Oktoberfest Education

The SF Chronicle today had some information about Oktoberfest beers that I was too lazy to look up myself. Here are some fun facts:

• Oktoberfest-style beers are usually made in a style called "Marzen," because they are brewed in the cool month of March (Marzen in German) for consumption in the months of September and October.
• Marzens typically have a copper/amber color, a full, creamy head, malty sweetness, low hops (bitter) character and a palate-cleansing finish. At between 5 percent and 6 percent alcohol by volume, they're the model of moderation in both flavor and power on the beer-style scale.
• Three official Munich Oktoberfest brews are available year-round in the United States - made by Spaten, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr.
• There are also a number of U.S.-made Marzen-style lagers available in the Bay Area. Try the Gordon Biersch Marzen, Sudwerk Hubsch Marzen and Samuel Adams OctoberFest.