In the really old days, beer would sour if it was brewed during the summer months. Brewers didn't exactly know why, but made up for it by brewing more during the winter and pretty much shut down in March. In Bavaria, these brews were called Marzenbeer.
They would be a bit stronger and dosed with more hops which are a natural preservative. These March beers would then be stored in caves and cellars so there would be a supply of beer to last through the summer. By Autumn, the casks would be needed for new brew and it was necessary to empty the casks. So, a ready supply of well-aged, characterful beer was on hand when the Oktoberfest season arrived.
Pioneering efforts by Gabriel Sedlmayer and Anton Dreher led to a lighter color for their Marzen beers. A new malt was developed that gave the beer a reddish color and a caramelized flavor was added. This became known as the Vienna malt and is widely used today.
The Spaten Brewery developed a slightly darker malt, now known as Munich malt.
Not Finished Drinking Yet. --Cootglug.
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