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

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.3/5  rDev +11.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass. The beer is a perfect amber-caramel color. AN off-white head sits on top for a bit until it dissipates to a thin film. Light sticky lacing is evident. The beer smells slightly sweet, of faint malty caramel. The taste is of toasted bready malts and sweet caramel. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and very drinkable.

Overall, this is just a really good marzen, and very sessionable. I'm surprised it doesn't get better ratings. There's nothing wrong with this, and I'll choose it over the other boring, predictable seasonals any day.

Serving type: bottle

04-08-2012 01:49:50 | More by JuicesFlowing

blakelive784

Colorado

2.93/5  rDev -24.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

11.2 fl oz brown glass bottle served in a snifter, reviewed from notes:

A - Pours a transparent copper/brown color with only a thin, half finger, light tan head. The head disappears quickly and leaves no lacing.

S - Heavy toasted malt and caramel make up the majority of the nose. Light candied sugar and bready yeast are present as well. It's simple, but rightly so.

T - Rich toasted and sweet malts comprise the body. Light bland yeast open to a semi-bitter finish from generic hops. The hops contribute light floral notes, though you have to search for them. It's pretty boring and a bit watery.

M - Meidum bodied, thick, water, and smooth.

D - It's got clean flavors, is balanced relatively well, and is easy drinking, but it is a little boring and definitely simple. I could go either way on this one.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2012 21:52:05 | More by blakelive784

BrownNut

Florida

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

A - golden brown, minimal head

S - A bit roasty, a bit wet grain

T - Malty sweet, a rumor of hops

O - Nice, flavorful, sessionable. It's not too sweet, but sweet enough that after a couple I'd probably be ready for something a bit less sweet.

Aaaand since that's not enough characters, I'll just let everybody know that I love my dog.

Serving type: bottle

03-28-2012 03:42:17 | More by BrownNut

Hopdaemon39

Massachusetts

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

Poured from an 11.2 oz bottle into a large stein- pours a clear amber color with a visible effervescence, a half-finger head, minimal retention and lacing.

Smells almost entirely of amber malts- pretty sweet and bready. Nothing special; almost a neutral scent.

Taste is thankfully a little more involved than the smell- sweet malts give way to a little bit of hop bitterness and yeast earthiness. Carmel is omnipresent. Semi-sweet finish.

Mouthfeel is solid- medium light body supported by ample but not excessive carbonation. I like this style a lot but must wait until late August to get a really good sampling.

Serving type: bottle

03-21-2012 22:00:45 | More by Hopdaemon39

CFHMagnet

Ohio

3.83/5  rDev -1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Best before 6/12 printed on bottle.

A stiff pour netted a finger of off white head, which was gone in a minute. The body is a pretty clear copper color.

Pale malt seems to bear a hint of caramel. Fresh grassy and gardeny hops compliment well.

It's like drinking essence of biscuits with some nice grassy hops. A little spice rounds it out and makes it nice.

The body is light to medium. It coats the mouth a little but itsn't drying. Classifies as refreshing.

Serving type: bottle

03-10-2012 02:56:56 | More by CFHMagnet

JayS2629

Alabama

4.4/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Pours an orange/amber with great clarity and a huge rocky white head that fades slow and leaves big walls of lace.

The aroma nails it on style. Full of bready elements, honey and caramel with grassy hints and a touch of citrus to balance things out.

The flavor follows the nose. A great balance of bread/honey and caramel flavors that slightly outweigh the faint grass and citrus touch.

Medium bodied, rich and refreshing.

A very sessionable beer with great balance and full flavor. Not the best Octoberfest out there, but a traditional flavor nailed. Very enjoyable.

Serving type: bottle

02-07-2012 18:31:44 | More by JayS2629

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

TuffNut87

Ohio

4.18/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

This is one of my favorite beers. It is amber and smells wonderful. The malts sing out and make me wish I was in Bavaria drinking a "mass" in a "prosit for Gemutlichkeit". I forgot to add this review when I had this in the fall. Germans love it, and you will too..it is worth the wait for 8-9 more months..Oktoberfest 2012. Malt flavor is tops, but it is not sweet. It goes down so smoothly that you wish it was sold by the liter here.

