Gordon Biersch Märzen - Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant

ThisWangsChung

Maryland

2.91/5  rDev -19.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz bottle into a regular glass.

A: Pours a darker copper color. There's a nice head here, four fingers high (due to an aggressive pour) and barely off-white in shade. While it fades quickly, it leaves behind a nice amount of lacing on the glass. The stronger retention away from the edges of the glass suggests a decent hop bill.

S: There is some sweet caramel typical of the style. I like the mild yet noticeable noble hopping, otherwise there isn't much to note here.

T: Touches of sweet caramel give way to a raisiny back end. Hops only seem to be here as a cleansing agent, which isn't really disappointing given its relative lack of freshness. Not bad, but it could use a touch less sweetness.

M: A bit heavier and less carbonated than I like from my marzens. The finish could also have less sweetness. It goes down okay.

O: Eh. It's a decent marzen that gets the job done - even still, there are better choices on the market.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 23:30:29 | More by ThisWangsChung

smakawhat

Maryland

4.06/5  rDev +11.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4

Poured from the bottle into a shaker pint glass.

A nice caramel and dark brown copper body, minimal noticeable carbonation, with a three finger classic tan head. Minimal lacing, and some staying power as well while drinking.

Nose has lots of sticky caramel, and hints of malt toffee. Borderline biscuity, but with a good dense malt. Pretty solid smelling Marzen.

Palate hits with all the simple right notes. Slightly creamy with a moderate carbonation. Thick but not syrupy caramel coats the palate all the way down, with a clean finish, small hints of grass and very lingering.

A real straight forward but solid marzen, good one to know about.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 23:57:14 | More by smakawhat

Noxious26

Saskatchewan (Canada)

2.96/5  rDev -18.5%
look: 3.25 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12 oz brown bottle with pry off cap poured in a miscellaneous large glass at our rental condo at Turtle Bay, North Shore, Oahu. Bought at Foodland along the North Shore in a variety 12 pack.

Clear amber brown in colour. Beige head is over 1 inch on the pour and recedes to a thin cap with lines of lacing hear and there.

Malty aroma of nuts and caramel.

Flavour is malty malty and more malt. Woody, nutty with hints of caramel. Almost no hop presence.

Medium bodied with light carbonation.

Not bad, but nothing special.

Serving type: bottle

02-03-2013 23:34:08 | More by Noxious26

Jemonster

California

3.14/5  rDev -13.5%
look: 3.75 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.25

NOTE: My bottle is not the freshest for this so my review might be edited later.

A: Orange copper when poured with a nice fluffy white head that disappears in seconds. Big fat bubbles in the carbonation.

S: Not really getting anything I can identify besides a slight yeasty undertone and a little bit of a grassy, herbal quality.

T: Dry, corny sweetness up front with just the slightest lingering hint of hops at the end.

M: Refreshing, thin, and clean just like a summer style should be. High carbonation.

O: Not really much to say about it. It's not bad but not exciting. A safe beer for a crowd. No wow factor can be found here.

Serving type: bottle

02-02-2013 03:28:15 | More by Jemonster

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev -2.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

a real easy drinker, to me this would be a perfect oktoberfest bier because of its sessionable qualities. the appearance is fully clear, pumpkin flesh orange with an obvious amber malt glow and a fluffy and patient bone white head. the nose is caramunich malts, as it should be, with only moderate sweetness and a really really creamy texture that slides effortlessly down the gullet one swig after another. theres also a slight fruity complexion to the yeast, but its tame, and it too gives way to the sweetness of the malt, which is less amber than it looked, and more caramel and classically german. i could drink this forever, its medium in body, but feels lighter because if its gentle glide. it also has fairly relaxed carbonation, which lets the heft of the body remain. to me this is a perfect fall beer which stays approriate in the winter too. this is one of the best regular beer on at gordon biersch by far i thought. only 4 bucks-ish during happy hour, how can you beat that? id buy this is a 6pack if i could.

Serving type: on-tap

12-14-2012 05:00:42 | More by StonedTrippin

LXIXME

New Mexico

3.9/5  rDev +7.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A medium sized head, a solid 2 fingers slowly settles into a nice lacing above a clear copper caramel colored beer.

Breadiness mixed with a lightly roasted caramel malts accented with a very light spices aroma.

A slightly roasted caramel malt taste with just a bit of something darker almost spicy.

A drying aftertaste with just a slight caramel malt taste lingering on while drinking this medium bodied beer.

A pretty decent Marzen, I think I could drink a pile of these.

Serving type: bottle

12-04-2012 03:40:30 | More by LXIXME

scratch69

Missouri

3.75/5  rDev +3.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

I poured a bottle into a mug.

