Beer Style: Amber Ales & Lagers Family
Märzen: The Traditional Oktoberfest Lager
Märzen is an amber lager that was served at Oktoberfest for over a century. While not poured in tents at the festival’s fairgrounds anymore, it is still a delicious style worth brewing at home.
Gordon Strong’s Märzen
This is a competition beer. It is a bit bigger, sweeter, and maltier than many modern German Märzen examples, which judges often prefer.
The Maltose Falcons 50th Anniversary Festbier
The Falcons and Sierra Nevada have had a long history and close relationship over the years. Something about members of the Grossman clan and others learning how to brew while in high school here in Los Angeles with supplies from John Daume. (Things are foggy and who knows about statute of limitations!) But seriously, both the Falcons and Sierra Nevada have been around since the start of this crazy “good beer” thing we all enjoy, so it’s only right that we joined forces with them for our 50th anniversary beer. Also, this brew session came about after a number of discussions and one really big kick in the pants by Marty Velas, “youngest President in club history” and Owner/Brewer of Fanatic Brewing Company in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Marty convinced Sierra Nevada to brew a festbier because we’re celebrating 50 years, it’s our Oktoberfest, and the club really was founded with a deep and abiding love of lagers as demonstrated by Merlin Elhardt and Cal Moeller’s obsession with them.
Smog City Brewing Co.’s Sabre-Toothed Squirrel clone
This hoppy amber ale features hop characteristics of pine, citrus, and herbal notes that pair perfectly with a maltier beer.
Gordon Strong’s Irish Red Ale
My recipe is a middle-of-the-road example for Ireland. It uses a rather dextrinous base malt (mild malt) with a little bit of oats to increase the mouthfeel.
Irish Red Ale
A style that has been twisted and misshapen when big, multi-national breweries started to popularize their brands, Irish red ales had for some time lost their way. Gordon Strong wants to take this style back to its Irish roots.
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.’s Oaktoberfest clone
Oaktoberfest has been part of the Firestone Walker lineup for about 20 years, but was originally a small volume beer brewed for Oktoberfest celebrations in and around the Paso brewery.
Dovetail Brewery’s Vienna-Style Lager clone
One of the standouts in the core lineup from Dovetail Brewery is their Vienna-Style Lager. Dovetail employs a double decoction mash for it.
Gordon Strong’s Vienna Lager
Your goal here is a smooth, standard-strength malty beer with enough hop bitterness to match the malt. It should not be heavy on the palate or sweet in the finish
Germany’s Beers of Autumn
Fall in Germany means Märzen and festbier! Learn about the history and differences of these styles, plus get tips straight from some of the greatest brewers on how they create their examples.
Festbier Is the Best Bier
A traditional festbier to be enjoyed by the liter during Oktoberfest or any fall festivities.
Monks’ Fortitude Märzen
Monks’ Fortitude is an homage to the malty Märzens of Franconia.
