mixer during Oktoberfest season.

Serving type: bottle

03-09-2013 21:17:05 | More by BuckeyeSlim

kshizzle101

Washington

3.91/5  rDev +1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Poured from 12 oz bottle into pint glass

A - Pours a red/amber color. very clear. 3 inch head that dissipates quickly

S - dark fruits are most prevalent - plums, cherries. a little breadiness as well

T - plums and cherries come through again. malty backbone. get some hops towards the end. not exactly bursting with flavor

M - light bodied, properly carbonated, easy drinking. no complaints here

Overall - an above average marzen. while the beer makes for enjoyable drinking, it could use some more assertive flavors.

Serving type: bottle

02-05-2013 02:09:18 | More by kshizzle101

mdcrouser

Missouri

3.53/5  rDev -8.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Clear, but slightly dulled copper, with streams of tiny bubbles elevating from the bottom of the glass. A nearly white head maintains like a lid.

Malty and sweet, but with a hint of alcohol on the nose - some faint skunk too.

The maltiness comes through clean, with an abundance of creaminess, but also some hops that comes through like muted citrus.

Relatively crisp with subtle carbonation, which does little to promote the flavors that are here.

In all, it's drinkable, but nothing outstanding - another Ofest in a crowded market of them.

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2013 05:24:35 | More by mdcrouser

beergoot

Colorado

3.43/5  rDev -11.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Fine copper body with a great, fluffy white head. Malt background trumped by a ripe, fruity smell. Light bread and biscuit flavor with a tart bitterness at the finish. Effervescent, medium body; crisp and dry.

Well, who knows how long this bottle stayed on the shelves, but I have a feeling I didn't get a get sample to review. I expected a more dominant malt character all around, but instead found a strange yet drinkable beer that doesn't fit my experience with German Oktoberfest beers (and I lived in Germany for five years).

This will have to be a beer I revisit for a re-review I think, because I know I've had some really good Paulaner beers in the past. This example just didn't do it for me.

Serving type: bottle

12-27-2012 01:13:09 | More by beergoot

GeezLynn

Minnesota

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Body is a strikingly clear amber with a decent white head and good retention. Can’t ask for too much more in terms of appearance. Smell is very malty, with lager yeast apparent and a touch of canned corn (though the bottle states it was brewed within accordance of the Reinheitsgebot).

Flavor is malt heavy....very bready with a touch of caramel. Hops aren’t really distinguishable, though there are present enough to balance the malt sweetness. Deep malty flavors give way to a short clean finish. Mouthfeel is clean and crisp, with a medium/lighter body and medium carbonation. Slight EtOH bite at the end compliments the maltiness.

Not really a standout for me, but delivers what I'm looking for in a marzen and is pretty good backup option.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2012 03:43:46 | More by GeezLynn

MaximalC

Illinois

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a transparent, burnt caramel color with a decently sized off-white head that settles in a thin veil across the surface. Aroma is mild but pleasant, smelling of raisins, caramel, and faint floral hops. A hint of alcohol is present in the nose as well.

Flavor is absolutely massive for an Oktoberfest, with the aforementioned raisins and caramel manifesting in a big way. There is also a vague, cherry-like sourness in the finish that doesn't quite mesh with the rest. While these flavors are there in abundance, they tend to linger, desensitizing the palate to subsequent reintroductions.

A woody, almost paper-like taste begins to emerge as the beer warms (anyone who has ever played a woodwind instrument will know what I mean). This woody flavor is curious, if not off-putting, and further reinforces my impression that the flavor profile is a little too chaotic to reign in the ample flavors that exist. The carbonation feels a shade high as well. The boldness of this Oktoberfest is laudable, but it could use some refinement.

Serving type: bottle

11-30-2012 02:03:36 | More by MaximalC

cyclonece09

Virginia

3.1/5  rDev -19.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Poured from a 11.2 oz bottle into a 14 oz "pint" glass. Pours a nice red amber with a small white head. Smells of some darker roasted grain with very slight chocolate, but very weak. Tastes of some dark roasted grain but not many specific tastes jump out. Carbonation is great and finishes very well. Overall, an average beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-23-2012 04:38:11 | More by cyclonece09

UnderPressure

South Carolina

2.9/5  rDev -25.1%
look: 2.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Dark copper colored. Clear, with a fizzy head. Poor retention.

Sweet malt in the aroma. Some yeast. And a slight honey note.

Not an extremely bold flavored beer. A grainy malty flavor, not as sweet as in the aroma. Enough bitterness to balance. No perceivable hop flavor other than that.

Body is on the thin side. Carbonation feels nice. Long, slightly bitter finish.

I would have been more satisfied with a bolder, fuller bodied beer. A decent Oktoberfest, not fantastic.

