Master of Marzen 2021 – Semi-Final 2: 4 By 4 Brewing Company vs. East Brother Beer Co.

Semi-Final 2 of Master of Marzen 2021 sees 4 By 4 Brewing (Missouri) vs. East Brother Beer Co. (California).

4 By 4 are returning from their 2020 campaign and qualified via their Round 4 clash with Freetail. East Brother are first time entrants of Master of Marzen and made their way to the semis by way of defending champions Twisted Spike. This one will be massive.

Packaging Design

4 By 4’s O’Zapft Is! features a nice pattern of Oktoberfest and fall iconography against a dark grey background. It’s colors are an appropriate mix of yellow and orange.

East Brother’s can is sleek and minimal. An off-white background sees stylized bright-orange font placed in a way that leverages all the open space.

Both are great cans, but the sleek and open looking East Brother takes this point. Running total: 4 By 4 0-1 East Brother.

Aroma

O’Zapft Is! offers a mild, malty and warm aroma. Earthy qualities mix well with the pleasant warmth that clears and sits on the nose for some time.

East Brother’s aroma is bright, dry and floral. The malty quality is accented by a the punchy floral notes that are welcome, although not particularly common of the style. It is a slightly warm smelling brew.

With that in mind, the more traditional smelling 4 By 4 takes this point. Running total: 4 By 4 1-1 East Brother.

Flavor

O’Zapft Is! opens mild but soon sees an intense rush of malty goodness. The earthy and dry qualities of the brew hops through the aftertaste, creating a moreish experience that ebbs and flows on its bitterness as the drink progresses. It’s a damn tasty brew.

East Brother’s Festbier doesn’t mess around. Crisp and bitey, it leverages the power of those earthy toasted malts to a tremendous end. The aftertaste is crisp and earthy, without being overly bitter. It’s a truly remarkable tasting brew.

The added depth of flavor and the pleasant rollercoaster of experience puts 4 By 4 just ahead here. Running total: 4 By 4 2-1 East Brother.

Body

O’Zapft Is! is a light-bodied, low carb and smooth drinking brew. it’s an excellent vehicle for a highly flavorful brew.

East Brother’s brew is soft, smooth and mild. It has a low carbonation point and is insanely easy to drink.

As you can see above, the 4 By 4 is a considerably darker and more opaque brew. East Brother holds a slight edge on head retention and a considerable advantage in terms of lacing.

Both are excellent in terms of mouthfeel, so the lace and foam advantage of East Brother puts them ahead here. Running total: 4 By 4 2-2 East Brother.

People’s Choice

Tied at 2-2, the People’s Choice poll will determine who progresses to the Championship Final and who will fight for 3rd Place.

As you can see above, East Brother took the bulk of the vote here. That said, both breweries’ fans came out in force to rep their chosen brew. The vote total was 189:330 here. Running total: 4 By 4 2-3 East Brother.

Results

Another two great brews in this one. East Brother now progress to meet Hop & Barrel in the championship and 4 By 4 squares off with Telluride for 3rd Place.

Be asure to check back regularly for updated results, and to follow @sargentsuds on Instagram so you can vote on all polls throughout the tournament.