Starbase Brewing – Occupy März Review
As I’m sure many of you have noticed, craft brewing has taken a bit of a dip. We can speculate many reasons why (and probably pretty accurately) but the important thing is that craft brewing continues and possibly begins to expand again… maybe even to outer space.
That’s the goal of Starbase Brewing, and they prove that with their Occupy März German-style lager. It should also be added that they actually do study in space, projects including space-based wort fermentation, crop growth in regolith in space, and plant growth in martian soil.
No, I’m not smart enough to comment on any of those things, cool as they may be, but I am pretentious enough to comment on their beer, which comes in at a wonderful 6.2% ABV from the use of German malts and noble hops.
This all sounds great, but we are picky about our German-style lagers. Yet like the fearless space travelers, all we can do is strap in, hope for the best, and blast off.
First Impressions:
On the Eyes--Copper, slightly hazy, and topped with a tight-pored, off-white head that maintains well.
On the Nose--Rich and malty with a definite Munich breadiness and an underlying caramel competing with the floral and spicy hops.
On the Palate--Full-bodied and very smooth with layers of malt from a fleeting caramel to bready and then on to roasty in the dry finish with a dash of hop spice to balance it out. A bit of the caramel sweetness lingers only a moment, teasing the drinker back. And the ABV is right where it should be for the style, so ‘style’-points, I suppose.
Food Pairings: We love pairing our German-style lagers with pork schnitzel, pretzels (find our spent grain pretzel recipe here!), roasted chicken, or bratwurst with a healthy dose of stone ground mustard.
Final Thoughts:
Obviously, März denotes Märzen, the deep and rich lager served at Oktoberfest. It is also one of my favorite styles, so I tend to be harsh when reviewing them. These beers appear very simple but are often let-downs from American brewers. But, as with anything, respect for the simple ingredients is where the secret lies. And I believe Starbase paid that respect.
The use of German malt creates an excellent mouthfeel and full body, and the noble hops add that balancing touch in the dry finish that gives way to a creamy sweet caramel. The ABV is just right for the style and the use of lagering brings it together to keep it crisp with the heavy malt presence. This is a very good Märzen-style beer, well-thought-out, and one that is available year-round. If you’re still skeptical, look for it in a tall can (I know they offer them) and keep supporting craft beer and interesting and cool companies like Starbase. I will add, as a Märzen lover, that I will be returning to this beer.
Cheers!
Mr. Brew
Looking for an authentic German year-round Märzen? Look no further than Paulaner.
And if you’re looking for something malty, old, and local to Texas, check out Altstadt’s Amber.