Appearance- Clear dark brownish-copper color with a fingers worth of head. Very thin lacing.

Smell- Bread and sweet malt aroma with a touch of herbal hops.

Taste- Sweet malt and bready flavor at the start that is immediately replaced by a bitter hop finish.

Mouthfeel- Medium bodied, smooth, and slightly dry. Fair amount of carbonation.

Overall- This has more hop bitterness in a marzen than I am used to but it is still an enjoyable beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-17-2012 03:04:44 | More by scratch69

marvmoreno

Philippines

4.18/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

AROMA:
A surge of caramel and burnt sugar, then overwhelmed with malty notes. Reminiscent of freshly baked dark artisan bread. A tad bit of citrus comes through in the smell

APPEARANCE:
Brilliantly clear light copper color with a 2-finger head that didn't linger too long.

FLAVOR:
Tastes just like it smells: bread and caramel upfront with just-right sweetness, followed by a subtle burst of lemon, herbs and spice from the hops. Hints of dark fruit all throughout. Has a juicy quality to it. Finishes dry, with a just the right amount of bitterness that succeeds in cleaning up the palate

MOUTHFEEL:
Medium mouthfeel yet feels smooth in the palate, with low carbonation levels.

OVERALL:
A classic, flavorful, malt-forward brew with a surprising balance and flavor that keeps you sipping until your next pint. Very interesting and complex upon close scrutiny, yet as a whole is very welcoming and approachable that just about anyone can appreciate it. Goes down easy and is the perfect session beer. Great brew!

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 12:56:44 | More by marvmoreno

magictacosinus

California

4.55/5  rDev +25.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured into a pint glass from a 12oz bottle. Bottle has a label that says beer was bottled on "09/10/12."

Pours a brownish-amber color with generous portions of carbonation, as well as a 2.5 finger sized head. Bubbles carefully glide along the sides of the glass, and the head eventually lowers to a little ring that floats atop the liquid. Though containing a rather small head, this looks full-bodied and juicy, and as a result extremely inviting.

The aroma is instantly filled with high notes of brown sugared malts, alongside a sweetness that shows up at the end no doubt aided by the alcohol, as well as the malts and hops themselves. This has, to my preference, a smell closer to thick, freshly baked bread over biscuit aromas amber lagers and ales usually have. There's a fresh zestiness that lingers in the nostrils as well, providing a rather ecstatic and soothing aftermath.

The flavor is as sweet as the aroma, with a few key differences. For instance, while the smell was maltier, the flavor is far more balanced, in which there's a full front assault of brown sugar and sweetened pecans, followed by an everlasting flavor of creaminess and zestiness aided by the hops and yeast. The overall result is heavenly and relaxing, and it's hard to believe that this is a lager - it's extremely thick overall! There is no ounce of thinness to speak of, and the experience varies overall as it warms up, going from slight nuttiness to honeyed, caramelized bananas.

A real treat, and one of my favorite amber lagers to date. This is one of the most authentic renditions of märzens I've had since my visit to Germany. There's complexity for sure, but there's a relaxing vibe about it overall that makes it a crowd pleaser for just about anyone, even people who aren't fans of beer, as experience has shown me in the past. Goes good with most food, but particularly would be good cooked with pork or steak. Excellent stuff!

Serving type: bottle

10-21-2012 01:26:30 | More by magictacosinus

UCLABrewN84

California

3.48/5  rDev -4.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Bottled 9/6/12.

Pours a clear copper with a foamy khaki head that settles to a film on top of the beer. Small patches of lace slowly drip into the remaining beer on the drink down. Smell is of toasted malt and some caramel aromas. Taste is of toasted malt, bread, and some slight caramel flavors on the finish. This beer has a lower level of carbonation with a slightly crisp mouthfeel. Overall, this is a pretty good beer that is pretty straightforward and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2012 02:29:03 | More by UCLABrewN84

TheRealBigC

Nevada

4.18/5  rDev +15.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Gordon Biersch is probably the only brewery whose flagship beer is a Marzen, but this is a good thing for them. It's an incredibly smooth, roasty beer. Just sweet enough, perfectly enjoyable at any occasion. And don't wait until October to try it, because they have FestBier waiting for you then. I've never had a Marzen with a particularly amazing nose, but this one does OK - those roasty malts can only indicate happiness to come.

Serving type: on-tap

09-11-2012 20:39:33 | More by TheRealBigC

Dave1999

Virginia

4.23/5  rDev +16.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a rich amber, orange colour with a small off white head.

The smell is roasted malts, sweet caramel and even some dark fruits like rasins and plums.

The taste was sweet and malty, with a breadiness and small roasted flavour.

