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

Serge

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Pours a tawny brown with about an inch and half foamy head. Nice bubbles coming off the bottom of the drink. Clear as crystal. Weak retention and lacing. Smells of spice and floral hops. Some citrus also. Nice malt sweetness pulling through. Taste of slight spices. Good balance of malt and hops with low bitterness at the finish. A little watery, but smooth nonetheless. A pretty good marzen

Serving type: can

10-09-2012 05:00:09 | More by Serge

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

1L behemoth of a can, sold inside an even more gargantuan, solid-ass German beer stein.

This beer pours a clear pale golden hue, with three fingers of billowing, pillowy white head, which leaves a dense spatter of painted lace around the glass as it slowly sinks away.

It smells of grainy, somewhat sweet barley malt, a bit of sour breadiness, some soft orchard fruitiness, and tame earthy, leafy noble hops. The taste is sweet bready malt, with a significant edgy, metallic swath cut through it, origins difficult to surmise, some slightly rancid buttery character, and herbal, leafy hops. A meek, probing booze essence arises here and then throughout this whole deal.

The bubbles are rather restrained, and given the general purpose of this particular style, that's a well-planned result, the body a decent medium-light weight, and smooth, but for a hollow metallic twang. It finishes mostly sweet, the graininess riding out the now fallen away mineral and booze twinges, and the hops do a commendably cute job of providing eine kleine, er, um, balance!

Not the biscuity, bready, softly balanced, moderately ABV-enhanced standard-bearer that I was expecting, but adequate enough in what it offers, once those awkward umami moments have passed. And nice of the manufacturers in the republic to allow we foreigners to experience the overindulgence they do, via that crazily over-sized serving size. Prost, I guess.

Serving type: can

09-20-2012 04:47:35 | More by biboergosum

GarrettB

Colorado

2.15/5  rDev -44.4%
look: 2 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2

Trader Joe's was selling big, huge aluminum barrels of this stuff. I exaggerate, but the cans on display were more-than-generous; more apt to be footstools or pieces of a makeshift barrier than a beer serving size. Still,　splitting one of these azure monoliths with a friend didn't seem too greedy. Orange and frothy, this looks like a festival beer - good for celebrating outdoors where heady rays of sunshine and noise from adjacent crowds make good complements to the otherwise simple notes of honey paired with the crispness of pilsner malt and sharp carbonation. Unengaging, the Pauler Marzen is best left to being a session beer, or served with powerful dishes, or to slake undiscriminating thirsts. It deserves a glass boot more than a chaise.

Serving type: can

02-04-2012 07:36:54 | More by GarrettB

RoamingGnome

Wisconsin

3.63/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Thanks for the nice gift set Dr. K. That's a big ass can right there.

Poured out of liter can into the Paulaner stein provided.

A) Got a little aggressive on the pour, and had to let this settle a bit. This had a big rocky head, looked like a float. Head settled to a dusting, with a little sticky lacing at the top. The color was a hazy golden yellow.

S) Heavy on malt sweetness, light hops, and some white grape juice aroma.

T) Follows the nose pretty closely. This is sweet, bready, a little buttery. There is a hint of the hops, grape and some alcohol.

M) The palate is a wave of malt. This is pretty smooth. A medium body with the right amount of carbonation. The aftertaste lingers a bit for me.

O) A solid Oktoberfest option. I can't put it in my top five, but it's good overall. I paired this with an episode of World's Dumbest, and it went down pretty well.

Serving type: can

01-11-2012 01:49:05 | More by RoamingGnome

CAMRAhardliner

Ontario (Canada)

4.35/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

From a litre tub that came with an enormous Oktoberfest stein.

Pours a clear deep gold with a compact, foamy head. A lot of lace coats the glass. The nose is full of pale malt, sea air saaz hops and fresh mown grass. Spicy, lemony noble hops mix with a tight bready malt balast in the first sip, extremely quaffable. The mouthfeel is full bodied and highly carbonated. The finish is dry and softly bitter and herbal.

This is an excellent Oktoberfest. Very refreshing and flavorful. Great in all department. I highly recommend and will seek out again.

Serving type: can

11-22-2011 01:30:31 | More by CAMRAhardliner

GratefulBeerGuy

New Hampshire

3.9/5  rDev +0.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

1 qt. 1.82 fl. oz. can with massive mug (set) $9.99

This one pours out a yella gold 4" high shimmering-white head

A honey-bready sweet malt aroma is classic for this, yeast up-front, corn on the cobb, green herbs, sour musty to the core.

A wild honey-edged malt with a classic sour-bread flavor, light and easy charecter, smooth and only mildly crisp, not flat but very relaxed indeed. Corn and earthy, herbacious effect all comes together well.

This one feels and taste rather authentic and this can is HUGE! sooo fun with the wonderful Paulerner giant Mug to go with it, easily the highlight of my oktoberfest drinking in 2011.

Serving type: can

11-20-2011 20:12:53 | More by GratefulBeerGuy

djura

Serbia

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Golden yellow color with high white foam,lasting for about minute. Small carbonation.

S-Sweet aroma,citrus and caramel i think.Alcohol in the nose also.

T/M-Spicy,low carbonation and bitterness,caramel again or something similar.

O-Very drinkable,but it must be cold in the glass!

Serving type: can

11-09-2011 15:53:27 | More by djura

korguy123

Ontario (Canada)

3.03/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

1L can into 1L Paulaner mug. Best before date of March 2012

A- Clear yellow pour, finger width white head that hangs on very briefly. Lacing is spotty.

S- Light yeast smell with a slight corn and grass touch to it. Slight bready sweetness.

T- Light bread with a grass and corn backing. Very bland.

M- Lively carbonation, thin bodied nothing to right home about.

