Guide to Oktoberfest biers (beers)
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German-style Festbier
A smooth, clean, pale German lager with a moderately strong malty flavor and a light hop character. Deftly balances strength and drinkability, with a palate impression and finish that encourages drinking. Showcases elegant German malt flavors without becoming too heavy or filling.-BJCP.org
Festbier is the #1 most consumed style of beer during Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany. It is rich in flavor & body while still maintaining supreme drinkability. Festbier is paler in color, slightly hoppier and less malty than Märzen, the other popular style of beer associated with Oktoberfest.
EP Festival Lager is crisp & clean with a restrained nutty maltiness & subtle citrus notes from Lemondrop hops. We think it's the perfect beer for the transition to Autumn and we are stoked to share it with you again this year!
This traditional German Festbier is a smooth clean pale lager with delicate malty flavours, light floral hop notes and a beautiful golden hue.
Golden coloured with notes of biscuit and rich toasty maltiness, balanced with a crisp finish.
Softly sweet with light toasted malt flavor, perfectly crisp and crafted for reveling. Brewed in collaboration with Skagit Valley Malting using small batch malts to recreate the beauty of a Bavarian-style fest beer with locally PNW sourced grains.
There’s nothing quite like a royal wedding or the Chicken Dance to unite folks in silly revelry, and likely why Oktoberfest (which began over 200 years ago as the Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig’s marriage celebration) is so beloved. Arguably the crowning moment of any Oktoberfest is when the oom-pah band plays the opening chords of the Chicken Dance, and young and old flock to the dance floor for some feather-brained fun. Perhaps a glass of this golden Festbier – with its smooth maltiness and floral hop aroma – will put you in the mood to shake your tail feathers!
COLOUR Deep golden
AROMA Sweet malt / Delicate floral hops
CHARACTER Clean / Smooth / Elegant malt character
A.B.V. 5.4%
PAIRS WITH Juke fried chicken / Bratwurst / Bavarian Pretzels
BREWER’S NOTES
Festbier is a relatively modern German style which is now the main beer brewed for the Bavarian Oktoberfest celebrations in place of the darker and heavier Marzen style. In keeping with custom and quality we've brewed with German imported floor malted grains and continental Hallertau Tradition hops. The result is an exceptionally clean and smooth beer with an elegant malt character and floral hop finish.
A bright, clean, medium bodied German Festival style lager. Light amber color with warm notes of bread, honey and flowers. A rich, complex malt profile with a crisp, slightly roasty aftertaste.
A homage to Pike Brewing’s market place roots/beginnings. A celebrate of opening of the market and of Seattle. A celebration of the bountiful food in the NW, buying ingredients, sharing meals, and ultimately, the holiday and a return to family and community.
German-style Oktoberfest
A beer rich in malt with a balance of clean, hop bitterness, similar to the Vienna lager. Toasted bread or biscuit-like malt aroma and flavor is to be expected. Originating in Germany, this style was traditionally brewed in the spring (“Marzen” meaning “March”) and aged, or lagered, throughout the summer. A stronger version was served at early Oktoberfest celebrations and became known as Oktoberfest. Today, the festival’s version of an Oktoberfest is quite a bit lighter than what American craft brewers consider an Oktoberfest. -CraftBeer.com
German-style Märzen
Märzen or Märzenbier (German: March beer) is a lager that originated in Bavaria. It has a medium to full body and may vary in color from pale through amber to dark brown. It is the beer traditionally served at the Munich Oktoberfest. -Wikipedia
Austrian-style / German-style Vienna Lager
Vienna Lager ranges from copper to reddish brown in color. The beer is characterized by malty aroma and slight malt sweetness. The malt aroma and flavor should have a notable degree of toasted and/or slightly roasted malt character. Hop bitterness is low to medium-low. -CraftBeer.com
Passeggiata Vienna Lager pours a deep copper-red with a persistent white head. Aromas of biscuit and toasted nuts lead to flavours of honey with a subtle yet complex roasted malt character balanced bitterness and dry finish.
Named after the city this style originated, we kept this one true to its roots. A glowing bronze color with a nice malty aroma gives way to flavors reminiscent of warm baked bread and roasted nuts.
The Vienna-style Lager pays respect to the 19th century Austrian beer which made its way to the US via a fascinating trip through Central America. Pouring a gorgeous amber-red, this highly drinkable lager greets you with notes of lightly sweet malt and toasted bread, finishing with a clean bitterness. In 2020, the Vienna Lager won a gold medal from Best of Craft Beer Awards in the Vienna-Style Lager category.
Vienna (Vienna Lager) 5.7% ABV - 37 IBU.
Soft and malty is the story behind this beer. A gentle creaminess and dry finish make this beer extremely smooth. All German malted barley and hops provide a distinctly German flavor experience. The perfect beer to enjoy the Fall Season.
Other Austrian-style or German-styles
Lady of Avalon is a traditional Munich-style dark lager: flavorful and complex, yet balanced and drinkable. With a dark beer hue and light lager body, this offering is refined and delicious!
A crisp golden Pilsner with an assertive hop presence which includes notes of thyme, lemongrass and tea. A classic style once again re-imagined with three hops new to the brewing world.
Fermented with the Weihenstephan Weizen yeast strain to provide a balance of clove and banana aroma and flavor - has a hint of bubblegum and a slightly tart finish.
An ode to bananas foster via a double Dunkelweizen. The Weihenstephan Weizen yeast provides banana and spice while the caramel comes from a good dose of specialty malts. Vanilla in the secondary rounds out the classic flavor profile.