SanTan Oktoberfest

A moderate malt caramel and light toasty/biscuit-like malt aroma is up front in the nose for this beer. A little swirl of the glass releases more toast and biscuit aroma with just a hint of earthy noble hops in the background. The color is light copper, definitely in the Märzen tradition rather than the more modern, paler beers served for Oktoberfest in Germany and classified as the Festbier style of beer. Despite the hue, the beer is clear enough to read through and has a very slight, thin and off-white head. The flavor is malty, very much like the aroma: some sweetness with bready/toasty notes commingling. The hop bitterness is distinctive and on the high end for a Märzen. The finish is predominantly malty with a touch of alcohol flavor in the finish. The beer has medium body and adequate carbonation for the style and a small amount of astringency that may be from carbonation or the judicious use of roast malts for flavor and color complexity. Overall, this is a very good Märzen, much like you might expect in a German export market beer labeled as an "Oktoberfest." It would be a great addition for an Oktoberfest-themed party with other beers in the Märzen and Festbier styles.