Märzen: Definition

A märzen is a dark gold to reddish amber colored lager, with bright clarity, and solid heading.  You’ll typically smell a toasted or German malt aroma.  Moderate hop bitterness, and hop flavor is low to none.   Distinctive and complex maltiness usually contains a toasted aspect.  Balance is toward malt, though the finish is not sweet.  This is one of the classic malty styles, with a maltiness that is often described as soft, complex, and elegant but never cloying.  Typical alcohol content is 6%abv.   The North American style of this classic German beer is distinguished by a comparatively greater degree of character from hops, with some bitterness which is not aggressive or harsh.  The name derives from the month (March) in which this beer was traditionally brewed.  The beer lagered for the entire summer in the mountains south of Munich, and carted by horse back to the city center to be consumed in an October festival, the Oktoberfest.