O- Not true marzen. It's good, not great. 1L is an awful lot for this beer.

Serving type: can

11-02-2011 22:12:23 | More by korguy123

heygeebee

Australia

3.25/5  rDev -16%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2 | overall: 3.5

Gift-pack 1 litre can poured into 1 litre glass. Three pours in all.

Pours a two finger head, intense bubbling to start with , dies quickly. Head pits as it dies, not a good look after the great intial pour. Little lacing.

Aromas of bread, biscuit, malts.

Taste is sweet, malty, no hop presence, with a very identifiable initial watery mid-palate component.

Mouthfeel is watery, somethings up.

Overall, the sweetness catches up - affects drinakability as with all Marzens.

Note - glass supplied is large enough and heavy enough to warm beer quickly(!).

Serving type: can

10-22-2011 07:39:51 | More by heygeebee

SebD

Ontario (Canada)

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

1 Litre can poured in Paulaner Oktoberfest mug.

Appearance: It has a nice clear golden colour to it. It has a nice white head that dies down moderately and has minimal lacing.

Smell: The aromas definitly give out hints of bready and caramely matls with some nice grassy and spicy noble hops.

Taste: Like the aromas, it has a very nice bready malt flavour to it with some caramel and some nice grassy hops with a slight spiciness. Clean and crisp.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium carbonation with a nice overall balance of malts and hops.

Drinkability: It's a very smooth drinkable beer accompanied with good flavours and aromas. Solid Oktoberfest beer!

Serving type: can

10-14-2011 18:23:01 | More by SebD

Kartoffeln

Ontario (Canada)

3.95/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a bright, clear, golden amber with loads of visible carbonation and a sizeable head of dense, creamy, white foam. Good retention, gradually dissipating to a solid frothy cap and leaving loads of lacing.

S: Rich Munich and caramel malts with bread aromas and hints of fresh grain and biscuity malt. Noble hops, smelling slightly herbal, and just a whiff of ethanol round out the nose.

T: Munich and caramel malts with a prominent bready character up front, with toasty notes of biscuit and grain towards the end of the sip. The noble hops appear towards the finish, understated and rather floral and spicy.

M: On the light end of medium-bodied and creamy smooth, with modest and refreshingly crisp carbonation. The hops are just bitter enough to balance the flavour profile and keep the beer light on the palate.

D: An exceptionally well-balanced, easy-drinking Maerzen. A bit shallow, maybe, but perfect to knock back by the Mass. Prost!

Serving type: can

10-10-2011 22:29:17 | More by Kartoffeln

Daredevil

Switzerland

3.13/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

color: somewhere betwen amber and copper, firm but not very long lasting head

nose: teak paired with quince

taste: woody, quite dryish on the palate, slightly pleasant bitterness

a bit average Märzen, lacks a bit of character and distinction, there are more inspired Märzens around

Serving type: can

10-03-2011 22:32:20 | More by Daredevil

Augustiner719

Connecticut

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

Poured from a 1liter can into a 1liter mass.

Poussin very clear, orange honey colored with a 2 finger hard that recedes quickly. Pretty standard color, wish the retention lasted longer. No lacing. Aroma is bready malts, a little caramel and lager yeast. Has a nice crisp lager bite to it and also has some bready characteristics on the finish. Nice clean finish and ample carbonation. Really begs for roasted chicken dishes, even roasted pork. There is also a really nice clean quality to this that makes this very drinkable and perfect this time of year. Great package too with the glass included!

Serving type: can

10-15-2010 01:13:03 | More by Augustiner719

unclejimbay

Florida

4/5  rDev +3.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen
Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest
ABV: 5.80 %

reviewed 9/7/09 - mini keg for JamMin Ofest Party

Clear light amber/copper in color, satisfactory color and retention.
Smells as a good brew day should with munich malts in the air.
Taste is malt dominant and follows the smell accordingly.
Drinkability is very enjoyable as a preffered Ofest brew if available.

Serving type: can

10-13-2009 18:35:42 | More by unclejimbay

Drew966

Florida

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I took a 5 liter mini keg of Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen Amber on a camping trip. It poured a nice reddish, dark copper color with a white head. Very malty nose. Excellent malty flavor, really a fine drinker. Recommended, and I might add that the mini keg had the coolest graphic ever, three fat german guys (presumably at Oktoberfest) chugging mass krugs of Paulaner Oktoberfest, no doubt.

Serving type: can

03-25-2007 21:20:00 | More by Drew966

crispy620

Florida

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

I had this beer out of a 5 liter mini keg. It had a great smell and poured brown in color. It's head was creamy but it did not last long at all.

As far as taste, it was full with traces of chocolate and malt.

It was light to the mouth as it did not give a heavy taste or after taste at all.

The only problem was that it seemed to lose it's carbonation very quickly from the keg. As my friends and I reach the lower part of the keg, the beer seemed to go flat.

I could understand if the keg were days or weeks opened, but we are talking a couple of hours.

Next time in the bottle but I definetly woud drink it again.

Serving type: can

09-18-2006 13:08:35 | More by crispy620

hobbes2112

Texas

4.1/5  rDev +5.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

I reviewed this as a can, but it was the mini-keg.

I got this keg on sale and thought it would be fun, I have had other mini-kegs before that leaked, but this one was really well made and had no leakage issues at all.

The beer pours a medium brown with a very large white head at first, but the head becomes more tame with each successive beer. Aroma is malty, bready and sweet. Taste is again malt, with a little carmel, apples and again bread. Great creamy feel with a crisp finish too.

This is a fantastic session beer, and the mini-keg is a fun addition.

Serving type: can

10-09-2004 21:22:27 | More by hobbes2112

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