Märzen - Pennsylvania Brewing Company

santoslhalper

Pennsylvania

2.6/5  rDev -32.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Appearence: Pours a clear copper with a fomay, fizzy white head,

Smell: The smell is of gross malts. I don't know what it is, but I don't like it. Cereal maybe? Manure?

Taste and Mouthfeel: It doesn't really taste like much of anything. Basically a watered down verstion of their Oktoberfest. While it is rather thirst quenching, it has no good qualities to it, or even anything that stands out. The mouthfeel is creamy but a little thin.

Drinkability and Overall: This is an average beer from Penn. They're really on and off, and sadly this is off. Has a really generic qualitiy to it that's really killing me. Just wait for the Oktoberfest.

Serving type: bottle

03-12-2005 08:26:26 | More by santoslhalper

MONKandTUCK

Pennsylvania

2.88/5  rDev -24.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

A - On draught this beer lacked the viscosity, color and head-retention I expected. It's a warm orange, but not bright as I would expect. Looks flat.

A - Not as much biscuit, caramel and malt as I would expected from a Marzen.

T - Some sweet and malty notes, but nothing exceptionally pronounced. Nothing that piques my interest.

M - Thin-ish.

O - Kinda like a leaner, less adventurous version of Yuengling. Ironic, I was expecting a more character-rich and authentic version of the Amber Lager. This was a perfect opportunity to pounce. Everyone in PA or who comes to PA has an idea of what the mass-produced Yuengling is, and Penn Brewery is poised to sail their ship by one-upping it. The dropped the mass, though.

Really, this beer is not bad. But being inoffensive isn't the way you build your name. This is such an approachable style; it's not like an IPA or Stout, where most folks might threaten to vomit before finishing the beer.

This beer could be so much more. Let's see it happen. I'll go out of my way for it, then.

Serving type: on-tap

03-06-2012 22:31:31 | More by MONKandTUCK

NJpadreFan

New Jersey

3.03/5  rDev -20.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Penn Brewing- Marzen

Appearance- Golden reddish brown with a small white head. 1 big lacing ring along the top.
Smell- Very faint vanilla, caramel, and cinnimon,
Taste- Vanilla caramel malt with touches of spice. Cinnimon comes through with a touch of nutmeg.
Mouthfeel- Dry and slighty bitter up front. Slight touch of alcohol in the end.

Overall- I found this to be bland. Not a bad tasting beer here, but after drinking 1 I was ready to move up and on.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2007 19:42:14 | More by NJpadreFan

Dukeofearl

California

3.1/5  rDev -19.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 oz. bottle purchased at Hollingshead Deli in Orange, CA. for $1.59 in August 2006. Consumed in September.

Pours a slightly cloudy dark orange/amber with a pretty off-white head and very small bubbles. There are no obvious streamers of carbonation, but they may be hidden in the cloudiness.

Aroma is of sweet oranges, honey and candy- almost maple syrup.

Flavor starts sweet like the aroma (and like my favorite mazens), but it ends with a yeasty and stale grassy hops mixed with lemons- somewhat off-putting. I wonder if this is too old.

It starts nice, but I don't care for where it goes.

Serving type: bottle

10-07-2006 18:48:38 | More by Dukeofearl

OWSLEY069

Pennsylvania

3.18/5  rDev -17%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a clean copper/ amber color with a white head. In the aroma, malty lager notes and a bit earthy. In the taste, earthy, small fruit notes and lager undertones. A small hop bite and medium to light bodied mouthfeel, with and small dry earthiness in the aftertaste. Nice earth and fruit presence. Not too shabby.

Serving type: on-tap

02-26-2011 18:09:04 | More by OWSLEY069

ski271

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

I had this beer at Penn Brewery with a good German-style lunch. It is a dark amber beer with a dense off-white medium-sized mostly diminishing head with very little lacing. The aroma is dominated by roasted malts with a touch of yeast and very light fruity undertones from the hops... average at best. The taste is quite malty, a little hops kick but overall a maltfest. Very sweet and the finish has an even stronger caramel sweetness that lingers for quite some time. Mouthfeel is thick and syrupy. Overall, it’s is a decent beer that is enjoyable and drinkable. I know the style isn’t supposed to be a favorite among hopheads, but it could have used a little more hops to balance it out.

