The latest foray into Oktoberfest is Paulaner‘s Oktoberfest-Märzen, one of the classics. (I cited it in my 50 Beers to Drink Before You Die series.) It exemplifies the style; there’s really not much more that needs to be said.

Appearance: Very clear, darkish red-orange. Fluffy white head.

Smell: Very mild profile, but sweet with a very light hint of roasted malts. Nice noble hop spiciness in the background.

Taste: Malty and clean—mild caramel, crystallized sugars. Some caramelized sugars too—more burnt than the caramel candy flavor. Toffee, dark toast. Hops are very mild and a little grassy, letting the malt do its thing.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, a tad light (just shy of medium-bodied), very well balanced, very drinkable.

Overall: Like I said, it exemplifies the style. One of the best.

On BeerAdvocate, it scores 87 out of 100, with 98% approval. On RateBeer, it scores 3.34 out of 5 and is in their 73rd percentile.