Now, let’s get on with the post. Our final Oktoberfestbier for this year comes to us from Golden Goad in collaboration with Spaten, Oktoberfest Bier.
Spaten is one of the six original breweries in Munich that can serve their Festiber at Oktoberfest at the festival grounds. We are all aware of the famous wedding between Prince Ludwig Princess Therese In October of 1810 that serves as one of the reasons for the modern-day Oktoberfest celebrations. But the modern Märzen style has a strong connection with Spaten. This collaboration with Golden Road is yet another winner for the historic brewery.
In 1833, Gabriel Sedlmayr II of Spaten and brewing colleague Anton Dreher from Vienna traveled to England to learn about new malting techniques. Legend has it they used a hollowed-out cane to swipe some wort for analysis. While this is probably true, the new malting techniques were more valuable than any wort they might have siphoned off. Each brewer got to work.
Sedlmayr released a Märzen in 1841 using the Munich Malt he developed and Dreher released a similar beer using Vienna Malt some months later. One year later, in 1842, Josef Groll released a Pilsner out of the city of Pilsen in modern-day Czechia. In 1872, Gabriel’s brother Joseph Sedlmayr of Franziskaner released an Ur- Märzen in the year 1872 after using the best of both worlds (Märzen and Vienna) and an influence of the popular pale lager. This beer resembles our modern-day Märzen. As of 1922, Franziskaner merged to become part of Spaten.
Today, Golden Road has many pubs and has seen much growth since becoming part of AB-InBev. Although, it can be argued that their success and popularity would have happened anyway because of the talent on the brew-deck. Award-winning brewers Victor Novak and his right-hand man Steven Torres can usually be found in Anaheim and sometimes in Huntington Beach (HB). Novak had a heavy hand in generating the recipe for this beer. A legend in the beer industry, Novak shows his masterful gift in this beer.
Amber in color, clear with a beautiful cap of foam. The aromas are toasty with rich toffee and sweet bread. On the palate, this beer is malty and chewy, yet balanced with enough bitterness to keep it from cloying. A lovely example of a Märzen! Pick some up before they’re gone.
Visit Golden Road Anaheim: 2210 E Orangewood Ave.
Visit Golden Road HB: 16390 Pacific Coast Highway, Suite 100
Or, on the Web.
Prost!
Gilbert “Charlie” Perez, Advanced Cicerone®