Weihenstephaner Oktoberfestbier

Established in 1040, Weihenstephaner is the world's oldest brewery, so without tasting a drop, one can assume that they have the basics down! One of the things that might surprise a regular consumer of American style Oktoberfests is that the German version, that is, the original, does not have the heavy maltiness that we in the U.S. have come to expect. Firstly, it pours a clear straw color, with a fluffy white head, just like the lager that it is. Another thing that surprised me was the lack of any "skunkiness" that you often get with imports, especially the green bottle variety. Now that doesn't mean that you're getting a weak, characterless brew - indeed no! This Märzen is as full-bodied as they come. The main flavor is a sweet biscuit, and I swear that there's some strawberry in there somewhere. The hoppiness is assertyive, but not obnoxious, finishing off crisply and leaving you wanting just one more.