Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen - Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying

northyorksammy

Ontario (Canada)

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pint at Pizza Plant. No head just microscopic white ring, orange body. Fruity and satisfying malt mix with caramel, and not too sweet,toasted nutty understated in background.higher than desired carbonation.Medium bodied. Good represetation for style.

Serving type: on-tap

10-20-2006 14:31:52 | More by northyorksammy

BuckeyeNation

Iowa

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Gently hazy apricot capped by a large, somewhat frothy head of beige foam that looks a bit too soft to result in much lace. It holds its own at a tidy two fingers, but ends up disappearing shortly thereafter, leaving nothing more than a short, chunky collar of lace. The nose is earthy, musty and malty with a hint of spice, but all components of the aroma are understated.

Wonderful flavor that is reminiscent of lightly toasted whole grain bread covered in apple-peach jam. The spice is along the lines of mace or nutmeg. There's a nice interplay between the sweet, gently malty bottom and the fruity, gently bitter, tea-like top. Oktober Fest-Marzen is exceptionally clean and well-mannered from the start and achieves a crisp, tangy 'snap' on the finish. It's also impressively drinkable due to the wonderful flavor, the lack of heaviness and the impeccable finish. Well done.

I checked my reviews before popping the cap and was amazed to see that I hadn't rated any beer of this style higher than 4.0. Brauerei Aying's version doesn't quite get there either, but in the only score that really counts (taste), it's the equal of any I've had. These guys are becoming one of my favorite German breweries.

Serving type: bottle

10-31-2004 16:33:06 | More by BuckeyeNation

mikesgroove

South Carolina

4.2/5  rDev +6.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

I have come to the last of my Oktoberfest selections that I purchased, tis a sad day and will have to go pick up some more if I can ever seem to get myself out to the store. So this one I saved for last. Poured a nice orange tinted light amber with a good two inches or more of head strewn across the top. A nice slow fade left behind more then an adequate layer of lace across the top and some very nice side glass lace when it was done. Smell was very nice, quite light and refreshing with a good amount of grain backing and a nice light earthy sort of hop tone. Definitely some spices mixed in as there was just that little extra kick to it. The flavor was pretty much on point with the aroma. A tight mix of grain and earthy flavors mixed in with a good amount of spice, maybe cinnamon or nutmeg, something fairly nice and had a good overall fall feel to it. Very nice light body with a huge amount of carbonation made it go down super smooth and kept it from feeling too filling. Overall this was definitely a quality selection and I am glad I picked it up. Superb drinkability and just a great overall profile. I really enjoyed this and will have to pick up some more if I can. One of my favorites of the season.

Serving type: bottle

10-19-2007 23:19:31 | More by mikesgroove

Thorpe429

Illinois

3.43/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Pours a somewhat dark amber with an off white head. Tiny bits of lacing. Smell is slightly sweet with some caramel and a tiny bit of hoppiness coming through. Taste is similar, and is somewhat buoyed by a fairly thick mouthfeel. Not much alcohol presence on a medium body. Drikability is okay. Nothing is particularly wrong with the beer, but there's nothing to write home about either.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2010 20:50:24 | More by Thorpe429

ChainGangGuy

Georgia

2.83/5  rDev -28.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Served in an Ayinger glass, this beer pours a deep golden body with a frothy, off-white head. Very active bubbles.

Smell: Light bready, toffee-scented aroma. Maybe some apples, too.

Taste: Whoa, well, the malts are fairly played down flavor-wise. What remains is a restrained doughy flavor with a floral hoppiness. Noticeably more musty than other Oktoberfests.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied. Low carbonation - nearly flat. Slight alcohol warming comes through in the finish.

Drinkability: Not nearly as moving or stirring as some other Oktoberfests available.

