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canyonwalkerI went shopping last weekend at the liquor store. Mostly I was buying wine; I had a coupon. And while I was there I picked up a six-pack of a beer I've been meaning to compare in my Beer Tasting 2022 project. (Yes, I'm very aware it's now 2024. I drink slowly, okay?)
The new challenger is Gordon Biersch Märzen. Gordon Biersch is a brewery that got started nearby, in San Jose. They did well enough with their brews that they gained regional distribution. Their original and classic beer is their Märzen, and old-fashioned Oktoberfest beer. Yes, Märzen is literally German for "March". And circa 100 years ago it's what Germans would drink during Oktoberfest. Which is actually in September.
The first beer I've paired it against is Abita Amber Lager.
Why put a old-style Oktoberfest Märzen against an amber lager? Well, they're kind of the same thing. And indeed, tasting them side by side proved that. From the pour they had nearly identical color. Abita, though, had an exaggerated head, even as I poured it carefully into the glass.
The similarity continued to the flavor. Overall these beers are very similar in flavor. Thus it's surprising that Gordon Biersch is so hands-down the winner. I drank them one after the other, then in reverse order, both with and without food (pizza!). No matter how I varied it, GB always came out ahead. Abita just tasted kind of sweet yet anonymous. GB was pleasantly sweet but had an enjoyable richness to its flavor. Every sip of GB told me, "Hey, I'm a beer! I taste like beer. I'm rich and a little sweet but not overpowering. Hey, what's that, pizza? Mmm-mm, I love pizza."
Hometown Gordon Biersch wins its first match with a walk-off. Of course, that's not particularly surprising because Abita Amber Lager is not a strong contender. It'll be interesting to see how GB measures up to Märzen-style Oktoberfests.
The new challenger is Gordon Biersch Märzen. Gordon Biersch is a brewery that got started nearby, in San Jose. They did well enough with their brews that they gained regional distribution. Their original and classic beer is their Märzen, and old-fashioned Oktoberfest beer. Yes, Märzen is literally German for "March". And circa 100 years ago it's what Germans would drink during Oktoberfest. Which is actually in September.
The first beer I've paired it against is Abita Amber Lager.
Why put a old-style Oktoberfest Märzen against an amber lager? Well, they're kind of the same thing. And indeed, tasting them side by side proved that. From the pour they had nearly identical color. Abita, though, had an exaggerated head, even as I poured it carefully into the glass.
The similarity continued to the flavor. Overall these beers are very similar in flavor. Thus it's surprising that Gordon Biersch is so hands-down the winner. I drank them one after the other, then in reverse order, both with and without food (pizza!). No matter how I varied it, GB always came out ahead. Abita just tasted kind of sweet yet anonymous. GB was pleasantly sweet but had an enjoyable richness to its flavor. Every sip of GB told me, "Hey, I'm a beer! I taste like beer. I'm rich and a little sweet but not overpowering. Hey, what's that, pizza? Mmm-mm, I love pizza."
Hometown Gordon Biersch wins its first match with a walk-off. Of course, that's not particularly surprising because Abita Amber Lager is not a strong contender. It'll be interesting to see how GB measures up to Märzen-style Oktoberfests.
