Oktoberfest Lowenbrau

4.3/5 rDev +18.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

It's October, and you know what that means? Beer retailers selling a vast range of Marzens... oh yeah and a heap of sweaty Lederhosen wearing Bavarian men celebrating in the best way possible - drinking Masskrug's full to the brim with awesome German beers.

Poured from a 500ml bottle into a sweet 500ml Lowenbrau glass which I'll cherish all the more so because my (real) surname means "lion" and Lowenbrau is literally "lion brew", aka "my beer dammit!".

A: Clear golden body with a boisterous white head - that's Marzen country right there!

S: Dry grass hop aromas blend well with a powerful malt grain base. We know exactly what to expect here; a nice dry Helles lager. Also to note: the hops are very fresh in this brew and the aroma balance is perfect for a lager.

T: Alright! This is one damn good Marzen! Straight away you're hit with a strong grain base, sweet grains front to mid and a nice dry grassy hop finish - this is a spot on thirst quencher right here. There is a mild sour yeast tang in the middle. What an excellent representation of the classic Helles style.

M: The body is medium and cloys a little like honey. The carbonation is lower than expected but this isn't necessarily a bad thing in my books.

D: Would easily buy a case of this if I could... damn you Oktoberfest! Why can't you be a year-round event!? As it is Marzen only comes around once a year in these parts [that's why they call it a "Marzen" Dok - Marzen is German for "March"]. If I could find a fault with this beer maybe it's a little on the sweet side, however it is a 6% ABV lager and you've got to hide that alcohol somewhere. A top brew, highly recommended.

Food match: German food and German brews are a match made in heaven (or Nirvana if you're a Buddhist). We already know that. So what other cuisines would this match with? Given the sweetness this beer would make a good pairing with a sweet and mild Thai curry like a Massaman chicken with coconut rice.