Serving type: on-tap

02-07-2005 16:59:25 | More by ski271

dungledauf

Pennsylvania

3.2/5  rDev -16.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Appearance: Clear, amber color. Little or no carbonation. Very little lacing with some retention. Not lively. Dull.

Smell: Faint sweet malt smell. Could not detect any hop or yeast smell.

Taste: Malt flavor dominates but is quickly balanced. Lingering aftertaste. Stale.

Mouthfeel: Thin, lightbodied.

Drinkability: This lighter than a Marzen should be because I expected this to more flavorful and full-bodied than a Vienna lager. The quality of malt used could be the cause or the beer is not aged long enough. Penn Brewery has made better in the past.

Serving type: growler

01-30-2011 16:56:50 | More by dungledauf

mooseisloose

Florida

3.28/5  rDev -14.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

A recent BOTMC selection ariived directly to my door. Let's give it a whirl.

On popping the cap I get a skunky earthy hop smell classic of this style. On the pour this brew is a light brown with a two finger micro bubble head that recedes moderately quickly. The taste is a sweet and nutty, a bit metallic and quite refreshing. The mouthfeel has good carbonation for the style. The taste is mostly consistent throughout with a little bit more bitters coming through in the end. Mostly nutty all the way through. This is a refreshing brew, spot on for the style, but not my cup of tea.

Serving type: bottle

04-10-2011 02:32:07 | More by mooseisloose

stakem

Pennsylvania

3.38/5  rDev -11.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle care of Eric, thanks for gifting me with a couple different offerings from this brewery. The brew appears a hazed color of burnt copper. Some lighter orange to yellow hints are noted around the edges and an off-white cap sits atop. As the cap slowly fades, it leaves a webby pattern of lace on the glass.

The aroma is sweet with a scent of caramel to toffee grain. A bit bready at times with a trace amount of herbal to earthy hops. Overall the brew smells sweet with residual sugar and toasted sugars. Fairly typical of the style.

The taste is just what you would expect based off of the aroma. Caramel and toffee sweetness from the grain that gets a bit bready and buttery towards the finish. The alcohol is noted with a minor fruity ester. Hops are present with a bit of contrasting herbal to floral bitterness. The buttery diacetyl lasts long into the aftertaste with a hint of herbal hop bitterness.

This is a medium bodied brew with a modest amount of carbonation. Overall it is a fairly decent take on the style that is well balanced and the hops are restrained enough to be evident and contrasting to the sweetness but not too much. My only gripe is the buttery finish that lasts long into the aftertaste and seemingly leaves a clingy film in the mouth instead of that crisp snap of a finish I look for in the style.

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 00:52:38 | More by stakem

cooncat

Ohio

3.4/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Dark green 12 oz. longneck bottle, with a 'best by' date of Aug. 21, 2006 (and my tasting was done July 1, 2006), so it was 'in date'.

The pour produced a light copper colored beer, with a minimal tan, short lived head. The nose was definitely malt, with a hint of citrus behind it. On the palate, a warming, medium bodied beer, with a sweet maltiness typical of the style. Very drinkable, and not overpowering in any aspect. A respectable offering which should not disappoint.

Cheers.

Serving type: bottle

07-02-2006 20:54:24 | More by cooncat

ToddT

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev -11.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A- Clear medium brown topped with a thin off white head. Head fades quickly to a ring and then disappears, leaving no lace on the glass.

S- Biscuit malt and sweet notes, caramel and toffee dominate the nose.

T- Sweet caramel, and toffee right away the is overtaken with the biscuit malts and a slight note of hops in the finish.

M- Medium in body and low in carbonation, the sweetness builds up some on the palate though.

D- Easy drinker, the 5.6% ABV makes this a session candidate as well.

A little sweet for me but a solid beer and a good representation of the style.

Serving type: bottle

03-22-2011 23:49:27 | More by ToddT

IronCitySteve

Pennsylvania

3.45/5  rDev -9.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

On tap at Penn Brewery

A: Pours a deep dark brownish orange color. Provides an extremely small off white foam head the quickly dissipates. There is no lacing.

S: A small amount of toast, caramel, brown sugar with a slight hop undertone. Nothing overwhelming.

T: Starts off slightly sweet with the caramel hitting the palate first and lasting throughout the tasting. The middle adds some toasted notes and finishes with a slightly citrus hop undertone. Decent balance.