Serving type: bottle

03-16-2007 03:12:22 | More by ChainGangGuy

brentk56

North Carolina

3.83/5  rDev -3.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Appearance: Pours a clear golden color with a fluffy head; the retention and lacing are both good

Smell: Sweet toffee aroma with a hint of vanilla

Taste: Starts out with a slightly sweet toffee character; by mid-palate, both the cereal graind and an herbal aspect join the profile; after the swallow, a nice balancing hoppy bitterness arises briefly in the mid-section and then fades, as expected, to allow the malty flavors to dominate into the finish; the grainy/herbal element underneath, however, re-emerges toward the end

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: One of the better examples of the style, but just a tad too sweet for my palate

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2006 21:44:26 | More by brentk56

UCLABrewN84

California

4.35/5  rDev +9.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Pours a clear light copper orange with a huge 3 inch puffy off-white head that settles to a craggy cap. A nice latticework of lace coats the glass on the drink down. Smell is of biscuit-like malt, honey, and some caramel notes. Taste is of biscuit-like malt, caramel, honey, and some mild hop flavors. There is a very mild grainy bitterness on the tongue after each sip. This beer has a good level of carbonation with a crisp and clean mouthfeel. Overall, this is a very good easy drinking beer that is probably my favorite of all beers in this style I have tried. I could easily put down lots of this one at an Oktoberfest celebration.

Serving type: bottle

09-18-2011 05:56:45 | More by UCLABrewN84

BEERchitect

Kentucky

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

Probably the best Oktoberfest that I've had. No beer can be true-er to style. Smells solidly malty, bready, yeasty, with a hint of caramel and nuttiness. Appears light coper, crystal clear with moderate carbonation. Lays a perfect 1" head and stays firm. Tastes moderately of sweet malt--giving a caramel and nut flavor. Noble hop additions offer nice bitter balance and a good citrus spiciness. Toasty and bready into the body and finish. Body is smooth and nicely creamy. Extremely clean and refreshing in the finish and aftertaste. Citrus notes gives an almost-mint character in the refreshing aftertaste. Dangerously easy to drink. Ideal for almost any occation.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2005 17:35:41 | More by BEERchitect

oberon

North Carolina

3.6/5  rDev -9.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Pours a copper color with a little orange tint to it with a pretty nice head,the aroma is very doughy and and toasted.The taste is pretty sweet at first with some definent bread-like undertones,there is a dryeness in the finish.I like a good marzen to have more sweetness to it this is a little dry but It is pretty well made and drinkable.

Serving type: bottle

08-14-2003 13:25:14 | More by oberon

NeroFiddled

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

A hazy orangish amber body is capped by a foamy off-white head that holds well before dropping to a thin collar but leaves only minimal lace. The aroma displays a straightforward, lightly sweet maltiness. It's medium bodied with a very fine, moderate carbonation that gives it a light caress on the tognue before warming to become more creamy and smooth. The flavor offers a somewhat caramelized, bready maltiness and a mild fruitiness. Hop flavors take a backseat, and it's well-balanced to emphasis its maltiness with a restrained bitterness that's just enough to keep the beer from becoming sweet. It finishes semi-dry with a short flash of alcohol and some delicate, spicy hops that leave it crisp and refreshing. Quite enjoyable. I much prefer it to the bottled version as it seems smoother and a touch more malty; a slight bit less fruity; less tart; and less hazy with a better head.

Serving type: on-tap

09-28-2003 13:55:17 | More by NeroFiddled

TMoney2591

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev -10.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Served in a Paulaner krug.

Damn, this bottle has to have the loveliest cap of all time! Regardless, it pours a clear copper topped by a finger of off-tan foam. The nose comprises buttery caramel, light grass, light rye bread, cabbage, light mandarin orange, and a decent amount of straight, bready yeast. The taste brings in more of the same, though the caramel is slightly sweeter, the rye bread is toastier, and some black pepper and cinnamon find their ways in as well. The body is a light medium, with a light moderate carbonation and a generally smooth feel. Overall, a mostly solid O-Fest, but one that doesn't really stand out from the crowd in any appreciable manner. It rises above the light cabbage character, but it doesn't soar. Still not bad, though, especially for the price...

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2011 06:45:34 | More by TMoney2591

feloniousmonk

Minnesota

3.95/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4.5

Clear, copperish, amber... layer of head starts big, then dwindles, leaving lace...

Comforting nose. Plenty of malt at play. Tender esters of fruit, herb, vegetals, ...ultimately dryish.

