Brew Along with Mr. Beer: The King’s Märzen

A walk-through guide to brewing an authentic Oktoberfest lager at home

Let's Brew The King’s Märzen — Together

Alright, we’re doing this. Today we’re brewing The King’s Märzen, a classic Märzen-style lager inspired by the beer halls of Munich and brewed in honor of King Ludwig I — the original Oktoberfest party-starter.

We’re going step-by-step, like we’re brewing in your kitchen right now. No fluff, no skipped steps. Just a smooth brew day and a beer you’ll be proud to pour when fall rolls around.

New to brewing? No problem. If this recipe feels like too much gear right now, check out our Oktoberfest Complete Beer Making Kit — it’s a simplified version that still gives you that malty German lager vibe.

Need gear? The King’s Märzen Homebrewing Starter Kit comes with the fermenter, bottles, extract, hops, DME, sanitizer — the works.

Step 1: Let’s Sanitize — For Real

Before we touch anything, we’re sanitizing. Seriously. This is the part of brewing that no one gets excited about — but trust us, clean gear makes great beer.

Grab your packet of No-Rinse Cleanser. Fill your kitchen sink or a large container with warm — not hot — water and dissolve the whole packet.

• Drop in everything: the fermenter lid, spigot, spoon or spatula, hop sack, can opener — anything that’s going to touch your ingredients and won’t be boiled.
• Let it all soak for at least 60 seconds. No rinsing needed. Let sanitized tools air dry on a clean towel or surface.

Now take the sanitized solution and pour it into the fermenter. Put the lid on and swish it around for a good 30 seconds so the sanitizer coats the inside evenly.

Step 2: Brewing the Märzen

Let’s make some wort. This part smells amazing, so enjoy the moment.

1. First, We Prep

• Take the can of Oktoberfest Brewing Extract and remove the yeast packet (you won’t need it — we’re using a different yeast for this recipe).
• Place the unopened can in a bowl of hot tap water. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes to loosen up the malt inside. It pours easier that way — and we want every drop.
• Now grab your Hallertau hop pellets and pour them into the muslin hop sack. Tie it shut and trim the string if it’s flapping around.

2. Next We’re Going to Boil the Hops

• Grab your clean 3-quart (or larger) pot. We like an 8-quart tall pot — more room, less splash — but anything 3 quarts or up will work.
• Pour in 4 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
• Once it’s boiling, we’re going to drop in the hop sack and let it steep for about 60 to 90 seconds. No need to be exact. Just long enough to let the hops open up a bit.
• Then remove the pot from heat — don’t continue boiling. We’re looking for aroma here, not bitterness.

3. Now It’s Time to Add the Extract and DME

• With the pot off the heat, open the can of Oktoberfest Extract and pour it in.
• Now comes the DME. This stuff clumps easily, especially if you dump it all at once. Slowly pour it in while stirring constantly to avoid lumps.
• Keep stirring until everything is completely dissolved and smooth. This thick, sweet liquid is your wort — the base of your beer.

4. Into the Fermenter We Go

• Grab your sanitized keg-style fermenter and fill it with cold water up to line one (that’s the 4-quart mark).
• Carefully pour the hot wort mixture into the fermenter, hop sack and all.
• Top it off with more cold water until you reach line two — that’s the 8.5-quart mark.
• Stir the whole thing vigorously for 30 seconds to aerate the wort. This helps your yeast get a strong, healthy start.

5. Pitching the Yeast

• Open your packet of Saflager W-34/70 yeast and sprinkle it evenly across the top of the wort.
• Do not stir. Just sprinkle it, then seal the fermenter lid tightly.

6. Set the Temp and Walk Away

Now we’re moving the fermenter to a quiet, dark spot with steady temperature. Ideal range for this lager yeast is 51°F to 59°F. We aim for 55°F if we can get it.

If you don’t have temperature control, you’re still good. Room temp (65–70°F) fermentation will give you a tasty beer — it just won’t be quite as clean and crisp as a traditional lager. Think hybrid ale-meets-steam beer. Still delicious.

7. What You’ll See

After 2 or 3 days, fermentation kicks in. You’ll likely see foam on top (called krausen), some bubbling action, and a hazy look to the beer — all good signs. Around day 7, it’ll start to settle down.

Don’t open the keg. Let the yeast work undisturbed for the full 3 weeks. Good lagers take time, and this one's worth the wait.

Step 3: Bottling & Conditioning

We’re about three weeks in now — fermentation is complete, and it’s time to get this Märzen into bottles.

First, grab a clean glass and use the spigot on your fermenter to pull a small sample. Just a sip.

• If it tastes like flat beer — not sweet, not sour — you're good to go.
• If it still tastes sweet, give it 2–3 more days and check again.
• Don't leave it in the fermenter for more than 24 days total. Lager yeast works slow, but we still need to move to bottles soon.

1. Sanitize Your Bottles

Same deal as before — sanitize anything that touches the beer.

• Fill a 1-gallon container or large bowl with warm water and stir in the remaining ½ packet of No-Rinse Cleanser.
• Pour about 2 inches of solution into each bottle, screw on the cap, and shake to coat the inside.
• Let them sit for 10 minutes, shake again, then dump the liquid into a bowl to reuse for caps and tools.

2. Prime for Carbonation

Now we’re giving the yeast a little sugar to create bubbles in the bottle.

• Mr Beer 740 mL bottles: Add 2 carbonation drops
• 1-liter bottles: Add 2.5 drops
• ½-liter bottles: Add 1 drop
• Using table sugar? That works too — check our carbonation guide in Brew School for exact amounts.

3. Fill and Seal

• Hold each bottle at a slight angle and fill to about 2 inches from the top.
• Cap them tightly, then gently tip them upside down to check for leaks. Don’t shake them.

4. Store for Carbonation

• Store the bottles upright in a dark, room-temp space (70–76°F is perfect).
• Let them carbonate for at least 14 days. Cooler spaces might need 21.

5. Condition for Flavor

Carbonation means it’s drinkable — but conditioning takes it to the next level. Give your lager an extra 2–4 weeks in the bottle at room temp, then move it to cold storage (a fridge or cooler) for a final polish. This is where Märzen really shines — smooth, crisp, and clean.

You Did It — Märzen in the Bank

That’s it. You just brewed a classic Oktoberfest lager — and if you gave it the time, it’ll reward you with real Bavarian flavor.

By the time fall rolls around, you’ll be pouring a beer that’s smooth, balanced, and worthy of a stein. Whether you’re hosting a backyard Oktoberfest or just cracking one open on the porch, it’s going to taste even better because you brewed it yourself.

Tag us on social with your brew day pics, fermentation setups, or that first foam-topped pour — we love seeing your beers come to life. Use @mrbeer and show off your Märzen.

Haven’t brewed yet? Grab your King’s Märzen recipe or the complete brewing kit before the season slips away. Lagering takes time, and Oktoberfest is right around the corner.

Looking for More Brewing Tips?

Visit Brew School for guides on fermentation temps, carbonation techniques, bottling tricks, and more.

Up Next: Brew Along – Bottling Day Video (Coming Soon)

We’ll have more brewing tips and a step-by-step bottling video coming to the blog soon. Stay tuned and keep those bottles conditioning — your best Märzen is just a few weeks away.