M: Leaves a slightly creamy feel on the palate. Seems a tad on the thin side.

D: Easy to drink Oktoberfest beer. Not overly complex, but gets the job done.

Serving type: on-tap

02-20-2011 15:55:30 | More by IronCitySteve

ZAP

Minnesota

3.48/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Green bottle and a touch of that funky skunked aroma but it is very slight....that gives way to caramel covered apples....pretty good nose but not real strong.....dark reddish gold in color but cloudier than I like for this style...body is medium...slickish...a nice caramel maltiness to this, and a nice tight German hop finish...reminds me of Schell's Octoberfesf from my neck of the woods....I don't really care for that hop bite in this style ,but it does lend a nice balance to go along with the caramel sweetness...A much anticipated tasting for me and maybe I expected too much...this is definitely good but not in the superbeer category (although many including Michale Jackson disagree with me)...

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2003 21:26:53 | More by ZAP

blitheringidiot

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Lime green bottle that actually bends over a bit crooked, adorned with a triple label. The front body label has an abstract parade woman and a shamrock with “pure barely malt lager beer” on the side. The back body label states, “Fest beer is a full bodied, pure barley malt amber fest beer. It’s smooth, mellow, and full of authentic German beer flavor. It will fortify you against winter’s cold or party you through Mardis Gras and St. Patty’s Day.”

This flowed out into me Stone pint as a dark hazy unfiltered orangey brown pour with a razor thin white halo cap, with tons of tiny sea horses microscopic chunks floating in the glass.

Huge syrupy malt punch hits me square in the face, almost like a Barley Wine.

First swigs: Coca- cola meets flat root beer maltiness. Warmed up style that begs to be “not-refrigerator” cold. Deep caramel and cake malts, and the most Buisquik flour taste your tongue can cook up. Somewhat dry and dusty, with a spicy caramel citrous hint. Lasting cloying hard candy aftertaste.

Buttery mixed dessert spices and medium carbonation make up a medium bodied brew.

Last swigs: Marzen, eh? Malts for sure. All malts. Hops? We don’t need no stinkin’ hops. Virtually Butterscotch and Sugar Daddy flavors all the way. Thanks to fellow BA Shapudding for the bottle to check out.

Beer is good. Happy beering.

Serving type: bottle

09-22-2004 04:52:35 | More by blitheringidiot

BurghBrewPSU

Pennsylvania

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a nice dark amber color. Smell is a little faint. The taste is delightful. Very sweet, took me a while to pinpoint it, but caramel is definately what makes this beer. As i was drinking this beer, I kept telling my buddy, I could definatley drink a few of these. A very smooth beer.

Serving type: on-tap

02-27-2005 03:36:17 | More by BurghBrewPSU

greenmonstah

New Hampshire

3.5/5  rDev -8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

12 oz bottle into Ommegang flute

A - Pours a deep amber with a finger of off white head. Poor retention.

S - Very clean, with toasty and bready notes and a bit of sweetness.

T - Very clean and crisp to drink. Follows the nose, with toasty and bready overtones and a bit of sweetness. Pouring in the sediment makes it worse, with a not very appealing yeast flavor coming into the picture.

M - Light to medium body, with a slightly dry finish.

O - Overall fairly average and very easy to drink take on the style.

Serving type: bottle

04-20-2011 00:00:20 | More by greenmonstah

rsdaugherty

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -7.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

A - Clear copper/brown color, fairly large bubbles, not quite a 1 finger head faded to a rim around the pint quickly 3.5
S - Sweetness, yeast, fruit, roasted malts, minimal grassy/hop notes 4
T - Malts dominate with a slightly sweet/fruity and mildly spicy flavor, minimal hop presence 3.5
M - A medium body and perhaps slightly over-carbonated to me 3
O - A good beer, glad I tried it but not to my liking enough that I'll be buying it again 3

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2011 20:33:46 | More by rsdaugherty

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.58/5  rDev -6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

brandyish initially, molasses, then dark malts with some dark malts. Some of these sweeter ingrediants comprise the aroma. Dark color. Above average carbonation. Comes together like a malty ovaltine tasting. Smooth beverage and drink. Bit of bitterness on aftertaste.

Serving type: bottle

05-14-2006 05:11:34 | More by northyorksammy

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

tap

Pours a clear amber color, medium whitish head with decent retention.

Smells of sweet barely malts and maybe a hint of apple like flavor.

