Great Lakes Oktoberfest

Anyone who grew up in Cleveland and who loves craft beer knows about Great Lakes Brewing Company. The employee-owned beer company has the distinct honor of being the first craft brewery established in the State of Ohio. While I don't live in Ohio anymore, I never pass up a chance to have a Great Lakes beer when I come across it at a restaurant or in the grocery store.

That was the case recently when I came across a couple of six packs of the Great Lakes' Oktoberfest. The brewery describes its beer as a "Marzen-style lager. It is a reference to the malty style of beer that, for nearly 150 years (roughly from 1840 to 1990), was the primary beer served at the famous Oktoberfest. (The Marzen has since been upstaged by the "Fest Bier," which is now the principal beer served at the festival. 

The historical roots of Marzen beer style lead one to the breweries of Bavaria, most likely during the 1500s. At that time, there were laws that limited the brewing of beer to a period between September and April. (Other factors, such as the weather, similarly made brewing beer in the summer months extremely difficult, if not impossible, to brew lagers like a Marzen.) Brewers typically brewed their beers in March, hence the "Marzen," name  so that they could last throughout the summer months. These beers were typically darker, with more bread and even roasted notes.  However, in 1841, Spaten introduced an amber style of beer, the Marzen, which quickly became the hit of the Oktoberfest. The rest, as they say, is history.

The Marzen style is known for amber-colored beers, which the Great Lakes' Oktoberfest recreates in beautiful fashion. (It should be noted that, historically, the Marzen beers tended to darker hues, with varying shades of brown.) The aroma of the beer is malt-forward, with some bread or toast notes.  Marzen beers have little to no hop notes. As one could guess from the aroma, the taste of the beer should feature the malts and not the hops. While some bitterness should be present, this is not a beer that will feature citrus or pine in any aspect of the flavor. It is all about the malts, which makes for a smoother, more easily drinkable beer.

The Great Lakes Oktoberfest checks off all of the boxes with respect to what one would expect from a Marzen beer (or at least one brewed outside of Bavaria). Not only does its amber hue hit the mark, but the beer is a malty, toasty homage to Oktoberfests of yesteryear.  Not necessarily Bavarian Oktoberfests (one may need to try one of the "Big 6 of Munich" to get that experience - such as Augstiner, Hacker-Pschorr, Hofbrau, Lowenbrau, Paulaner and Spaten), but definitely a clear marker for what could be characterized as an American Oktoberfest.

ENJOY!

The 7 Locks of Maryland

If you live in the DMV (that is, the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia), you should know about the seven (7) locks.  I knew that the 7 locks are locks of the Chesapeake & Ohio canal.  A lock is used to raise or lower vessels between different stretches of a river or a canal.  The 7 locks refer to Lock Numbers 8 through 14, which are located on a one and one-quarter mile stretch of the C&O Canal.  It begins with Lock 8, located just south of the Clara Barton Parkway in Cabin John, Maryland, and ends with Lock 14, which just beyond Interstate 495.  A walk along the paths that connect those locks provides one with an insight into a chapter of our transportation history that is truly remarkable.

But, this is not a blog about transportation.  It is about food and beer.  And, with respect to the latter, the 7 Locks refers to a relatively new brewery in Rockville, Maryland.  My beautiful Angel and I have visited the 7 Locks taproom a few times to sample its beers.  Standards (that is, year around offerings) like the Surrender Dorothy Rye'PA and Devils Alley IPA are very good.  However, during our last trip, we both decided to try the Oktoberfest.  Perhaps it was the season.  Perhaps it was the beer.  Actually, it was the beer, because we bought a growler of the Oktoberfest to enjoy at home.  

According to the brewers, the Oktoberfest is "[a]n American take on the traditional German Marzen style."  According to the Beer Judge Certification Program, a Marzen an amber orange to a deep copper red color.  The 7 Locks' take does not achieve ether of those hues, taking on a more golden color.

While the Oktoberfest may not meet the BCJP's expectations of the color, it hits the mark on both the aroma and taste.  The BCJP describes a Marzen as having aromatic notes that are rich, bready and toasty.  These notes come from the heavy emphasis on the malts.  The Oktoberfest meets this part of the standard.  As for the taste, the BCJP expects that bready, toasty nature to shine through, with a little bitterness from the hops (but no hop taste). The hops are meant to balance the sweetness that could arise from the malts.  That is what takes place with this Oktoberfest.  The beer has great malt tones, which provide some bready and toasty flavors.   While the brewers suggest "a hint of cherry wood smoke," I did not detect that in this beer.  

In the end, the Oktoberfest  may come closer to the BCJP's description of a Fest Bier as opposed to a Marzen.  But, who cares?  It is a very good beer and one that I'll be back for next year.  

Until next time....

ENJOY!