This review is a little late for this year’s Oktoberfest, but I did drink the beer during same: Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen. Yum! Outside of Munich, this is the Oktoberfest beer by which all others are judged. Or so some people would tell you. (I’m one of them.)

That’s not to say that other Oktoberfests out there aren’t good; it’s just if you want to try some of the best, get Paulaner. Anyway, let’s hit my review notes.

Appearance: Perfectly clear amber-orange topped with smooth and creamy off-white head.

Smell: Caramel maltiness. The malt dominates the nose, not much in the way of hops.

Taste: Rich and malty… wheat/grain, grass; earthy. Light hops—very crisp and clean of the Noble variety. The "malty" has caramel, whole multi-grain bread, sweetness in a molasses kind of way (i.e., not too sweet, slightly bittersweet and thick).

Mouthfeel: Smooth, medium-bodied. Creamy rich.

On BeerAdvocate, it scores a nice 87 (out of 100) with 99% approval; it’s on their Top 10 list for the style. On RateBeer, it scores 3.38 out of 5, and sits in the 75th percentile.