Serving type: bottle

01-21-2012 01:01:14 | More by TuffNut87

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

flyingpig

United Kingdom (Scotland)

2.95/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Straw gold with a thin white head that is little more than a soapy lacing for a head.

Light & watery on the nose, this is not what I have come to expect from a Paulaner beer. There is some lager malts on the nose and a little biscuit along with a pilsener like aroma. It is a clean smelling beer with a sugary sweetness towards the end and some light alcohol grain notes.

A clean lager like taste to begin with along with the usual malts that were mentioned in the aroma. There is also some vegetable adjuncts and a bit of grain and alcohol too. Again there is a sugary sweetness but it's not strong on flavour.

Smooth & medium on the palate with a sweet, crisp finish that has a pleasant sugary feel to it although it is nothing special

Pleasant enough and a good alternative from the usual pale lagers but it was quite similar to them in a number of ways and it wasn't good value for money.

1001 Beers To Try Before You Die:
http://abarwithnoname.wordpress.com

Serving type: bottle

01-05-2012 20:02:49 | More by flyingpig

Mosstrooper

California

4.33/5  rDev +11.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from 11.2oz bottle into Samuel Adams Noble Pils branded pilsner glass.

Appearance: Clear amber color with a large off-white head that dissipates quickly and leaves behind a few spots of lace.

Smell: Lots of sweet caramel maltiness- almost like a thinner doppelbock. Some light graininess and slight hops in the background.

Taste: Begins with sweet caramel which turns into some citrus and grape and finishes with a toasty flavor.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium body with balanced carbonation and a watery finish.

Overall: A very good all-round Oktoberfestbier. Lacking just a little bit to make it completely outstanding, but certainly one of the better brews of its style out there.

Serving type: bottle

12-30-2011 23:40:20 | More by Mosstrooper

BerkeleyBeerMan

California

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Appearance: Clear thin white head. Big carbonation. A little dull.

Smell: Wet. Malty as expected. Bready. Musky. Pilsner Hops. Secondary aromas of Grain and Spice.

Taste: Roasted caramel, herbal and spicy bittering hops. No finishing hops. More of a malt forward brew. Secondary notes of cereal grain and dark fruits.

Mouthfeel: Light and slightly dry with a slight chalky dryness. Finishes crisp.

Overall: Completely drinkable. A simple brew with much history behind it. I consider this a great party beer. You can knock thee down without being worn out by too much sugar or hops. I can't knock it but I also won't buy it often just because Marzens aren't my favorite style.

Serving type: bottle

12-21-2011 06:26:33 | More by BerkeleyBeerMan

Vashtar

Texas

3.3/5  rDev -14.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

The appearance was just average.

The smell was lightly above average, and clean.

The taste was good, but it wasn't very distinct.

The mouth feel was smooth and had a slight crispness within the smoothness. There was no slime.

I took notes on my phone so I'm not writing this as I drink it.

Serving type: bottle

12-09-2011 19:57:48 | More by Vashtar

deebo

Minnesota

4.53/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

A-Pours a finger of off white bubbly foam that is mostly gone before the first drink.
S-Malty goodness, some alcohol aroma with a little spiciness.
T-Lightly toasted malt with toffee like taste and definite fresh bread character. A hint of flowery, spicy hops-the Noblest. Crisp finish. Very smooth
M-Easy drinking with a little mouthfeel. Light on the carbonation without an alcohol bite-very soft tasting. This is a beer that was made for multiple steins.
O-In a tasting of American and German Octoberfest beers this one was the favorite. Delicious, easy to drink-what a Marzen should be.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2011 00:26:28 | More by deebo

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

DeutscheJeff

Colorado

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

Given my general taste for German beers, I was disappointed with Paulaner for this beer, nothing at all similar to any of the best Oktoberfest beers I've had. In general I would prefer a heavier, less wimpy German beer for the most German of all holidays.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 06:31:21 | More by DeutscheJeff

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

TheAlamoWrocker

Texas

3.5/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4.5

Reviewed November 9th 2011. 11.2 oz bottle, best consumed by 03/12, poured into a Blue Star Brewing Pint Glass.