Serving type: bottle

11-13-2012 21:05:01 | More by UnderPressure

57md

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a burnt copper with a half finger of head, some of which retained for a decent amount of time. The nose is slightly nutty. The taste is full-bodied and bready. The finish is lighter and crisper than I would have thought from the initial taste.

Although they originated the style, I tend to think most of the German Marzens that I have sampled are inferior to their American cousins. This one does not match the top U.S. Oktoberfests, but it comes closer than any German Marzen I have tasted so far.

Serving type: bottle

11-06-2012 05:35:05 | More by 57md

tronester

Oklahoma

3.85/5  rDev -0.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a clear, dark, burnt orange with a medium, creamy light tan head. Aromas of freshly milled grain. Taste begins initially with a huge light caramel sweetness. Following that is a grainy, bready middle, and a flowery, perfumy finish. Nice balance between the sweetness and bitterness. Mouthfeel is good. Overall a very good Marzen that I would purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 21:13:07 | More by tronester

axeman9182

New Jersey

3.8/5  rDev -1.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle with a best by date of 5/13. It was allowed to warm a little bit before being poured into my Duvel tulip.

Paulaner's Oktoberfest pours a brilliently clear copper, with a decent amount of orange highlights. Roughly a finger of soapy white foam comes together atop the beer, leaving a little bit each of head retention and lacing in its wake. The nose is definitely a bit dull. I know this style isn't necessarily supposed to have the most bombastic aroma, but it really is barely there. There are some light toasted bready notes, as well as just a hint of herbal noble hops. The flavor profile, while following the nose step for step, is easily more potent. A deceptively deep maltiness leads off, very biscuity in nature. The hops are again playing a secondary note, with an earthy, herbal quality present against the dominant malty character. The mouthfeel is fairly full bodied, with just a little bit of carbonation cutting through. Paulaner Oktoberfest is a really nice well, and holds up better than some of the other German imports I've had.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 04:04:42 | More by axeman9182

Dunderbaks

4.73/5  rDev +22.2%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I have been enjoying this fine brew since 1981 and I do feel it is in the top 3 True Oktoberfest creations.

I could do the dry mundane review that would help no one. SO, I will not, I will just call it like it is. I have no grass or bubble gum remarks, it is simply a brew conforming to the best purity law ever: the Reinheitsgebot, and that has always been good enough for me-over 400 years of true brewing!

It is a fine beer on its own if you like the amber side. Extremely well crafted and pure. It is one of the original beers that qualified for the actual Oktoberfest. Tested by time and true, a flavor of history that is so damn enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

11-02-2012 21:28:22 | More by Dunderbaks

tjsdomer2

Illinois

3.15/5  rDev -18.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Appearance: Flat, with strange and inactive carbonation and no foam or lacing. Amber in color.

Smell: Grass, bubblegum, and sweet tobacco. I would love this combination, but it's a bit murky and hidden.

Taste/Mouthfeel: Mostly black pepper. It starts spritzy, and then turns immediately flat. Disappointing. There is also a sour lemon taste and feel in the finish.

Overall Drinkability: The smell almost saved this...almost. This was a disappointingly average beer, especially considering the style of beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-30-2012 01:11:49 | More by tjsdomer2

mschind

California

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- poured into a pint glass yielding a thin foamy head that didn't last very long. Some thin foam clinging to the glass. Clear reddish gold color.

S- Carmel malt with a cidery twang.

T- The crystal malt flavor dominates but not much of that toasted flavor that I've come to expect in a Marzen. Not picking up the cider notes from the nose which is good.

M- Well rounded and smooth, a bit on the thin side.

O- A good Oktoberfest beer, clean, crisp and enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 22:20:30 | More by mschind

Flounder57

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

11.2 oz bottle was poured into a pint glass.

The beer poured over a one finger head that has reduced to a thin layer. It is a copper amber color with great clarity and plenty of bubbles coming up through the glass. The beer smells of sweet caramel and bready malts. There seems to be some light fruitiness to this beer too. The taste of the beer is along the same lines as the aroma with a mild hop bitterness to it too. Pretty simple tasty beer and easy to drink.

This beer is smooth, medium to full bodied, medium carbonation, and easy to drink. I am overall impressed with this beer, but would have been happy to see more maltiness and maybe some nuttiness to it.

Serving type: bottle

10-27-2012 02:43:13 | More by Flounder57

StaveHooks

Oklahoma

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Best before 05/13

A - Light amber body, dense off-white head with awesome patterns of tight doily lacing.

S - Toasted grains, rye bread, steely caramel malt, earl grey tea.

T - Toasty malts, chalky lager yeast comes on pretty strong, layered toffee and caramel malts, some earthy bitterness, grassy with tea tannins and some muted fruit on the finish. Finishes semi dry and bitter.

M - Light to medium body, average carbonation, slick feel.

Big doses of lager yeast with a dense grainy malt background. Very good looking beer as well. A solid pick for Das Boot!

