Style: Märzen

All Styles

Style Profile based on 1,340 recipes

BU:GU

0.39

Hops

3.8 g/L

Mash pH

5.48

Style Guidelines BJCP 2015 Beer
OG
1.054 1.06
1.058
FG
1.01 1.014
1.014
IBU
18 24
23
ABV
5.8% 6.3%
5.8%
SRM
8 17
Description

An elegant, malty German amber lager with a clean, rich, toasty and bready malt flavor, restrained bitterness, and a dry finish that encourages another drink. The overall malt impression is soft, elegant, and complex, with a rich aftertaste that is never cloying or heavy. History: As the name suggests, brewed as a stronger “March beer” in March and lagered in cold caves over the summer. Modern versions trace back to the lager developed by Spaten in 1841, contemporaneous to the development of Vienna lager. However, the Märzen name is much older than 1841; the early ones were dark brown, and in Austria the name implied a strength band (14 °P) rather than a style. The German amber lager version (in the Viennese style of the time) was first served at Oktoberfest in 1872, a tradition that lasted until 1990 when the golden Festbier was adopted as the standard festival beer. Style Comparison: Not as strong and rich as a Dunkles Bock. More malt depth and richness than a Festbier, with a heavier body and slightly less hops. Less hoppy and equally malty as a Czech Amber Lager.

Examples: Buergerliches Ur-Saalfelder, Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest, Paulaner Oktoberfest, Weltenburg Kloster Anno 1050

Typical Grain Bill

% of total grain weight across all recipes · sums to ~100%

Common Additions

% of Märzen recipes using each malt category (addition % in brackets)

Hop Usage by Addition Type

g/L · median with IQR range

Bittering
0.62 g/L 1.93 g/L
1.37 g/L
Flavour
0.58 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.75 g/L
Aroma
0.39 g/L 1.37 g/L
0.75 g/L
Whirlpool
0.43 g/L 1.43 g/L
0.72 g/L

Common Hops

% of Märzen recipes using each hop

Typical Water Profile

Ca²⁺ 60 ppm
Mg²⁺ 6 ppm
Na⁺ 10 ppm
Cl⁻ 75 ppm
SO₄²⁻ 55 ppm
HCO₃⁻ 50 ppm

median across recipes with a declared water profile

Similar Styles

Ranked by similarity across OG, IBU, ABV, hop rate, and grist composition.