Round 2, Bout 14 of Master of Marzen 2020 sees Wild East (NY) take on Paulaner (Germany).
This is my first time trying Wild East brews. Paulaner is one of the world’s best known beer brands and has a strong affiliation with Oktoberfest overall. This is going to be an awesome bout!
Packaging Design
Two very different takes on label design here.
Wild East has opted for a primarily black can with accents of blue and white. The two-tone check is utilized as a great, clean compliment to what is an awesome can.
Paulaner anchor their design around their logo. Some faint check is visible in the background, but takes a keenly trained eye to see it.
I’m giving this one to Wild East. Neither brewery went super traditional on terms of Oktoberfest motif, and I believe Wild East created a generally more aesthetically pleasing label. Running total: Wild East 1-0 Paulaner.
Aroma
Life on Marzen is much lighter colored, so I’m interested to see how that translates to aroma.
It offers a light and subtle, but definitely malty, aroma. A slight earthy tone permitted through its aroma, which should really add to the flavor.
Paulaner’s Oktoberfest Marzen also offers a fairly subtle aroma. It’s punctuated by a nice toasted malt which in excited to try.
I’m giving a slight edge to Paulaner here. The toasted malts are what I’m looking for in a Marzen. Running total: Wild East 1-1 Paulaner.
Flavor
Wild East’s Life on Marzen offers a consistently malty flavor with a surprisingly bitter bite. Given it’s light color, I was definitely expecting a tamer brew. That said, this deep malty flavor leads to a nice bitey aftertaste. Incredibly well done.
Paulaner deserves its reputation! It’s mild, malty and smooth, with a nice sweet twist. This flavor profile leverages the malts well while remaining outstandingly drinkable. A truly epic brew.
Wild East put a good foot forward, but it’s hard to argue with as storied a brewery as Paulaner. Running total: Wild East 1-2 Paulaner.
Body
On mouthfeel, Life on Marzen is a light, smooth, and slightly carbonated brew. It offers way more flavor than its color and mouthfeel should permit. This one really is a masterclass in punching well above your weight.
The Paulaner is a little heavier, but also very smooth and easy to drink. It offers a tremendously deep flavor without becoming bloating.
Neither beer offered much head retention, as you can see above. But Life on Marzen laced considerably better than its counterpart.
I’d say Paulaner slightly edged out Wild East on the mouthfeel, but Wild East has a commanding lead on the lacing.
With that in mind, I’m awarding this criterion to Wild East. Running total: Wild East 2-2 Paulaner.
People’s Choice
As in last year’s tournament, my Instagram followers have the opportunity to shape the decisions of each bout. In the 24 hours directly preceding each bout, a poll is placed on my Instagram story. Whoever has the most votes when the poll closes, takes this fifth criteria. So how did it shape up?
This one saw many votes cast, but Paulaner takes a fairly handy victory in the People’s Choice category. Running total: Wild East 2-3 Paulaner.
Results
Competing with a world-renowned brand that’s synonymous with the subject is a tall order. That said, Wild East put together a flavorful and highly enjoyable brew.
Paulaner now proceeds to round 3 where they meet Parleaux Beer Lab of Louisiana.
Be sure to check back regularly and to follow me on Instagram for your latest updates and opportunity to vote on each bout throughout the tournament. Until next time, cheers y’all!
Sgt. Suds 
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