Victory Festbier

Brewed by Victory Brewing Company
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Downingtown, Pennsylvania USA

It is a beautiful day when I get a special delivery on my doorstep. Ok, technically in the case of this particular beer, the parent’s doorstep. Semantics aside, the delivery of gifted beer is always a joyous occasion, especially when it comes from the Victory Brewing. Seeing as the Oktoberfest season has pretty much ended, it is with a final farewell that I express my joy and sorrow over such a passing with the delicious Festbier.
As all good marzen Oktoberfest beers should be, my Festbier poured a seductively deep amber with tinges of golden orange peeking out around the sides and bottom of my glass. A tightly packed head tops her body off, fading slowly and leaving a faintly delicate trail of brussels lace along the way. Her nose hints of sweet caramel malts, warm toffee, and finishes with various hints of spices. A touch of cinnamon, maybe. A promising start to a hopefully promising Festbier. Her body is clean, smooth, and very easy to drink while maintaining a decent weighty presence. Rich with malty caramel and toffee notes, fresh warm biscuits, and finishing with faint notes of spice and lemon. Less spice in the palate than in the nose. As my Festbier warms and I delve further into her depths, a definite citric bite leaves a parting impression in the back of my throat. As I finish my glass, I am left with the overwhelming impression of warm caramel notes, toffee, and bread.
A good American representation of a traditional German marzen Oktoberfest beer. A bit milder than some, but still with a commanding Germanic presence. I am pleased with this particular beer from Victory, though I do think that it isn’t as impressive as some of their other brews I have enjoyed.

A dark orange body with a swiftly descending head that leaves no trace--semi-opaque... solid malt aroma with hints of fruitiness to develop a sense of complexity.. slightly effervescent, with a mellow, medium body that is pleasantly fulfilling... smooth, malty presence in the back of the mouth; little hops to speak of, but at this refreshing a taste, they’d only get in the way! Hops actually manifest on the teeth in time (by mid glass)... this lager is easy drinking--I could have finished the six-pack tonight--and leaves room for improvement, in the sense that it fits the season well but would not be sought out of it....another Victory.

Orange brown, with little or no head. Lightly sweet, malty and a bit of caramel. Not a bad oktoberfest.

Clear orange pour with a creamy thin vanilla head. Nutmeg spice, light caramel, and light hops in the nose. Pretty thin on the flavor. I do think Octoberfest when drinking this, but wish the flavor was a more full bodied.

Very appropriately named choice for a Phils World Series clincher. And a (for them) local brew at that. Bottle. Caramel and toast malt with surprisingly strong citric and grassy notes, perfume hops over German spices. Amber pour with a noisy beige head. Light-bodied, soft feel with just a spritely little prickle, clean throughout and refreshing. Nice balance struck between the spicy caramel malt and citrus - balance is exactly the right word. Dryish, lightly bread-inflected finish. Not terribly meaty, but sessionable in spades.

12oz bottle. Pours vibrant, clearish copper with a thin, fizzy, offwhite head. Smells sweet malty, slightly cereal with some metallic notes as well. Tastes metallic and sweet malty, slightly fruity and cereal. Medium body, ok carbonation.

Bottle, #414 Dark amber pour with nice white head and decent lacing. Sweet but light aroma and malty flavor. Pretty light Oktoberfest, good session brew.

Pours golden with a nice thick, off white, foamy head. Aroma is fruity, hints of yeast. Taste is yeasty, lots of carbonation. Not much going on here. Is this realy an ’’Octoberfest’’ brew?