Oktoberfest and Märzen
I love Oktoberfest beer. If it’s not immediately clear what makes a beer “Oktoberfest,” and how that relates to Märzen and Festbier, or even Vienna lagers, I will synthesize what these are at a basic level and how they relate to one another.
TL;DR
- Märzen: Original Oktoberfest beer, 1872 - 1970. Dark amber, rich, spicy.
- Festbier: Modern Oktoberfest beer. Lighter, pound-able version of Märzen. Golden, light, slightly spicy.
- Oktoberfestbier:
- Protected label for this style brewed by six specific breweries in München.
- If brewed outside Deutschland, term is looser, could mean any of these styles.
- Oktoberfest-style: Any seasonal Märzen or Festbier style beer.
- Vienna Lager: Original style all these stem from. Amber, smooth, balanced.
Styles
Märzen
Amber, rich, malty, and spicy. The original Oktoberfest beer from 1872 to 1970.
The modern version was invented by Gabriel Sedlmayr, the owner of the Spaten brewery, as an adaptation of the Vienna Lager with München hops. However, the name originally describes lagers in Bavaria that were brewed in March as early as the 1550s, or between September and April. These were used in Autumn for traditional celebrations.
Festbier
Golden, light, smooth, crisp, and spicy. The new Oktoberfest beer from 1990 to present.
Invented by the Paulaner brewery in the mid 1970s specifically for Oktoberfest as an easier to drink version of the Märzen. Over the next two decades, it became the default beer for the festival.
May also be referred to as “Helles Märzen.”
Oktoberfestbier
This is the EU Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) label for beer brewed within the München city limits by six specific breweries for consumption at Oktoberfest, in accordance with very specific antiquated federal beer tax categories:
- Augustiner-Bräu
- Hofbräu München
- Hacker-Pschorr
- Löwenbräu
- Paulaner
- Spaten-Franziskaner-Bräu
Outside Deutschland, this will likely refer to the Märzen style.
Oktoberfest-style
A seasonal Märzen- or Festbier-style beer brewed outside München.
Vienna Lager
Light amber, soft, smooth, and balanced. The ancestral style that Märzen evolved from, and became popular in the late 1800s.
Invented by Anton Dreher in Wien in 1841, known as “Schwechater Lagerbier,” and became popular in the late 1800s.
Diagram
Figure 1: The evolution and relation of Oktoberfest style beers.
My Favorites
I fell in love with Märzen beers originally, but I definitely gravitate to the Festbier style. Here are some of my favorites:
- Hofbräu Oktoberfestbier
- Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen
- Jack’s Abbey Copper Legend
- Zero Gravity Oktoberfest Märzen
- von Trapp Oktoberfest
You can’t go wrong, they’re all good. Well, except…
Whatever you do, do not drink Samuel Adams October Fest