Taste: clean and smooth and loaded with juicy malt. Very stream-lined and tasty.
Lean in body, but unfailing in flavor. Classic. Quite a delicious lager here. Tas-tee, let me say, tas-teee...

Serving type: bottle

09-19-2005 07:19:27 | More by feloniousmonk

WesWes

New York

3.63/5  rDev -8.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

The beer pours a dark golden color with a thick frothy white head. The aroma is good. It has a malty lager scent. It has the dry scent of a typical lager, but with a malty edge that smells great. The taste is decent. It boasts of pale and light crystal malts. It finishes dry. The mouthfeel is fine. It is a medium bodied beer with a little too much carbonation. This is a good Fest beer; one I'd buy again.

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2004 00:25:04 | More by WesWes

drabmuh

Maryland

4.08/5  rDev +3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

OKTOBERFEST! Beer poured from a bottle into a 0.5L glass. Beer is amber to orange and completely clear. High carbonation and a nice white head that leaves lacing on the glass. Looks good.

Aroma is soft and sweet. Pilsner mostly, mild caramel.

Beer is sweet and medium bodied and finishes cleanly. Its carbonated on the palate nicely and has this caramelly flavor to it. Very interesting.

Good connectivity and a nice beer overall. One of the best oktoberfests I've had.

Serving type: bottle

09-04-2010 18:31:55 | More by drabmuh

Mora2000

Texas

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The beer pours an orange-amber color with a large white head. The aroma is heavy on the nutty and toffee malts with a little bit of grass thrown in from the hops. The flavor is is full of toffee, caramel and biscuit malts. There are some nice floral hop notes in the flavor as well which really add to the flavor profile. Medium mouthfeel and medium carbonation. Very easy to drink and one of the best German-brewed märzens out there.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2011 05:04:18 | More by Mora2000

zeff80

Missouri

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

A - Poured out a clear, amber color with golden highlights. It had a thick, off-white head of bubbly foam. It left some soapy trails of lace.

S - It smelled of sweet caramel, some grass and subtle spice.

T - It had a toasty maltiness with sweet caramel. There was a nice bitter hop character, not overpowering but just enough to add some balance.

M - It was crisp, sharp and smooth. A light bodied, easy drinking lager.

D - This is a really solid o-fest. Good price and quite tasty.

Serving type: bottle

12-05-2009 19:26:41 | More by zeff80

metter98

New York

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A: The beer is clear yellowish amber in color and poured with a finger high white head that gradually faded away leaving a thin layer of bubbles covering the surface. A light to medium amount of carbonation is visible from the rising bubbles.
S: The smell has a moderate amount of sweetness and has aromas of toasted malts and caramel.
T: The taste is very similar to the smell and also has a moderate amount of malty sweetness. There are flavors of caramel and the finish has a mild amount of bitterness.
M: It feels light- to medium-bodied on the palate and is rather creamy.
D: It's very easy to drink this beer; I could easily drink several of these in a single sitting. I definitely won't pass up the opportunity to have this beer when it is available in the fall.

Serving type: bottle

09-06-2010 20:02:33 | More by metter98

TheManiacalOne

Rhode Island

4.45/5  rDev +12.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a mug glass.

A: The beer is a bright orange color, with a large foamy yellow head that fades slowly and leaves a thick lace on the glass.

S: The aroma is bready and spicy, with a heavy scent of caramel and a hint of hops.

T: The flavors of grain and caramelized malt hold dominance throughout each sip. There are faint background flavors of spice and hops, which provide an excellent balance. After-taste is bready and slightly sweet.

M: Very crisp and very smooth, medium body but light for the style, medium carbonation, very clean finish.

D: Quite tasty, goes down very easily, not filling at all, excellent representation of style, I polished off the bottle I had extremely quickly and can see myself drinking several of these over the course of an evening.

