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Warsteiner Winter

Warsteiner Brauerei
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🌍 Germany · Märzen · One of 71 Märzens in hopIQ

Winter, formerly sold as Warsteiner Weihnacht, is the brewery's seasonal beer and appears on shelves each year from autumn. Brewed from Kaiserquelle water, spring barley malt and Hallertau hops, it is filtered to a bright copper-amber with a creamy head. Caramel, nut, biscuit and toasted bread crust mark the nose. The body is medium and rounded, hearty and malty with toffee sweetness, balanced by a restrained hop bitterness in the finish.

ABV
5.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter20 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
amber9
See all Märzen alternatives →

AWARDS

Gold · 2026
DLG-Prämierung
Gold — DLG-Prämierung
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

The texture leads here, with everything else held in gentle reserve.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Märzen.
Malt character
caramel
malty
nutty
toasty
bready
Fermentation & yeast
clean

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Warsteiner Winter

Appearance

Bright copper-amber hue with excellent clarity, achieved through careful filtration. A creamy, persistent head forms and clings to the glass with fine, well-defined lacing. Carbonation appears moderate and even throughout the pour.

copper-amberbright claritycreamy headfine lacing

Aroma

The nose opens with pronounced nutty and caramel notes, complemented by toasted bread crust and biscuit aromas from the spring barley Malz. Hallertau hops contribute a subtle herbal undertone without dominating, allowing the malt character to remain foreground.

nutty, carameltoasted breadbiscuit maltsubtle herb

Taste

Entry is smooth and rounded with immediate malt sweetness and toffee notes. Mid-palate builds a hearty, full-bodied presence with prominent nut and biscuit flavors, while restrained hop bitterness gradually emerges to balance the residual sweetness without harshness.

toffee sweetnessnutty, breadybalanced bitternessmedium-full body

Finish

The finish is clean with lingering malt and a gentle bitter edge that fades steadily. Aftertaste leaves subtle toasted grain and toffee impressions without astringency.

clean bittertoasted grainmoderate length
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
80
Taste
78
Appearance
82
Finish
74
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Warsteiner Winter

Serve at 7–9°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve at 7–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store in a cool, dark place. Check the best-before date on the label for guidance.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Warsteiner Winter

About Märzen

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Märzen?

Märzens are Bavarian lagers with 5.8–6.3% ABV. Rich toasty malt — bread, caramel, biscuit — with clean lager fermentation and low bitterness.

Finding a similar Märzen

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same nutty, caramel, malty character as Warsteiner Winter will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Märzens in hopIQ

Compare with another beer →Explore all Märzen beers in hopIQ →Browse Germany beers →