This beer is medium bodied with a fairly high amount of carbonation.

This is one of the best marzens I've had to date.

Serving type: bottle

08-19-2012 23:15:40 | More by Dave1999

LiquidAmber

Washington

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

Review from 10/2010 notes. Poured into a pint glass. Pours a light to medium orange amber with a light off-white head. Light malt and dark fruit aroma. Flavor is light to medium dark fruits and malt with light hop presence. A nice American made Marzen and a pleasant dinner beer.

Serving type: bottle

07-31-2012 20:12:17 | More by LiquidAmber

Phelps

Arizona

3.7/5  rDev +1.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Bottle into a tall shaker pint.

The bottle refers to this as an “auburn lager,” and that’s a good word for the appearance. Translucent and autumn-colored, the liquid sits below a one-finger head of filmy, sandy tan bubbles that are constantly replenished by carbonation rising from below.

Very nutty nose -- walnuts, mostly. Baked German bread and boiling malt add breadiness to a soft hint of apple and caramel.

The flavor is perfect replica of the aroma up front — nuts, baked bread, malt, apple. The swallow brings a nice flash of toasted oats that smooths everything else out.

Body’s a little thin and watery. Insubstantial on the tongue, but with silky carbonation that fizzes up just a bit. Crisp finish with just a touch of lingering bitterness.

The maerzen is probably my favorite of the standard Gordon Biersch beers. It sticks to the style while delivering decent flavor and drinkability. A go-to … if you’re at a Gordon Biersch.

Serving type: bottle

06-01-2012 05:23:19 | More by Phelps

DrewSnyc667

Massachusetts

3.65/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Plastic 16 0z brown bottle poured into a plastic cup aboard Virgin America flight from NYC to SF

A - Tawny copper, leathery, mahogany. Can barely see trough the beer. Very little head, no activity
S - Earthy grains, slight barnyard musk, honey toasted oats 3
T - Big and chewy up front, sweetness cut by bitter and dry hops. Toasted malts and sugars are very prevalent but never overpowering.
M - Very balanced, carbonation a bit high, keeps the palate clean and refreshed
O - Really good beer. Slightly hopper than the European Marzen's I've had. Very good, especially for beer available on an airplane!

Serving type: bottle

05-22-2012 01:51:20 | More by DrewSnyc667

HopHead84

California

4/5  rDev +10.2%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

4/30/2012

Draft at Gordon Biersch San Diego.

A: Dark amber with a finger of beige foam.

S: Rich and complex malt profile. Lots of bread and toasted notes with a restrained earth presence.

T: Sweet toasted malt with bread and biscuit. There's a low bitterness throughout. The beer is sweet initially but dries out in the clean malty finish.

M: Medium body with upper medium carbonation. The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy 

Overall: A good Marzen.

Serving type: on-tap

05-04-2012 14:55:19 | More by HopHead84

TheSixthRing

California

3.73/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance - Pours a clear copper with orange tinge. Head is white with a finger width head, dissipates quickly, and leaves behind a rather thin lace.

Smell - Aromas are primarily malt; light caramel with some breadiness. Faint grassy hop notes.

Taste - Follows the nose. Sweet malt is predominant, with light caramel and bready notes leading the way before an earthy, grassy hop kicks in near the finish.

Mouthfeel - Light to medium body. Smooth. The carbonation gives it bite just as the hops make their presence known.

Overall - I'll admit naivety when it comes to Marzen beers; I don't think I could count on half a hand the number of beers I've had in this style. Certainly drinkable, but all in all I found it kinda, well, kinda boring.

Serving type: bottle

04-28-2012 06:48:31 | More by TheSixthRing

bigkingken

Virginia

4.78/5  rDev +31.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Pours a copper amber with little to no head that dissipates quickly to form a ring around the outer edge and a small archipelago on top. Crisp and clear with no haze whatsoever. Smells sweet and a bit fruity, notes of raisin overpowered by caramel and syrup smells. Smooth and not as sweet as expected. Full mouthfeel with just the right amount of carbonation. Moderate upfront sweetness that hints at brown sugar and molassas. Easy to drink, light. Excellent for the style. No bitterness on the finish. Leaves behind a bit of a piney taste. Overall a great beer.

Serving type: bottle

04-16-2012 20:43:40 | More by bigkingken

CraftBeerTastic

Pennsylvania

3.78/5  rDev +4.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Ba Review #152
Served On: 04/11/2012
Glassware: Dimpled Mug
Labeled ABV: -
Date/ Code: 01/31/2012

This was in the 2012 spring mixed 12 pack from Evergreen Liquors in Frederick ($14.99).

Look: Poured a beautiful clear amber color with gold around the edges. Carbonation bubbles were nice and steady. Head was patchy beige foam that could remind you of an infected brew.