Serving type: bottle

12-16-2006 03:36:33 | More by TheManiacalOne

russpowell

Oklahoma

4.55/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Pours amber/caramel with 3+ fingers of eggshell colored head. Good lacing & very good head retention, plus persistent effervescence

S: Slight caramel with honey, spicyness & cakeyness as this warmed up

T: caramel & breadyness up front. Herbal & cakey notes once this warms. Finishes with hints of dryness, leafy hops, apricot & a bit caramel & butterscotch

MF: Medium to heavy body with low carbonation & super balance

Drinks too easy, finally a bottle that matches up with what I had in Germany! Recommended right here/right now

Serving type: bottle

08-31-2007 02:52:48 | More by russpowell

emerge077

Illinois

3.88/5  rDev -2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Somehow I expected more from Ayinger with this one, after experiencing their other quality offerings.

Pours a glowing hazy orange-amber, that is really a pleasure to look at. A half-inch head settles to a ring towards the end of the glass.

Smells doughy, malty, slightly uric. Eh, not good or bad.

Taste is clean, lightly toasty malt with understated hop character. Doughy and slightly sweet in the middle.

Clean and somewhat crisp on the palate, and very easy to drink. The sweetness was low, but it seemed to be a detriment here. I'll admit, I bought it for the cap.

Serving type: bottle

04-02-2007 22:41:30 | More by emerge077

Halcyondays

California

3.98/5  rDev +0.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

16.9 oz. Euro brown bottle,

A: Pours a light amber, orange, just a shade over golden into a pilsner glass, with a nice white head.

S: Smells very good, some caramel malt, baking bread, apples, and a hint of sourdough.

T: Tastes of Munich malt predominately, with some nice nuttiness, and a snappy, floral hop profile.

M: Bright and snappy, but with a lightness to it that makes it easy to drink, a good fall refresher.

D: A good Oktoberfest beer, Ayinger makes really good stuff, I find all of their beers to be at least above average in the style, one of my favourite German breweries, another good job.

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2007 17:35:11 | More by Halcyondays

Gavage

New Jersey

3.58/5  rDev -9.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours a light copper color. Thick fluffy 3" head. Decent lacing develops through the drink. The aroma is bland, as only some hints of bread and caramel exist. The flavor is a mildly malty, with some caramel and bread tones. A hint of nuttiness and mild bitterness rounds this out.

Mouthfeel is mildly crisp at the start. Finish is smooth. Soft caramel tones linger on the tongue briefly after swallowing. Decent drinkability, not a bad brew to enjoy during a cool October afternoon.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2005 17:32:31 | More by Gavage

jwc215

New Jersey

4.3/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 5

Pours bright orange with a creamy white head that thins and stays leaving lacing.

The smell is of caramel and a grainy maltiness with earthy spicing. Robust and pleasant malty and hoppy aroma.

he taste is of caramel and grainy malty sweetness with an underlying hop spicing.

The body is on the lighter side, but creamy and smooth. A nice lingering aftertaste hangs on.

Certainly one that I could drink plenty of at an O-fest gathering!

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2009 14:50:23 | More by jwc215

biboergosum

Alberta (Canada)

4.03/5  rDev +1.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

For October, it's pretty swell outside, and a nice (seasonal at that) lager makes perfect sense today.

This beer pours a clear, light golden amber hue, with rising effervescence, and two fingers of creamy off-white head, which leaves some nice spidery lace around the glass as it melts away. It smells of bready, crackery malt, a bit of toffee, and soft earthy, floral hops. The taste is sourdough malt, fruit pith, a bit of earthy honey, and mild floral hops. The carbonation is moderate and even, the body medium weight, smooth, and more than a tad creamy. It finishes fairly dry, and clean, making each subsequent swig that much more desirable.

A very balanced, solid, and tasty lager. I can totally see the appeal of downing 1 liter steins of this kind of stuff amongst thousands of like-minded imbibers.

Serving type: bottle

10-08-2010 22:32:44 | More by biboergosum

tempest

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Picked up a 500ml from Byerly's in Maple Grove. Pours a clear amber-gold with a white head. Man I wish Ayinger beer were more readily available/cheaper.

This is a great O-fest, rich with bready caramel malts with a smooth, oh-so drinkable body. It is a touch thicker than other in the style, Spaten comes to mind as a thinner beer, but man it's good. The flavor has subtle layers of malt with a touch of crisp light toffee, with an aroma to match. I'll be looking forward to having this again next fall.

Serving type: bottle

11-22-2008 17:09:13 | More by tempest