Tastes similarly sweet with a minimal hop flavor as well. There's a toasted element there as well.

Feels moderate with smooth carbonation.

Pretty drinkable, easy to session. Wouldn't turn down another one if I had the chance.

Serving type: on-tap

01-15-2011 20:24:14 | More by Cylinsier

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Man I have no idea why they lately stocked two Oktoberfest's at my local mix six place but they were worth a try.

A - pours darker than most Oktoberfest with a hazy brown orage and no head. Mild lace ring.

S - Mild hops, caramel and toasted malt. Not too bad.

T - Very minimal overall flavor. Mild toasty malt with very little toffee/caramel sweetness and a hop profile that is barley existent. At least overall it was drinkable.

M - Light to medium but needs more body and flavor.

D - Got to this one late and flavor suffered but drinkability is still pretty solid. Sadly I wouldn't see myself getting it again.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2011 04:44:48 | More by DrDemento456

shapudding

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Dark ambery, and so incredibly unclear and cloudy. Peppered with sediment. No dating on the bottle. Bit of white head left quick leaving a tiny bit of a ring a slight clouding. Scents of fresh bread dough (yeah, I love my bread machine!), little bit orangey maybe, yeasty and malty. Medium bodied with perfect carbination, nice and low so not too much shooting around your mouth. Nice and semi dry taste but yet your mouth stays wet. Lightly hoppy, slightly sweet. Caramel malts. A little sweet in the aftertaste, almost makes me think of an artificial sweetener? Not bad though overall.
Decent flavors with not too much intensity to hinder drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

09-11-2004 00:23:39 | More by shapudding

bigdeuce

Pennsylvania

3.75/5  rDev -2.1%
look: 4 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

After revisiting this beer two years later, I must say it is pretty good. Nice copper to amber color with a big head, fades quickly, but leaves lacing down the glass. Very woody and caramel smell and flavors. The smell is a bit metallic, but a nice beer to have 6 months after Oktoberfest, as I love Marzen beers. Very fresh taste. Nice bittering hallertau hops and authentic German taste. Worth the money, and very nicely priced for a good microbrew.

Serving type: on-tap

02-01-2008 23:31:45 | More by bigdeuce

ngandhi

Illinois

3.8/5  rDev -0.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Very crisp from a firm, consistent, and proud bittering. The hops are a little grassy, spicy. Tastes bready, but more specifically doughy like pancake batter. A little toast. The yeast is very clean, true to German lagering, highlighting the noble hops. Soft German hops on the nose, too, but hardly noticeable. The hops work with the malt which provides an ideal and quaffable medium body. Graininess works with the grassiness of the hops. Caramel. At first taste I even got some candied cherries without the sweetness. Overall, too hoppy for the style, but still quite dynamic though it sadly lacks any real depth of malt. Closer to Bohemia (a Vienna lager from Mexico), however, than a rich German marzen, but none the worse for wear. Maybe even German pilsener with a hint more malt. Absolutely dry finish leads you in a necessary next sip, and another, and another. A wonderful session beer.

Relax, relax.
ng

Serving type: bottle

06-05-2004 00:04:00 | More by ngandhi

ThirstyBird

Germany

3.85/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Thanks to tbone2376 for this bottle

Pours deep reddish amber with a smallish tan head that goes to a wisp and a small ring. Smells of sweet toasted malt, bread, mild crisp hops. Taste is like the nose with some added caramel notes. Finishes with a nice slightly dry hoppy end. Light/medium in body. Moderate carbonation, pretty silky smooth. Overall a pretty nice marzen. I'd drink it again!

Serving type: bottle

03-08-2011 02:52:11 | More by ThirstyBird

Mattysox

Virginia

3.93/5  rDev +2.6%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

This is a beautiful looking beer in the glass- bright, clear amber color, topped off with a rocky, rich, off-white head. The head dissipates fairly quickly, but leaves nice sticky lacing throughout the drinking of this beer. The nose is subtle, with some bisquity, malty notes, no real hops to speak of in the aroma. On the palate, the beer is quite smooth, fairly full-bodied for a marzen. The Hallertaus come out much more prominently to round out the flavor, mixing really well with the caramel, malty flavors. Overall, this is a really easy-drinking brew; nothing terribly exciting, but well-made and a good example of the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-12-2008 15:41:09 | More by Mattysox