New on the Shelves

Left Hand Releasing Oktoberfest Märzen Lager

Posted August 31, 2012 by Win Bassett

(Longmont, CO) – The 179th anniversary of the wedding of Prince Ludwig & Princess Therese is right around the corner, and Left Hand Brewing Company is ready to celebrate! The Colorado based brewery is once again releasing its treasured Oktoberfest Märzen Lager just in time for the late summer/fall season. The beautiful copper colored lager with signature malt and warm biscuit notes will be available in all 25 states where Left Hand is distributed.

Left Hand’s Oktoberfest is no festivus for the restuvus… on the contrary, Left Hand begins brewing in the late spring and it takes a full two months to reach lagered perfection. With the arrival of six total 480 barrel fermenters in the last two years, Left Hand was able to take on the extensive time the märzen lager requires to develop, in the midst of the brewery’s increasing demand and growth. ““2011 was a challenging growth year for the brewery,” comments Chris Lennert, VP of Operations, “demand outweighed supply for all of our beers, so we had to limit our distribution to just in-state for Oktoberfest.” A year later, Left Hand is proud to announce that their fall seasonal will once again be available nationwide, to the delight of Oktoberfest fans across the country.

Left Hand’s Oktoberfest is a märzen lager brewed true to style, giving tribute to its German roots. Drawing from his experiences of brewing for HRH Prinz Luitpold of Barvaria, Head Brewer Ro Guenzel has developed a complex yet balanced Oktoberfest that has become an annual cult favorite. Pouring a brilliant copper in color, the märzen lager entices the imbiber with notes of warm biscuit reminiscent of home and fall tradition. Oktoberfest begins with the toasty sweetness of the malt up front while the noble pedigree hops allow for a dry crisp finish.

The Oktoberfest label features traditional German elements with the modern treatment as a part of Left Hand’s packaging redesign with Moxie Sozo. The blue and white color checkered pattern as well as the featured lions, are a tribute to the state of Bavaria. Moreover, the prominent gold ring is a history buff’s nod to the marriage of Prince Ludwig & Princess Therese for which the celebration of Oktoberfest originates. Finally, Head Brewer Guenzel’s silhouette is blended in the left side of lion’s mane, a signature feature of many of Left Hand’s beer labels.

Following the refreshing frivolity of summer’s Good Juju and just before the dark and always mysterious Fade to Black, Oktoberfest gives us a touch of warmth and tradition that we yearn for in the autumn season. Full of toasty, malty goodness, Left Hand’s fans eagerly await the annual arrival of the brewery’s classic Märzen Lager. Time to roast your chicken and upend your stein before the air gets crisp, the leaves flame and the skies Fade to Black. Auf Geht’s!

About Left Hand Brewing Company
Celebrating nineteen years of brewing a well-balanced portfolio of craft beers, Left Hand Brewing Company is located at 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. The brewery has received 17 medals at the Great American Beer Festival and 8 medals at the World Beer Cup, and its beers are now available in 25 states. “Sometimes you’re not in the mood for what everyone else is having.”

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