How To Brew Festbier: Prost to Perfection in the Traditions of Munich’s Grand Festival Brew
Looking for something different, yet traditional for your next Oktoberfest party? Look no further than to the German Festbier.
Even though many think the darker, more malt forward Märzen style is what is served, the Festbier has been the main focus of current Munich Oktoberfest parties.
As many beer aficionados already know, the whole Oktoberfest celebrations all started with the marriage between Prince Ludwig of Bavaria and Princess Therese of Saxony Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810.
After the great success of that marriage party, these festivities became an annual tradition. Talk about a rad anniversary party!
The first years of this festival probably saw a beer closely resembling a Munich Dunkel.
Since at this time much of Europe was all things pale lagers, the head brewer at Franziskaner, Gabriel Sedimayr, in 1872 decided to take advantage of these changing times. He brewed an amber lager, which was based on a Viennese recipe.
It was called Ur – Märzen, or “original Märzen. Like always, other breweries learned of this and began to replicate it. This is how we know Märzen as today.
Slow Change
It would be 100 years until the beer actually changed for Oktoberfest. Due to the original Märzen being such a filling beer for festivals, the Festbier was introduced as the beer for Oktoberfest.
Twenty years later around the 1990s, Festbiers were poured at Oktoberfest.
Another reason Festbiers were the answers for these annual fests is money. Brewers wanted to serve beer that people would continuously order. With an easy drinking Festbier, patrons of these fests are more likely to drink multiple steins as opposed to just one or two Märzen.
Festbier Style Profile
Appearance:
Deep gold or rich yellow with amazing clarity and white foam.
Aroma:
Sweet and moderate maltiness. Malt character is reminiscent of toast and dough and should not contain malt aromas of caramel, biscuit, or darkened toast. low hoppy aromas with herbal, spicy, or floral notes; clean yeast
Flavor:
Moderate to high maltiness with a sweet doughy taste; moderate bitterness but balanced and crisp; low to moderate hop flavors.
Mouthfeel:
Medium, smooth, creamy body; moderate carbonation; low alcohol warmth.
Taste:
Medium to moderately high malt flavor. Presence of Pilsner malt should be detected; soft sweetness of bread dough and hints of light toast. Hop bitterness and flavor should be medium to low.
Bitterness should bring slight balancing to the malt, while flavor is spicy, herbal, or floral. Clean lager character.
Food Pairing:
Bratwursts and Bavarian pretzels are a good starting point when considering food pairings. Also pairs well with pizza, BBQ, grilled chicken, battered fish, and roasted meats.
Also, Gouda and Emmental cheeses go well with a Festbier.
Tips for Brewing your own Festbier
Grain:
Seek out a good quality German Pilsner malt. A floor malted pilsner malt would be a good choice. Floor malted grains are slightly less modified, but it retains more protein, maltier flavor, and lighter in color.
Weyermann and Bestmaltz are two quality floor malted pilsner malts that are readily available for homebrewers. Munich and/or Vienna malt will deepen the malt flavor.
Since you are only looking for an SRM range of 4-7, keep the additions of Munich and Vienna to a minimum.
Hops:
Like any good German beer, Noble hops are the tradition. Tettnang, Hallertauer Mittelfrüh, Spalt, or Saaz are your choices here. German Magnum is a nice substitution if the above are not available, especially as a bittering hop.
Liberty or Willamette would be good American hops to use as well. Hop flavor is more important than aroma in a Festbier. Keep both flavor and aroma hops low.
Yeast:
- Wyeast: Bohemian Lager (2124), Oktoberfest Lager (2633), Munich lager (2308)
- White Labs: German Bock Lager (WLP833), Southern German Lager(WLP838)
- Imperial Yeast: Harvest L17
- Dry Yeast: Saflager 34/70, Saflager S-23
Mash:
Since German malts and floor malting are typically under-modified compared to UK and US malts, a decoction mash is suggested. It can also be argued that a step mash is the way to go. Take a look at decoction mash here.
Fermentation:
Ferment at 50°F (10°C) or whatever your yeast manufacturer suggests until your final gravity is reached. It is a good idea to increase the temperature by about ten degrees at the end of fermentation to assist in diacetyl cleanup.
Once the beer completes fermentation and after the diacetyl rest, you may want to cold crash it to 35°F (2°C) for about 4 weeks to improve clarity.
Festbier By the Numbers
- Color Range: 4-7 SRM
- Original Gravity: 1.054 – 1.057
- Final Gravity: 1.010 – 1.012
- IBU Range: 18-25
- ABV Range: 5.8 – 6.3%
Homebrew Festbier Recipe:
Grain
- 9 lbs 8.0 oz Pilsner; German
- 1 lbs 8.0 oz Munich Type I
- 8.0 oz Victory Malt
Hops
- 1.50 oz Hallertauer Pellets – Boil 60.0 min
- 1.50 oz Hallertauer Pellets – Boil 5.0 min
Yeast
- 1.0 pkg Munich Lager (Wyeast Labs #2308)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Festbier?
Festbier is a traditional German lager that is brewed specifically for Oktoberfest celebrations. It has a rich malt character with a clean, crisp finish.
Unlike the darker, maltier Märzen that was historically served at Oktoberfest, modern Festbier is lighter in color and body, which makes it highly drinkable over the long Oktoberfest celebrations.
How Strong is Oktoberfest Beer?
Oktoberfest beer, including Festbier, typically has a moderate alcohol strength, with an Alcohol by Volume (ABV) ranging from 5.8% to 6.3%.
This strength allows for enjoyment over extended periods without becoming overly intoxicating, aligning well with the festive and communal spirit of Oktoberfest.
What is Unique about the Festbier Recipe Mentioned?
The Festbier recipe provided in the article is structured to replicate the authentic German festbier flavor. It incorporates a combination of Pilsner and Munich malts, along with traditional hops and a clean, well-attenuating lager yeast.
The use of traditional ingredients and adherence to the festbier water profile ensures a brew that is as close to the Munich Festbier style as possible.
How does the Weihenstephaner Festbier Recipe Differ from the Provided Festbier Recipe?
While both recipes aim to create a traditional Festbier, the Weihenstephaner Festbier recipe might have its own unique blend of malts, hops, and yeast that could produce a Festbier with a distinctive flavor profile or appearance compared to the Festbier recipe provided in the article.
The specifics of the Weihenstephaner recipe might include proprietary brewing techniques or ingredient ratios that differentiate it from other festbier recipes.
How Can I Adapt the Provided Festbier Recipe to Make My Best Festbier?
To make your best Festbier, consider experimenting with the ratios of Pilsner to Munich malts to find the balance of maltiness to your liking.
Additionally, you may want to explore different lager yeasts to find one that provides the cleanest, crispest finish.
Over time, taking meticulous notes on each batch, including any deviations from the original recipe and the festbier water profile, will help you refine the recipe to better match your personal taste preferences.