Ulrich Martin Spezial
Brewery: Ulrich Martin
Town: Hausen (bei Schonungen)
Style: Märzen
Color: deep amber, ample head
Nose: rich malt
Body: full-bodied
Palate: lush malt, slight grain, underlying hops, burnt caramel
Finish: enticingly sticky, moreish
Served: on tap at the brewery
Impression: I’d been wanting to come to this out-of-the-way brewpub for a couple years and had made a four-hour excursion to get here from Munich. Disappointments are not untypical in this kind of situation and Märzens are just the type of beer that often fail to live up to the hype. This one came out looking the gorgeous part with a deep amber clarity and ample head. The rich malt went right from your nose to your mouth in the first sip, which became a gulp as easily. This is a dangerous 5.2% brew. These beers can be sticky affairs but this one managed to have this quality without it interfering with the moreish finish. I only had one but not because I didn’t want another but because there were quite a few beers to try. I’m already looking forward to my return visit, and my next Spezial!