We decided that with Oktoberfest approaching, this was as good a time as any to do some research on tasty Oktoberfest picks. Though these three were similar in terms of flavor notes, they each had their own strengths. We'd highly suggest doing a tasting of one particular beer style to really get in tune with where your homebrew should be when brewing in that style. Though, as you know, we are all about creativity and modification here at Mr. Beer – no need to be ordinary. As you'll see we worked with Märzen, a beer named after the month of March in German (März). It was named as such because this was the time of year when folks started to brew this beer in order to enjoy the beer during Oktoberfest. (See, even old-timey German brewers knew patience is a virtue when you want a tasty beer.) So, here's what our team had to say about these popular Märzen brews. Remember, Märzens are traditionally a Lager with a medium to full body; bold, malty flavor; and a clean, dry finish.

Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen

Aroma Smells like sweet, biscuit malt and earthy, citrusy hops with clean yeast that has a slightly sour character.

Appearance Paulaner pours a pale, amber color with a diminishing head.

Flavor This Oktoberfest tastes of sweet, biscuit, grainy malt; herbal hops; and a clean but slightly tangy yeast.

Mouthfeel Mouthfeel boasts a medium body, decent carbonation, and a semi-dry finish.

Overall Tasting Notes "Pretty tasty beer," "enjoyable," and "simple, classic, fresh."

Odell Brewing Oktoberfest

Aroma We smelled sweet, biscuit, caramel, nutty malt with clean yeast – though there was some skunkiness mixed in there too.

Appearance Odell's Oktoberfest pours a gold color with a diminishing head and some fizz.

Flavor Sweet, biscuit, grainy malt stands out first, followed by herbal, spicy hops and finally a clean yeast.

Mouthfeel This beer goes down with a smooth, light feel and medium carbonation.

Overall Tasting Notes "Sweet, caramel, bready biscuit flavor," and "finishes with the taste of caramel and biscuit."

Warsteiner Oktoberfest

Aroma In true Märzen form, the smell here was predominantly sweet, biscuit malt and leafy/grassy hops.

Appearance Warsteiner's offering pours a pale, gold color with a diminishing, creamy head.

Flavor Tastes like sweet, biscuit, grainy malt and floral hops.

Mouthfeel This one felt very smooth for a Märzen with medium to heavy carbonation.

Overall Tasting Notes Strengths here were "easy to drink" and "well-balanced."