Beer column: This award-winning Bavarian-style lager isn’t just for Oktoberfest

If you’re not from the Okanagan, there’s a good chance you haven’t heard about Abandoned Rail Brewing Co.

The farm-based, family-run brewery is located along the Kettle Valley Railway on the Naramata Bench just above Penticton and it has to be one of the more picturesque brewery settings in British Columbia.

It quietly opened its doors in March 2022 and has enjoyed a successful few years in business, which includes a handful of awards for arguably its most popular beer.

Abandoned Rail brewmaster Peter Schulz earned his title after completing a five-year program in Germany, so it should be no surprise that he’s created an award-winning German beer.

It’s called the Märzen Bavarian Lager, a beer you’d expect to find in the middle of Oktoberfest celebrations in Germany, but one you can drink all throughout the year at Abandoned Rail.

Märzen won a gold medal in the BC Beer Awards’ Amber Lager category in 2022, then followed it up with a silver medal in the same category one year later.

Most recently, it was named Best Beer in BC at The Growler’s 2024 Craft Beer & Cider Awards.

The brewery says Märzen is full-bodied, copper-coloured and malty, with light hop notes and a toasty finish.

You’ll even get some notes of caramel in this smooth-drinking beer that became an instant fan favourite when Abandoned Rail opened its doors just over three years ago.

And if you’re curious about the name, märzenbier means March beer, because these types of Bavarian lagers were traditionally brewed in March before fermenting over the summer to be ready for Oktoberfest.

Abandoned Rail’s Märzen comes in at 5.7% ABV (alcohol by volume) and 22 IBU (international bitterness unit).

Many BC Liquor Stores around the province just added it to their shelves in four packs, so it shouldn’t be too hard to track down.

You might want to enjoy this one with a delicious German homemade pretzel or two!

Josh Duncan is the NowMedia news director and a craft beer lover. Reach him at [email protected]. His beer column appears every Saturday afternoon in this space.