Beer Styles

What is a Märzen? It's a stronger, bottom-fermented lager named after the month in which it used to be brewed. The Bavarian Brewing Order of 1553 permitted brewing only between Michaelmas on September 29 and St. George's Day on April 23. So in March, people brewed the beer meant for summer, stronger and more stable.

A Märzen tastes malty, round, and lightly of bread crust, with a color ranging from golden yellow to copper, and an original gravity of 13.3 to 14.7 degrees Plato according to style guidelines. The Helles beside it is lighter: golden, mild, with 11 to 11.9 degrees original gravity and 4.7 to 5.4 percent alcohol. In western Austria, both styles are at home among the family breweries.

The special beers take their own path. The Fohrenburger Jubiläum, with an original gravity of 12.8 degrees, sits between a Helles and a Märzen, and was awarded gold at the European Beer Star in 2025. Exactly how each brewery distinguishes its Helles from its special beer is a house recipe, not a standard.

So the difference between Helles and Märzen lies mainly in strength and malt character. The Helles aims to be easily drinkable, the Märzen fills the mouth. Both are bottom-fermented, both ferment cool and mature in the lagering cellar. That sets them apart from top-fermented beers like wheat beer.

Figures from the style profile are competition ranges according to the US-based BJCP guidelines, not a recipe requirement. An individual beer from a given brewery may fall slightly outside them. What's reliable is only what's stated on the label or by the brewery.