Beer Review: Alvarado St. Oktoberfest Märzen Lager Bier
Style: Märzen
ABV: 5.7%
IBU: Not listed (typically moderate for the style)
Brewery: Alvarado Street Brewery (Monterey, CA)
Pours a beautiful, clear copper-amber color, exactly what you’d hope for in a Märzen. It’s bright and inviting, catching the light perfectly. A creamy, off-white head forms upon pouring, which eventually settles into a thin, persistent collar, leaving minimal lacing. The clarity is excellent, showcasing the lager’s clean conditioning.
Aroma: The aroma is wonderfully malty and inviting. Sweet, toasty bread notes dominate, reminiscent of fresh-baked biscuits, sourdough crust, and a touch of caramel or honey. There’s a subtle hint of floral or noble hop spice that provides a gentle counterpoint to the rich malt profile, but the focus is definitely on the grain. It smells clean, crisp, and traditional.
Taste: Alvarado Street’s Oktoberfest delivers on the promise of its aroma. The taste is a harmonious blend of toasted malt sweetness with a clean, crisp finish. The initial flavor is rich and bready, with notes of toasted grain, light caramel, and a hint of biscuit. This sweetness is perfectly balanced by a firm yet restrained hop bitterness in the mid-palate, which helps to dry out the finish and prevent it from being cloying. The noble hops contribute a subtle earthy or spicy character, adding to the classic Märzen profile. It’s incredibly smooth and easy-drinking.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a smooth, clean texture characteristic of a well-made lager. The carbonation is lively but soft, contributing to its refreshing quality. It finishes remarkably clean and crisp, inviting another sip immediately. There’s no cloying sweetness or heavy lingering flavors, just a satisfying malt presence.
Alvarado Street Brewery has crafted a really solid and enjoyable Oktoberfest Märzen. It hits all the right notes for the style: beautiful color, rich toasty malt aroma and flavor, and a clean, crisp lager finish. At 5.7% ABV, it’s highly sessionable and perfect for celebrating the season. While some craft breweries put a modern twist on traditional styles, Alvarado Street seems to have aimed for a faithful and well-executed rendition of a classic, and they’ve succeeded admirably. If you’re looking for a traditional, well-made Märzen, this is definitely one to seek out. Prost!