The second style of beer that I am going to talk about on this page, definitely my favorite style of seasonal beer, the Marzen/ Fest Bier. Now although two different styles, since they are uniquely intertwined, we are going to cover them together. On a personal note, I sample at least 50 different Marzen/ Fest Biers every year. I can’t get enough, I absolutely love August through October just for the beer.
A Marzen is a lager that originated in Bavaria, Germany. It is believed to have originated before the 16th century. But in 1553, a Bavarian brewing ordinance decreed that you could only brew beer between September 29th(Saint Michael’s day) and April 23rd (Saint Georges day). This was done because brewing during hot summer temperatures would be more prone to creating more off-flavored beer due to elevated fermentation temperatures.
The term Marzen means March Beer, hence true Marzen’s are brewed in March. This was done in Germany so that it was brewed before the April 23rd cut-off date and would be ready in time for the Oktoberfest celebrations. It was brewed with moderate and balanced hop levels, malt and slightly higher alcohol content so that it would last and be fresh in time for fall.
A Marzen will range from a dark amber to a deep copper color. They are full-bodied lagers that are rich, malty, moderately hopped, and will finish clean and smooth. Some of the tasting notes will be biscuity, toasty, caramel, roasty, floral, spicy, herbal. It will all blend into one of the easiest drinking beers you will ever have.
The Marzen did widely become associated with Oktoberfest from 1872 until the 1990s, when demand for something lighter that you can drink all day was what people wanted for Oktoberfest. Since then they have opted for the lighter option, Fest Bier.
The Fest Bier is a smooth, clean pale German Lager that still has the Malt presence of a Marzen, but has a very light hop character to it. The tasting notes are very similar to a Marzen, but it is just a much lighter color. This is the beer that is associated with Oktoberfest nowadays.
Quite a few breweries still do Marzen’s in the traditional way, and some opt to go the Fest Bier route. A Fest Bier also doesn’t need to sit and ferment quite as long as a traditional Marzen, and is another reason why they are becoming more and more popular nowadays.
So since it is that time of the year. I am going to crack open a pre-release can of Oktoberfest that I got my hands on before it even hits the shelves. Shhh…..don’t tell anyone. For the next 30 minutes I will be in heaven with my favorite kind of seasonal beer. The carmelly, malty, floral deliciousness that sits in front of me won’t last long, but there will be many more to come in the next few months. So next time you are out shopping for beer or belly up to your favorite watering hole, order yourself a nice tall cold glass of Marzen/ Fest Bier, tis the season. Prost!
0 Comments