With gorgeous fall weather setting in, Oktoberfest styles are the perfect beer for the season. Easy drinking yet flavorful, both festbier and märzen beers ring in the harvest season perfectly with their malt-forward flavor and crisp mouthfeel. Let's learn about how Oktoberfest came to be, the differences between the two Oktoberfest beer styles, and why on earth Oktoberfest is so commonly celebrated in September!
Oktoberfest celebrations originate from a party held on October 12, 1810, to celebrate the wedding of Ludwig I (of Bavaria) to Therese (of Saxony-Hildburghausen). The party was held in the fields outside the Munich city gates, which allowed everyone to join in the celebrations, regardless of class or social standing-- and the party was epic! The festivities lasted five days and featured horse races, games, and lots of dark, sweet, full-bodied beer. In fact, the party was so beloved that it was held again the next year, and continued annually as a way to celebrate the fall harvest.
Märzen is the traditional Oktoberfest beer style, first brewed by Gabriel Sedlmayr II at Spaten Brewery in Munich. He was inspired by the beer served at the original Oktoberfest wedding, and created the Märzenbier in 1841 as an ode to that special brew. The Märzen was brewed with 100% Munich malts, and was considered a lighter brew for its time. The beer was served at the 1872 Oktoberfest celebration, and attendees loved it! Märzen has been an essential part of Oktoberfest ever since.
Märzen is copper in color and medium-bodied, with a crisp finish. It features roasty, caramel aromas and flavors with very little bitterness. It's also darker and clearer than the other Oktoberfest beer style, the festbier, because it is matured in cold storage (lagered) for six months before serving. We sampled Oktoberfest, a Märzen brewed by Hacker-Pschorr in Munich, Germany. We also sampled Ur Märzen, brewed by Spaten Brewery in Munich, Germany. Official Oktoberfest lagers can only be made by Hacker-Pschorr and Spaten Breweries, along with Augustiner, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, and Paulaner. Oktoberfest beers brewed in other breweries are known as "Oktoberfest-style" beers, because they are not official Oktoberfest brews.
The other Oktoberfest beer style is festbier, a more modern beer style that is golden, light-bodied, clean, and crisp. It features aromas and flavors of light grain, biscuit, and a mild hoppiness on the finish. It tends to be higher in alcohol than Märzen, and is lagered for 2-6 months.
Festbier is a child of the 20th century, brewed by Munich breweries looking for a lighter beer that could be served all day long during the Oktoberfest celebrations. It's a less filling beer, but features the same amount of alcohol that Märzen does. The birth of the festbier style aligns with the popularity of American lager brands, and the modern love of lighter styles. Paulaner Brewery premiered their festbier, which was similar to a helles lager or weissbier, in the 1970s, and the style gained massive popularity by the 1990s. At today's Oktoberfest celebrations, at the six official Oktoberfest breweries in Munich, festbier is the only style served.
As fantastic examples of festbier, we sampled Oktoberfestbier by Hofbräuhaus München and Bier Oktoberfest by Paulaner Brauerei Gruppe, both in Munich, Germany.
Oktoberfest is still held in Munich, Germany every year. The festival runs 16-18 days in mid-late September to early October, and more than seven million people attend! Oktoberfest celebrations, as well as Oktoberfest beer releases, have been pushed earlier and earlier over the years as Oktoberfest grows in popularity. Some local Oktoberfest beers are released as early as August! The collective love for Oktoberfest continues to grow as traditions are honored and celebrations enjoyed. This harvest season, don't miss the opportunity to try a few local Märzens and festbiers-- and be sure to try Oktoberfest beers from the six official Oktoberfest breweries, too! Visit Cromaine's online calendar to register for October's Ale Together Now program-- we can't wait to see you there.
Cheers!