Festbier

A brief history of Festbier

Festbier, also known as Oktoberfestbier, is a style of German beer with a bottom fermentation that bears strong similarities to lager. It's characterised by its golden hue and stands out due to its fermentation process at colder temperatures than ales. You could describe it as a German blonde lager – quite mild, clean, and equally refreshing on the palate.

Festbier is mainly brewed using Pilsner malt, although other varieties like Vienna and Munich malts can enrich its taste profile, giving it malty flavours. They also reveal toasty hints of bread, sugar, and hops, creating a blend of maltiness and herbaceousness where bitterness balances the malt's sweetness.

Becoming the characteristic beer style of Oktoberfest, the traditional German beer festival held annually in Munich, Festbier wasn't originally the star of this event. In fact, the original style was Märzen. Contrary to what we might think, Festbier's origins trace are not based on Lager, but to Märzen.

Also called "March beer," Märzen beers were served at Oktoberfest until 1872 when Gabriel Sedlmayr, the master brewer of Franziskaner Brewery, observed changes in the European brewing landscape. Pale Pilsners were dominating the scene and had become the new trend. This led him to brew an amber pale recipe that became so successful that numerous other breweries started copying it. This recipe thus became the new brewing guidelines for Märzen. Then, a century later, in the 1970s, these standards changed again. Deemed unsuitable and heavy for the Fest consumption due to its high ABV, a new lighter and drinkable beer was brewed so it could be enjoyed throughout the festivities. This is how Festbier came to life!

Löwenbräu and Spaten: Authentic Oktoberfest Beers at home

Don't wait for the Oktoberfest to discover the Festbier style. If you can't make it to Munich to experience Oktoberfest firsthand, bring the celebration to your home with our draft German beers served on PerfectDraft. Forget bottles, say hello to PerfectDraft kegs.

Löwenbräu Oktoberfest: Its light gold appearance hides aromas of malts, caramel, and yeast. On the palate, sweet, subtle yeast, and a touch moderately spicy dance on your taste buds. An authentic brewing experience that captures the festive spirit of Bavaria.

Spaten Oktoberfest: This characteristic beer embodies German tradition and craftsmanship. Strictly following the German Beer Purity Law, the Reinheitsgebot, it's produced with barley malt, water, and hops. This beer presents an elegant amber colour topped with a creamy head, offering a bouquet of rich aromas. Malty notes harmonise beautifully with fresh herb scents, ripe fruits, and gentle caramel. Malty flavours dominate the palate accompanied by delicate spices and herbs. Smooth body comes from caramel while woody accents finish with a touch of complexity.

With PerfectDraft, enjoy Oktoberfest beer for almost 30 days thanks to its cooling system and the fact it will keep your beer keg fresh for a month.