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Styles · Festbier

Beer style · BJCP 2021 4B

Festbier

Pale Malty European Lager

Published ranges These are the ranges the BJCP 2021 guidelines publish for this style.

Original gravity
1.054–1.057
Final gravity
1.010–1.012
Bitterness
18–25 IBU
Color
4–7 SRM (8–14 EBC)
Alcohol
5.8–6.3 % ABV

What it is

The beer actually poured at the modern Oktoberfest: gold rather than amber, stronger than a Helles but still made for the liter mug. Rich pilsner and Vienna malt carry it, with hops present mainly to stop it turning sweet. The trick is keeping six percent smooth enough to drink all afternoon.

Flavor

What a Festbier should taste like, on the three wheels the studio scores every recipe against. The shaded ring is the style’s range on each axis, from 0 at the center to 5 at the edge.

Hops

Room for floral, herbal or spice.

Malt

Grainy and bready/biscuit, with room for toasty or sweet/honey.

Fermentation

Clean, with room for sulfur.

Hops that suit it

The traditional choice

What Festbier has classically been brewed with.

Also right on character

Varieties whose loudest notes all sit on this style’s hop wheel, best fit first. How much to use is the recipe’s question; these are the ones that taste right.

And 2 more hops whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Yeasts that suit it

Strains the lab made for beers like this one, whose fermentation character sits inside the style’s wheel. A strain sold by several labs is listed once; its page names the others.

And 23 more yeasts whose character fits. These are the 24 that fit best.

Style numbers, names and vital statistics are from the BJCP 2021 Beer Style Guidelines, where you will find the official descriptions. The descriptions and flavor wheels here are Beerwright’s own. Beerwright is not affiliated with or endorsed by the BJCP.