Festbier - Some Data Points

[cladinshadows]

I am a big fan of this style and I'd like to zero in on a house version of these fantastic beers. I suspect I'm not alone. If I'm not, then hopefully this post will help others in their efforts to perfect their versions of a great style that you just can't get fresh here in the US.

2015 BJCP Guidelines call for:
Vital Statistics: OG: 1.054 – 1.057
IBUs: 18 – 25 FG: 1.010 – 1.012
SRM: 4 – 7 ABV: 5.8 – 6.3%

Two classic examples that are available here in Long Beach, CA are Weihenstephaner's Festbier, and the Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier. (NOTE: my stated FG's are adjusted based on the fact that these beers are at about 72F during the reading)

Stats on those beers:
Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier

FG = 1.010 tops
ABV = 6.3%
OG = 1.058 (by calculation)

Weihenstephaner Festbier

FG = 1.011 tops
ABV = 5.8%
OG = 1.055 (by calculation)

Based on their absurd maltiness the FG on these beers tastes to me like they're at least 1.012-1.013, and I would have believed 1.016!

Anyway, hope this helps someone else dial in their Festbier. I know if I was googling my way to a good recipe I would be happy to find the info above.

BONUS: RECIPE:
I made a Festbier with the following that turned out very tasty, but slightly less malty than it needed to be (but only slightly). Color was right in line with the commercial examples.

87% Weyermann Pils
13% Briess Vienna

OG = 1.058
FG = 1.012
23 IBUs from Magnum and Hallertau.

Big starter of WLP830, fermented at 50F.

Next time I'll either double the Vienna or add some Munich and try to maintain that FG or lose 1-2 points.

 

[z-bob]

I know this is an old thread, but it's the newest one I could find on this topic.

I bought a case of Hofbräu's Oktoberfestbier at Costco last week for $24, and was surprised by how light and easy-drinking it is. In brown bottles with no Euro-skunkiness at all. Very malty with a dry finish, and it doesn't taste nearly as strong as its 6.3%. I was expecting a Märzenbier or something like premium American Oktoberfest beers; I think I like this better.

I bought another case yesterday.

It is such a simple beer, I bet it's hard to get it right. When I get around to trying, I plan to use mostly German pilsner malt with just a little Belgian aromatic malt. I have Magnum, Sterling, and Mt Hood hops already, so I will probably bitter it to the low 20's with either the Magnum or Sterling, and add a tiny bit of Mt Hood at the end. For my first attempt anyway. Once I get the grainbill and the bitterness right, I will try real German hops.

 

[cladinshadows]

It is such a simple beer, I bet it's hard to get it right.

I think you're absolutely correct: Simple != Easy. The impact of system and process cannot be overstated for these beers.

When I get around to trying, I plan to use mostly German pilsner malt with just a little Belgian aromatic malt. I have Magnum, Sterling, and Mt Hood hops already, so I will probably bitter it to the low 20's with either the Magnum or Sterling, and add a tiny bit of Mt Hood at the end. For my first attempt anyway. Once I get the grainbill and the bitterness right, I will try real German hops.

I bet that will turn out excellently. For specialty grains I've typically gone the Vienna route simply because I prefer the Weihenstephaner example, which is a bit lighter and hoppier than the Hofbrau. If you're targeting one more in the style of Hofbrau I'd bet the darker munich-type malts (like aromatic) are key.

Please let us know how yours turns out!

 

[RichBenn]

I should have done this style instead of the Marzen for a party I'm planning. At least the recipe I'm using won a bunch of 1st places, and I'm sure the bulk of it will get consumed by those that like more heavy handed sweet/malty and less dry/hoppy.

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

I brew mine just a hair under the OG style range. I want to be able to drink this in large quantities, and 5.8% and up...that gets hard to do. I like my Festbiers around 5.2% or so, really increases the drinkability for my yearly Oktoberfest party.

My recipe

73% Pils malt
15% Vienna
12% Munich
13 IBU Magnum @ 60
9 IBU Perle @ 20

OG 1.052
IBU: 22
FG: 1.012

Was one of my most popular options last fall. I just kegged this year's batch, we'll see how it does.

 

[cladinshadows]

I bought a case of Hofbräu's Oktoberfestbier....

Just wanted to let you know, z-bob, I hurried over to Total Wine immediately after work today to grab some festbiers just because of you! The Hofbrau is exactly as I remember it - quite the amazing balance between absurdly malty but very dry. It demands that it be consumed by the liter.

I brew mine just a hair under the OG style range. I want to be able to drink this in large quantities, and 5.8% and up...that gets hard to do. I like my Festbiers around 5.2% or so, really increases the drinkability for my yearly Oktoberfest party.

My recipe

73% Pils malt
15% Vienna
12% Munich
13 IBU Magnum @ 60
9 IBU Perle @ 20

OG 1.052
IBU: 22
FG: 1.012

Was one of my most popular options last fall. I just kegged this year's batch, we'll see how it does.

