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Beer Tasting: Sudwerk Amber Lager
Oct. 18th, 2024 01:49 pmFirst off, Yes, I'm still working on my beer tasting project that I began just over 2½ years ago. I haven't written on the topic in a while... though that's not because I haven't been trying new beers. I 've tried a few in the past month or so. I'm just backlogged in blogging (not unusual).
The subject of this blog entry is Sudwerk Brewing's Amber Lager. It's a Märzen, a German lager style whose name literally means "March", as in the month. Though the beer is brewed in Davis, California, it's got a umlaut in it, so you know it's German... -ic.
Traditionally, Märzen beers were brewed in March and enjoyed at Oktoberfest... which is actually in September. Thus it's not surprising that Sudwerk tastes similar to some Oktoberfest brews... though it's in the style that was enjoyed at Oktoberfest c. 100 years ago. "Oktoberfest" isn't a specific style of beer, per se, but whatever style the big breweries that drive the celebration choose. In modern times they've shifted from amber lager to a classic light lager style.
As an amber lager, Sudwerk pours with a delicious looking reddish-brown color. The beer makes a decent head and exudes a nice, rich malty aroma. The taste is pretty much what the look and smell prepare you for as you lift the glass to your mouth. It's malty, bready, and sweet, with notes of caramel.
If anything, Sudwerk is just a tad too sweet on its own. As I drank a few sips before dinner I thought to myself, "This seems more like it should be my dessert." But the slightly over-sweet character disappears once paired with food.
With food, especially savory or rich or sloppy food, the beer really comes into its own. In this sense it was much like Gordon Biersch Märzen. "Is that pizza you're eating? Mm-mmm, I love pairing with pizza. Burgers? Heck, yeah! Barbecue chicken? Don't forget to mop up the sauce and wash it down with one last swig."
I'd had some trouble finding Sudwerk in stock. Though it's brewed in Davis, California, which is only about 100 miles away, and local stores do stock it, it seems like they're always down to their last unit or sold out. I could see making this one of my regular picks... if I could find it regularly. But before I do that I'll be curious to compare it against a few other Märzen lagers I've got in my cellar right now.
The subject of this blog entry is Sudwerk Brewing's Amber Lager. It's a Märzen, a German lager style whose name literally means "March", as in the month. Though the beer is brewed in Davis, California, it's got a umlaut in it, so you know it's German... -ic.
Traditionally, Märzen beers were brewed in March and enjoyed at Oktoberfest... which is actually in September. Thus it's not surprising that Sudwerk tastes similar to some Oktoberfest brews... though it's in the style that was enjoyed at Oktoberfest c. 100 years ago. "Oktoberfest" isn't a specific style of beer, per se, but whatever style the big breweries that drive the celebration choose. In modern times they've shifted from amber lager to a classic light lager style.As an amber lager, Sudwerk pours with a delicious looking reddish-brown color. The beer makes a decent head and exudes a nice, rich malty aroma. The taste is pretty much what the look and smell prepare you for as you lift the glass to your mouth. It's malty, bready, and sweet, with notes of caramel.
If anything, Sudwerk is just a tad too sweet on its own. As I drank a few sips before dinner I thought to myself, "This seems more like it should be my dessert." But the slightly over-sweet character disappears once paired with food.
With food, especially savory or rich or sloppy food, the beer really comes into its own. In this sense it was much like Gordon Biersch Märzen. "Is that pizza you're eating? Mm-mmm, I love pairing with pizza. Burgers? Heck, yeah! Barbecue chicken? Don't forget to mop up the sauce and wash it down with one last swig."
I'd had some trouble finding Sudwerk in stock. Though it's brewed in Davis, California, which is only about 100 miles away, and local stores do stock it, it seems like they're always down to their last unit or sold out. I could see making this one of my regular picks... if I could find it regularly. But before I do that I'll be curious to compare it against a few other Märzen lagers I've got in my cellar right now.
