Style: Oktoberfest/Marzen

• Belonging to the Amber Lager family of beers, the Oktoberfest/Marzen beer style originated with Gabriel Sedlmayr and the 1872 Oktoberfest celebration in Munich. Sedlmayr brewed a relatively strong version of the existing Vienna Lager (also an Amber Lager) that quickly became a favorite Oktoberfest beer.
  
  The original Oktoberfest beer was probably darker in color than today's beers of the same style but the color of an Oktoberfest beer can range from deep gold to dark amber. Modern, domestic German Oktoberfest beers tend to have a deep gold color while Oktoberfest beers brewed for export are typically a rich amber color.
  
  This beer style showcases a rich malt flavor that is balanced by a crisp, clean hop presence. The Oktoberfest style is truly a showcase for malt flavors.
  
  Oktoberfest beers are alternately known as Marzen beers because they were traditionally brewed in March (Marzen) and lagered over the summer for consumption at the fall Oktoberfest. The Oktoberfest celebration itself dates to 1812, but the 1872 introduction of Sedlmyar's beer marked the first time that an original beer recipe was brewed specifically for the event.
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