# 🍺 Top-down Brew: Märzen

Original Gravity

Enter the desired original gravity as specific gravity (1.0XX) or degrees plato (°P).

Specification: 1.054 - 1.060; 13.3 to 14.7 °P

Target volume

Enter the desired volume at the end of the boil. The volume units can be either liters, gallons, or US barrels.

Measurement Units Metric US US Barrels

Select the preferred unit of measurement for the inputs and outputs. Metric uses liters, grams, and kilograms. US uses gallons, ounces, and pounds. US Barrels (31 gallons = 1 barrel) is in barrels, pounds, and ounces.

Mash Efficiency

Enter the anticipated mash efficiency percentage. If this is not known, try the following values based on the sparge method: Steeping (50%), No-sparge or brew-in-a-bag (65 to 75%), Batch sparge (80%), or Continuous (fly) sparge (85 to 90%).

Grains

Enter the name, fermentable %, Lovibond, and yield (SG or percent) with comma separations.

Continental pilsner malt should be the foundation. Significant proportions of Vienna and Munich malt should be included. Hofer (2022) describes some commercial brewers using 50% pilsner, 25% Vienna, and 25% Munich or 50% pilsner with 50% dark Munich. Similarly, Daniels (2001) recommends that 80 to 90% of the malt bill should be pilsner, Vienna, and Munich, with his analysis averaging 41% Vienna and 21% Munich. The remaining malts can be small amounts of crystal malts like CaraPils and/or CaraMunich, but this should be kept small. Avoid excessive crystal malt flavor.

- Beer-analytics.com Märzen analysis
- Brew United's grain database
- BYO magazine grain and adjunct resource

Sugars

Enter the name, fermentable %, Lovibond, and yield (SG or percent) with comma separations. The grain and sugar percentages must add to 100%.

Sugars are not needed for all-grain beers. Extract brewers could try blending 50% Munich malt extract and 50% light or Pilsner-based malt extract.

- BYO magazine sugar resource

Bitterness

Enter the desired bitterness in international bittering units (IBUs).

Style specification: 18 to 24 IBUs. The beer-analytics.com averages suggest a BU/GU of .38.

Hops

Enter the hop name, IBU %, AA %, and boil minutes with comma separations.

The hops should be German or continental European varieties: Hallertau, Tettnanger, Spelt, and possibly Saaz. American hops bred from classic German hops could be a substitute. Avoid high hop flavor and aroma because the focus should be on malt character.

- Beer-analytics.com Märzen analysis
- Brew United hop database
- BYO magazine's hop resources

Late Boil Additions

Enter late boil additions like spices with the name and dosage (grams/liter), with a comma separation.

Spices are not needed for this style.

Dry Hops

Enter dry hops with name and dosage (grams/liter), with a comma separation.

Dry hopping is not needed for this style.

Yeast Ale Lager

Select the yeast type, ale or lager.

Use a clean fermenting lager yeast that produces low diacetyl. The beer should attentuate well and be easy-to-drink to avoid being overly sweet. High final gravity or excessive sweetness is a fault.

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## Results

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## Notes

Märzen is an amber lager often associated with autumn. This style is not the same as Festbier, which is the beer served during Oktoberfest celebrations in Germany. Märzen is a darker amber color than Festbier, with more malt character and slightly higher alcohol.

2021 BJCP 6A - Märzen characteristic ingredients: "Grist varies, although traditional German versions emphasized Munich malt. The notion of elegance is derived from the finest quality ingredients, particularly the base malts. A decoction mash is traditional, and enhances the rich malt profile."

Vital statistics: OG: 1.054 – 1.060, FG: 1.010 – 1.014, IBUs: 18 – 24, SRM: 8 – 17, ABV: 5.6 – 6.3%

The traditional mash is decoction, which may enhance caramel and melanoidin character. Step mashes and single-step infusion mashes are more common in modern commercial brewing. In these, decoction-like character might be partially achieved through using small amounts of crystal malts, CaraRed, or Melanoidin malt. Tiny amounts (1% or less) of Carafa or other roasted malts may be used for color adjustment.

## Sources

Beer-analytics.com Märzen analysis

Daniels, R. (2001). Designing great beers: The ultimate guide to brewing classic beer styles. Brewers Publications. p. 335 - 337.

Hofer, F. (2022, September). Germany's beers of autumn: Brew your own Märzen and festbier in time for Oktoberfest. Brew Your Own, 48 - 53.

Zainasheff, J., and Palmer, J.J. (2007). Brewing classic styles: 80 winning recipes anyone can brew. Brewers Publications. p. 70 - 71.

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