märzen

See also: Märzen

English

Festbier served at Oktoberfest in the traditional 1-litre Maß

Etymology

From German Märzen(bier) (literally “March beer”). A decree issued in 1553 by Albert V, Duke of Bavaria bade all brewing between 23 April and 29 September, preventing brewing during the warm season, when, unbeknown to medievals, ambient bacteria would often infect the Bavarians’ beers and quickly spoil them. Brewers, therefore, worked overtime in March to make enough beer, which was usually brewed slightly stronger than regular beer and stored cool, i.e., lagered, so it would keep better, to last until fall.

Noun

märzen (countable and uncountable, plural märzens)

1. A lager originating in Bavaria, which has a medium to full body and may vary in color from pale through amber to dark brown and is traditionally served at the Munich Oktoberfest.
   • 1995, Stephen Beaumont, A Taste for Beer, page 76:

     For all of the Oktoberfests to be found around the land, there is still precious little märzen being brewed in North America’s microbreweries. This paucity of märzen is a shame, too, because it is the ideal beer style for the season and is especially appropriate for Oktoberfest celebrations.

   • 2009, World’s Best Beers: 1000 Unmissable Brews from Portland to Prague, Jacqui Small:

     Hazy on the eye and full of fruity esters, much of kellerbier’s colour (similar to a märzen) and body comes from caramelised malt, while a healthy hopping gives the beer its quenching crisp dryness and sprightly aromatics.

   • 2017, Jeff Alworth, The Secrets of Master Brewers: Techniques, Traditions, and Homebrew Recipes for 26 of the World’s Classic Beer Styles, Storey Publishing, page 79:

     Märzens have become lighter in recent years, looking more like pilsners than the autumnal-hued beauties they once were. For a rich, traditional märzen, consider a base of pilsner malt with up to 50 percent Munich or a blend of Munich, Vienna, and pilsner.

Synonyms

• märzenbier

Further reading

• Märzen on Wikipedia.Wikipedia