Smell: Some heavy malts and sweet biscuit notes typical of the style. There was also an earthy roasted note that I was not expecting.

Taste: First was a semisweet maltiness with the biscuit hitting somewhere in the middle. An interesting roasted sensation came though on the finish. The aftertaste was more of the semisweet malts and some dryness.

This was one of the more complex Marzen offerings I’ve had to date. The high quality standards of GB were definitely showcased in this offering. The higher ABV was also interesting given that most Marsens are brewed as session beers

Serving type: bottle

04-11-2012 22:04:56 | More by CraftBeerTastic

DCon

Missouri

4.25/5  rDev +17.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Enjoyed on-tap @ Gordon Biersch Brewing Company (LAX location) in Los Angeles, CA for $9.25. Tapped from a Maroon tap handle into a 20oz Hefe Glass. Enjoyed two back to back.

Aroma- Very sweet, common oktoberfest aroma and a subtle honey character. Beautiful!

Appearance- Received with a 1 finger head that has average retention. Has a dark, reddish copper body with great clarity. Leaves good lacing behind.

Flavor- Semi-sweet, malty, and nice wheaty background. Not much bitterness but good all around for the style. Not as sweet in the taste as the aroma leads on.

Mouthfeel- Light-Medium Bodied, High Carbonation, malt and bit of honey on the finish. Perfect!

Overall Impression- Wow! Super close to the original marzens from Munchen. Highly suggest! Would like to enjoy more from this brewery. A bit pricey at the airport...

Serving type: on-tap

04-08-2012 23:24:14 | More by DCon

ujsplace

Pennsylvania

3.8/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

Bright copper in color with a one inch white head that fades pretty quickly.

As soon as I popped the cap on this I could immediately smell sweet roasted malts. Smells of buttery caramel and bread with some faint earthy hops.

Tastes is well balanced with buttery, roasted caramel malts, baked bread, mild spice and earthy hop bitters.

Light/medium mouthfeel with lively carbonation.

An easy drinking, nice tasting take on the Marzen style. Could easily bang down six of these in short order. An anytime of year brew.

Serving type: bottle

03-30-2012 01:30:53 | More by ujsplace

djbow

Maryland

3.25/5  rDev -10.5%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

A- Medium copper-amber colored with a light tan khaki 2 finger head. Minimal lacing no alcohol legs and minimal head retention.

S- Malt, some caramel, bready and an off-putting metallic scent.

T- Malty and very smooth. Some creaminess, sweetness and bready texture.

M- Smooth, crisp, medium carbonation, refreshing but very thin.

O- Not a very impressive Marzen. I enjoy the style, but this one is by no means world class. The offering from several other breweries are much better. Wonder if this is better on tap?

Serving type: bottle

03-15-2012 15:59:51 | More by djbow

socon67

New York

3.65/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A - Copper colored, this has some visible carbonation that settles the 1 inch foamy head very quickly. Lacing is solid.

S - Scents of spice, caramel, and fresh malt. Very clean taste.

T - Flavors of caramel and fresh malt hit the tonuge right away. Has a crisp flavor, but doesn't jump out as a top notch marzen.

M - A very good drinker. Perfect to sit back and have a few.

O - Had this on tap at Raleigh Durham airport. Made the time go quickly. A traditional marzen; worth a try if you enjoy the style.

Serving type: on-tap

02-25-2012 00:00:03 | More by socon67

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

4.28/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

Look: A deep rich caramel color. Amber. Pure rich copper. Random, sticky webbed lacing.

Smell: Sweet caramel. Malts. Faint chocolate notes.

Taste: Very rich and pure caramel sweetness with malty overtones. Some biscuit and yeasty notes in the background, with hints of toffee. But lots of caramel goodness. Very slight hop bitterness in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Slightly dry and carbonated. Tangy.

Overall, I can't remember when I had this last, but I reviewed it well last time, and maybe better this time. Just a solid marzen, and year-round I believe. Awesome. Very well done.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 18:50:07 | More by JuicesFlowing

MTNboy

Missouri

3.8/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

From Kansas City Restaurant

Appearance: Great, copper color in the body. The head is thick and a darker shade of off white that is almost but not quite tan. There really wasn’t that much lace.

Smell: It is very malty. Roasted and bready aromas feel the nose with each sniff.

Taste: It has a flavor that I found to be weak to the style. Roasted malts and hops with a grassy field like finish.

Mouthfeel: Thin with hardly any bite.

Overall: It was one of the better offerings. Nothing really stands out to make it above average but still a good beer.

Serving type: on-tap

01-27-2012 04:39:13 | More by MTNboy