But regardless of the exact style, Oktoberfests have this in common: On a cool autumn day, these lighter-bodied, sometimes malty, sometimes slightly hoppy lagers satisfy us to our core. The Oktoberfestbier is produced in spring to be sold in autumn for the Oktoberfest. It has >13.7° Plato wort and 5.9% of alcohol by volume. Small-Tober started last year when Founder Brandon Capps wanted to make a low-alcohol version of a Oktoberfest beer.

Jay Brooks, Brooks on Beer: The eight best beers to celebrate Oktoberfest at home, Mercurynews.com, 15 September 2020 Festbier— Festbier is Green Bench’s own interpretation of the lesser-known German golden lager now served as the official beer of Munich’s Oktoberfest fete. I often prefer pale festbier to marzen, but I do enjoy both. That said, Ayinger’s Marzen is something special.Oktoberfest-style– Normally falling under the style of Märzen, these beers are brewed outside the city limits of Munich. Again, if you buy an Oktoberfest-style beer in America, it will most likely be an amber Märzen. Technically only beers brewed by one of the six original breweries in Munich can officially use the term Oktoberfest (Oktoberfestbier). This is another decent Oktoberfest Marzen, once you make it past the slight skunkiness. It is easy drinking with some nice sweetness, but the malt complexity is a little too mellow. There’s adequate bittering hops to even the keel just enough. If you happen to be somewhere that has this on tap, definitely chose it over the bottle. It’ll probably taste more authentic. In 1894, the Münchner Hell (German pale lager) was produced by the company for the first time. The wort is >11.7° Plato. This product has 5.2% of alcohol by volume. But then, Firestone Walker injects its own DNA, partially lagering Oaktoberfest in neutral oak barrels. After all, Co-Founders Adam Firestone and David Walker started the twenty-seven-year-old brewery as an exclusively barrel-fermented business! Firestone Walker Brewing Company – Paso Robles, CA Photography courtesy of Firestone Walker Brewing Company

An event celebrating the wedding of Bavarian Crown Prince Louis (later King Louis I of Bavaria) to Princess Therese Von Sachsen-Hildburghausen in 1810, Oktoberfest originated amid the Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815). The raucous party, replete with free beer and food provided by the royal family, aimed to unite Germans. Festbiers, a golden German lager similar to a helles but a bit maltier and meatier, hitting around 6-6.5% ABV. Festbiers were first pioneered by Paulaner. Today, in Germany, Festbier is THE official beer of Oktoberfest. To ensure that you have access to Spaten beer, it’s important to stay informed about their distribution updates and consult your local sales representative for availability. By doing so, you can continue to enjoy the premium taste of Munich in your own home or local establishments. Food Pairings Sweet graininess at the front. Very subtle signs of bread, toast, and caramel. No evidence of the 5.7% ABV at all. Has a touch of grassy hop flavor, and bitterness is a medium-low with just enough bite to keep things from getting completely dull. Finish is very crisp. Some light toast and caramel rise up in the aftertaste along with residual grainy sweetness. FINISHING THOUGHTS

What Is the Difference between Oktoberfests, Märzens, and Festbiers?

Spaten Brewery, a respected brand in the beer industry, is known for producing high-quality brews. As a lover of great beer, it’s essential to have an understanding of some of the popular styles offered by Spaten, such as the Spaten Münchner Hell, Oktoberfest, and Helles Lager. Hopwise, you’ll find Boston Beer stays classical—Tettnang, Tettnanger, and Hallertau Mittelfrüeh Noble hops. One of the beers most commonly associated with Oktoberfest is Märzen. This amber coloured, medium-bodied lager is malty in flavour with roasted caramel characteristics. It has a clean, crisp finish with an ABV of approx 6%. All meld together harmoniously for a supremely satisfying German lager that’s available from August through October. Märzen— One of the best lager-focused breweries in the entire country does the ultimate justice with its version of an Oktoberfest.