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 22:57:18 | More by StaveHooks

pvsob

Pennsylvania

3.55/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A- Pours a crystal clear amber, almost tea-like color with a half inch head. Head fades quickly and above average carbonation holds up a thin film.

S- Light caramel, lightly toasted bread, earthy/herbal hops, and some alcohol aroma.

T- Bready malt, light noble hops, some sweetness (toffee/caramel), and a little booziness in the finish.

M- Above average level of carbonation with a medium feel. The dry alcohol flavors in the finish along with the carb level makes it feel more on the lighter side.

O- By no means is this my favorite Oktoberfest, but I never have a problem polishing off two-three pints of this in one sitting. A great/classic example of an Oktoberfest. Definitely worth a try. Prost.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2012 20:58:03 | More by pvsob

Maxwell

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours a very light amber, bordering on dehydrated piss coloring with a lovely finger width head of soapy white bubbles that stick around. The color actually reminds me of changing leaf colors which is a nice nod to the season. Lacing is light and cloudy, with just a few dots and lines edging up the glass. The body is clear and full of a torrent of bubbles that are racing to the surface. The beer smells surprisingly spicy with yeast that has an almost spicy hot tingling in the nose. Touches of bread and sweet toasted malts are clearly present, with a nice side showing of earthy hops reminiscent of decaying leaves. The beer tastes sweet and caramelly with a big rush of decaying leaves in the middle of the taste which wonderfully offsets the sweet malt. The beer begins as sweet toasted caramel malts before it opens into the hops earthy-leafy flavor in the middle of the taste. The sweet malts transition back in at the end of the taste and into the aftertaste, along with the spicy yeast notes and a touch of bready malt. Mouthfeel is clean and just a smidge to thick for the style, leaving the tongue clean but for a touch of saliva, and the rest of the mouth slightly dry with sweet lingering. Overall, I have to say that this is my favorite of the German Märzens I have sampled. It is much more complex in flavoring than the others, with some wonderful yeast spices. Unfortunately, this also makes the beer a little too thick to continuously slug back, though I don’t really see that as a huge problem as I could still drink quite a few of these in the course of a day. Good beer, worth a try and a retry. Prosit!

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 18:39:49 | More by Maxwell

beerman_60

4.05/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Look at the avatar, here are 2x1L glasses of Paulaner Oktoberfest, taken at yes, you guessed it, the Paulaner tent at Oktoberfest on 26th September 2012.

This was truly a wondrous surprise, it's not my favourite style, but at Oktoberfest you have to drink something ! However, you can see the beauty in those glasses. Appearance almost a 5 - clear, lovely foamy head, but of course the Marzen style has little hop aroma so no extra marks for smell. The taste was delightfully balanced, good depth of malt but not overpowering in the slightest. Overall, another total gem from 'Phil and Ted's World Tour of Bavaria'. Do not underestimate the experience of tasting the beer at source.

Serving type: on-tap

10-17-2012 10:33:16 | More by beerman_60

Luigi

North Carolina

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours an amber color with orange hues. Has a good two finger head, (or three depending how you pour) off-white froth head that slowly turns into a thin lace.

There is a strong toasted malt aroma with hints of bread and caramel. A faint herbal hop pulls through the malt.

Toasted malt and caramel notes dominate the flavor. The hop is mild and spicy but do over power the malt. A faint hint of alcoholic sweetness ends quickly with a semi-dry malty finish.

The body is medium and mildly carbonated. A little slick on palate but super easy to drink.

Overall, this is a solid authentic representative of this style. As should be coming from the source and origin of the style. Drink up!

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2012 07:38:26 | More by Luigi

eduardolinhalis

Switzerland

3.98/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

500ml bottle poured in a Weizen glass.

A: Pours a clear golden yellow color forming a big white creamy bubbled head. Good retention. A small layer remains for a moment and many lacings are formed and left around

S: Very grainy in the nose. Plenty of Lager yeasts which makes it really bready too. Notes of flowery hops

T: A simple Lager which is, at the same time, extremely well done. Slightly sweet upfront. Lots of grains. Really bready. I little bit metallic. Mild but nice hops bitterness

M: Light body and good carbonation. Excellent grainy aftertaste

O: Excellent drinkability. A perfect German session Lager. Paulaner quality. Prost!

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 19:13:42 | More by eduardolinhalis

kawilliams81

Illinois

3.48/5  rDev -10.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into imperial pint glass.

A- pours a dark caramel itch a 1 finger white head. Nice trails and blotches of lacing remain on the glass.

S- slight skunk smell was first noticeable. Caramel, toast and toffee.

T- sweet caramel and toffee, toasted malts and slight spice.

M- medium body and carbonation. Nice drinkable slick, creamy feel.

O- good Oktoberfest. Wish the skunk aroma wasn't there but still is a very tasty beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-11-2012 23:25:26 | More by kawilliams81