Festbier
RB Oktober Festbier, now on tap 🍂🏈
What in the world is festbier, you ask? Is it just another term for Oktoberfest? Then what is that other beer some refer to as marzen? These were questions that had me puzzled when I first got into craft beer.
Then, in 2016, I was blown away by Sierra Nevada’s annual Oktoberfest release. It was a bit different than most everything else labeled Oktoberfest that I had tried up to that point; it was lighter colored, lighter bodied, and less toasty, but still had delicious malty sweet flavor with a biscuity twist, and a clean and distinct lager finish.
2016 Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest. Photo credit : Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
In all honesty, at that time I paid little attention to the details printed on the bottle for any further information. All I knew was that it was the best Oktoberfest I’d ever tasted and that I regretted not buying up more of it. It was only after I realized that the 2017 and 2018 renditions turned out to not be close to that glorious 2016 version, but rather more similar to most of the other things labeled “Oktoberfest” on the shelves, that I came to that all-too-familiar thought : What was in that 2016 Oktoberfest?! And how can I brew my own?!
The first step was a little research. By 2017 I’d realized that the Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest is not a straight up annual release of the same recipe but rather a new recipe and collaboration with a different traditional German brewery each year. That 2016 version was a collaboration with Mahrs Brau, and the brew they concocted that year was more in line with something called festbier. Say what??
After more digging, I discovered that what we call “Oktoberfest” - here in America - that rich, malty, toasty amber lager we all know and love - refers to the style called marzen (BJCP 6A). This is the beer that was traditionally served at the real Oktoberfest festival in Munich, Germany going back into the 1800s. In recent years, however, a different, lighter beer has become the brew of choice at the festival (so much so that it is, in fact, the only style served at the festival!) This beer is called Oktoberfestbier or festbier (BJCP 4B).
With all this under my belt I attempted my first festbier late into fall 2019. From my journal :
“11/6/2019. Came out bad! Corny sweet. Probably diacetyl. I rushed the fermentation as I was in and out of town. I also used a yeast cake from a previous marzen batch that was just sitting (at cold temp) for about a week. I think this same recipe deserves another chance, brewed with more care.”
A couple months later, I modified my recipe and rebrewed during my first “dry” January in 2020, aiming to have it ready for February 1st. On the night of January 31, 2020, I tapped the keg and was pleasantly surprised that it came out at least drinkable. Progress!
My first beer in a month was my 2nd attempt at festbier. Coincidentally, earlier that day I had my last haircut as of this writing (September 2021).
In the first couple minutes of this Instagram post, I give an update and description of the beer :
I somehow ended up with an unusually high (for me) efficiency so this batch came out at 7.4% abv, which is a bit high for the style. But otherwise the beer was tasty, light colored with a malty light body, even though high on abv.
At this point, I felt I was close enough to take a big swing on two Oktoberfest beers for the fall. Towards the end of summer 2020, I brewed 10 gallons of my tweaked festbier recipe, alongside another 10 gallons of my marzen recipe. Brewday:
Both the marzen and festbier turned out great. The festbier was pretty much everything I’d been wanting and working for all this time. I wish I could compare it side by side with that 2016 Sierra Nevada. Alas, I canned up some of the batch to give to friends and fam, and kept the rest on draft in the garage. It went fast.
I did save a couple bottles to send to the 2020 Dominion Cup put on by James River Homebrewers here in Richmond, VA. It won a gold medal in its category. The marzen won silver (the gold medal in that category was a scottish ale which went on to win best of show).
That brings us to 2021. I had no choice but to rebrew the recipe as is, as another 10 gallon batch. So far it hasn’t hit me as being magical as it did last year, and it has not cleared up as much as last year’s batch. It could be a difference in my palate and perception of the beer and style that has changed. Maybe it is still too young. I’m planning to sip the first keg during football season, meanwhile letting that 2nd keg lager and clear out. By late October I will check in on the 2nd keg - the added time should do it some good.
Recipes :
RB Oktober Festbier 2020 Award Winning Recipe
RB Oktoberfest Marzen 2020 Award Winning Recipe
References and Further Reading :
Detailed history and style rundown on Festbier (kegerator.com)
Review of 2016 Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest with Mahrs Brau (kegerator.com)
How to brew your best festbier (beerandbrewing.com)