Beer Style: Amber Lager 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.
Dougweiser
You cannot tell the story of the Falcons without having Doug King in the middle of it. In Doug’s years in the club, the legend of Dougweiser and his habit of throwing anything into the mash tun (with consideration) became the stuff of legends. This is the last batch of Doug’s eponymous beer he brewed before his death driving to the Northern California Homebrewers Fest. It was brewed on July 4, 1999 and was kegged on August 10. (For readers obsessed with gear in pursuit of perfection, Doug brewed world class lagers on his kitchen stove and used a ZapPap bucket setup for lautering.)
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.
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
Vienna Lager: Brew me, Amadeus
Some of the most well-known classical music was written and performed in Vienna and it is also home to one of the classic lagers of the world, the Vienna lager. Take a tour of its history and what it takes to craft your own.
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.
Gordon Strong’s Pre-Prohibition Lager
I’m presenting a modern homebrew version of this recipe that uses flaked maize rather than a cereal mash, and has some upgraded malt and hops.