That sounds like a very solid recipe for something on the malty side. Do you have a preferred yeast for this one?

One question for you: I've always thought of the "Weisn"/modern pale Festbier style as somewhat of an Imperial Helles. I am a huge fan of keeping the ABV in check because I like to drink a lot of volume, but if you reduce the ABV on Festbier how is it differentiated from a Helles?

 

[MapleGroveAleworks]

That sounds like a very solid recipe for something on the malty side. Do you have a preferred yeast for this one?

One question for you: I've always thought of the "Weisn"/modern pale Festbier style as somewhat of an Imperial Helles. I am a huge fan of keeping the ABV in check because I like to drink a lot of volume, but if you reduce the ABV on Festbier how is it differentiated from a Helles?

I'm a big fan of 2124 Bohemian Lager. Just the perfect amount of crispness and dries it out enough for lots of drinkability.

And yeah you're right about the festbier/helles difference. I brew mine in between the max range for a helles but under a festbier. I choose to call it Festbier I think because it's more of a fun name, especially for an Oktoberfest party

 

[cladinshadows]

I'm a big fan of 2124 Bohemian Lager. Just the perfect amount of crispness and dries it out enough for lots of drinkability.

And yeah you're right about the festbier/helles difference. I brew mine in between the max range for a helles but under a festbier. I choose to call it Festbier I think because it's more of a fun name, especially for an Oktoberfest party

I certainly can't argue with your marketing reasoning there! I would do the same thing.

As for yeast, 2124 (aka White Labs WLP830) definitely gets the job done. I must recommend, however, that someday you try the 2487 Hella-Bock (aka WLP833) in a Festbier or Helles. I've also had an excellent Fest made by someone else that used WLP820. Don't worry about the posted attenuation stats on either of those, they both seem to push into the 80% range when needed.

 

[z-bob]

What do I get if I use German ale yeast or Nottingham instead of lager yeast? (I suspect it's a hybrid that doesn't fit any category for competition but ought to tastes okay)

 

[rabeb25]

Recipe guidelines according to Narziss, who is basically the German Beer Jesus. (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Narziß)

Festbier - OG 13.5 Plato
60-80% Pilsner malt at 3.5 EBC
0-30% Vienna malt at 8 EBC
0-30% Munich malt at 15 EBC
0-5% caramel malt at 25 EBC (Carahell)
20-24 IBUs

My fest this year is 60% pils, 30% Vienna and 10% carahell

 

[cladinshadows]

If I were to try to fit that into a category I'd say with the German Ale yeast you've got yourself an underhopped and overmalted Kolsch. (If you used WLP029 you might even have a good number of people thinking it's a lager, though) For the nottingham you'd have some kind of Euro Blonde thing, depending on how clean you got your nottingham to come across. Regardless, good beer is good beer!

 

[cladinshadows]

Recipe guidelines according to Narziss, who is basically the German Beer Jesus. (https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ludwig_Narziß)

Festbier - OG 13.5 Plato
60-80% Pilsner malt at 3.5 EBC
0-30% Vienna malt at 8 EBC
0-30% Munich malt at 15 EBC
0-5% caramel malt at 25 EBC (Carahell)
20-24 IBUs

My fest this year is 60% pils, 30% Vienna and 10% carahell

Really dig the recipe, and that is one nice looking beer.

 

[Die_Beerery]

Thanks. Just tapped its brother the märzen today
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1503694489.316456.jpg

 

[sheikyerbouti]

Thanks. Just tapped its brother the märzen today
View attachment 411864

They both look great Die Beerery!

Whats the recipe look like for the Marzen?

 

[Die_Beerery]

Thanks! 70% Munich, 35% pils, 5% melanoidan. 26ibu 1.056-1.009.

 

[sheikyerbouti]

Thanks! 70% Munich, 35% pils, 5% melanoidan. 26ibu 1.056-1.009.

Beautiful. I do something similar, 45% Pils, 45% Munich, 5% dark Munich, 5% melanoiden, 40 IBU's. I used to love Bavarian Lager yeast, but now I use the Urquell strain, as it throws a little more diacetyl, which I like.

 

[Lefou]

A good festbier is on my "to do" list.
As a matter of fact, the seasonal Paulaner Oktoberfest Wiesn you can get commercially is going to ship soon. It's one of my favorite German imports along with the Munich Helles.

 

[Die_Beerery]

A good festbier is on my "to do" list.
As a matter of fact, the seasonal Paulaner Oktoberfest Wiesn you can get commercially is going to ship soon. It's one of my favorite German imports along with the Munich Helles.

Which is simply 70% pils and 30% Munich. 24ibu with 3 hop additions.

 

[SpeedYellow]

Which is simply 70% pils and 30% Munich. 24ibu with 3 hop additions.

Source?

 

[Die_Beerery]

Source?

Paulaner.