On Sun, 12 Dec 2004 23:32:30 -0800, Steve Jackson wrote:

> "Craig Bergren" > wrote in message
> news >
>> Now the last time I drank a Negra Modelo, it was a really good example
>> of a Bavarian Maerzen style and that's what the Modelo web site says
>> it's supposed to be. But with AB taking over controlling interest, I
>> was interested if anyone who's had one recently can comment on this.
>> Has AB dumbed down Negra Modelo from a fine maerzen to a dark american
>> lager, or is the liquor store's description as screwed up as the one
>> they have for Bohemia - a Vienna-Style Lager (whatever that means)?
>
> Haven't had a Negra Modelo for a few months, but it was still as good as
> it ever was at that point. It sounds like whoever's writing the liquor
> store's copy doesn't know what they're talking about.
>
> Incidentally, in an exercise that's a bit like arguing how many angels can
> dance on the head of a pin, it seems that people who get into classifying
> beers put NM more in the Vienna style than Bavarian Märzen. It's too
> small a beer, really, to fit into that style, IMO, and has a different
> malt character. Vienna-style lagers were similar, but they strike me as a
> bit dryer and have a slightly different toasted malt character (from the
> use of Vienna malt) than their Märzen cousins, which typically use Munich
> malt.
>
> -Steve

I understand what you're saying.

It's interesting to see that the only commercial examples the BJCP
guidelines can come up with are American (either Mexico or US). It seems
to me that this is a made up style for beer competitions that doesn't
exist in the wild or are they claiming that the style was exiled from Wien
with Maximiliiano y Carlota?

CB