Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen is one of those German imports that seems instantly recognizable.  Of course, the bottle doesn’t say much about itself.  The biggest blurb on Spaten’s site is about the history of Octoberfest, and how it’s huge.   Between Spaten, and their bottle, there’s about zilch information on their product and what to expect from it.  So with no expectation, what’s it like?  

Sight:  A duller brown, mahogany wood stain.

Smell:  Grains and malt lead off, possibly a tinge of hops.  Some smells that might resemble buckwheat honey, caramel, and lemon pith.

Sip:  Big old buckwheat honey with lots of carbonation, and touches of hops.  It’s very simple, very straightforward. Very minor sweetness. [A.B.V. 5.9%]

Savor:  It kind of hangs on very slightly with a bitter note, just sitting there.

Spaten Oktoberfest Ur-Märzen is just not exciting.  Steadily drinkable, but there’s nothing there to really talk about.  Yep, it’s a Märzen.  Possibly sessionable, but not deep.

Verdict:  Malt, Skunk, Grain
Price: $1.79 / 12 oz bottle
Munich, Germany
http://www.spatenbeer.com/