A: Poured a very thin head. There's some nice carbonation rising which throws me off why I didn't get more of a head. The body is a dark amber, but still light enough to see through the glass and also not cloudy.

S: All I am really picking up is some nice light malts. Nothing really dominating in this smell, but it is nice.

T: Hits a very nice crisp taste. Malts are what I am taking in and even then they aren't that dominating. I feel as if heavier brews have almost ruined my palate. There is a light caramel and earthy taste. I am only really catching a slight bitterness on the tail end of the beer, but it's nice. This is simply a nice sweet beer.

M: Light body and medium carbonation.

O: Normally I would down a beer for these light characteristics, but I understand that a Oktoberfest is supposed to be smooth, crisp, and easy to drink. This beer hits all these qualities and I could imagine a large group of people drinking this all day at a festival. This beer is nice for what it promises and yeah I could drink a pack of this on a hot day.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 06:05:51 | More by TheAlamoWrocker

mralphabet

Virginia

3.73/5  rDev -3.6%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

12 oz bottle poured into pint glass

A: Pours a clear light copper color. Good 2 fingers worth of head that settles quickly to a small ring with no real lacing to speak of.

S: Lots of sweet malt, a little on the toasty side with a faint spicy hops floating around.

T: Smell does not disappoint, nice sweet toasted malt right up front. Mid palate has a nice spicy hops.. Nothing very strong, just a touch. The finish is pretty dry.

M: Medium body, very smooth.

D: Very drinkable Oktoberfest beer.... Just what a Oktoberfest beer should be... good malt flavor with a good ABV for the style. Worth looking for.

Serving type: bottle

11-07-2011 03:50:32 | More by mralphabet

Samp01

New Jersey

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

Pours a nice dark bronze / copper with nice lasting tan head. Aroma of toasted barley, sweet malt, bready, yeast and some slight fruity notes. Taste is same as aroma. Palate is a nice medium body with a nice smooth mouth feel and good carbonation. Finish is toasted barley and sweet biscuit malt with some yeast and light fruity notes and mild sweet bitter ending. Overall a very good drinkable and flavorful brew. A nice autumn brew.

Serving type: bottle

11-04-2011 21:10:00 | More by Samp01

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

keytown

Kentucky

2.95/5  rDev -23.8%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Pours a dark amber with half a finger white head.

S - Not much here on the smell, get a little banana & biscuit.

T - Some sweetness here. Getting some banana & clove, not much else going on here.

M - Light & watery.

O - Overall a decent beer, not great but not bad either.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2011 01:14:34 | More by keytown

elNopalero

Texas

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

An old favorite. A lacquered tan color complemented by a light, crisp aroma. Slightly malty with a clean, sharp finish—it’s everything I want in a marzen. Not sure if it’s brewed year round or the bottles that are available are old but on tap it’s fantastic.

Serving type: on-tap

10-29-2011 21:26:00 | More by elNopalero

jbertsch

Massachusetts

3.4/5  rDev -12.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a pilsner glass, this was amber in color. My expectations were low for the color, but it was actually a nice amber. A little darker than I expected.

The aroma showcases munich malt (I believe), and notes of bread are there. Although it does have faint notes of corn and plastic, which some marzens have. Faint caramel is there too.

Caramel and a cereal-like grain is more present on the taste. It does have a bready note to it as well. Noble hops are serve only to balance this.

Mouthfeel is a little boring. Carbonation is low, and it's a little lifeless.

Not bad. I know it's regarded highly in the marzen world, but I don't think it's as good as Ayinger.

Serving type: bottle

10-28-2011 00:04:14 | More by jbertsch