Weihenstephaner Festbier

Brewed by Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Style: Oktoberfest/Märzen
Freising, Oberbayern, Germany

This beer did not meet the level I had hoped from this brewery and while I kind of like it, it does little for me. It is golden with a medium off-white head that lingers a bit before thinning to a ring and wisps. The aroma is grain, grass, and pine. The taste is similar, with some decent body and definite maltiness, plus a strong, persistent, if moderate pine-grassy hop bitterness. It is somewhat enjoyable and does not lack flavour while it has a somewhat intriguing & lively palate, but the bitterness is too piney and a little unpleasantly sharp and tends to overpower the malt too much. The end is very dry and a little too sharp, although I really enjoy the basic character and flavour. I’ll drink it and like it but would prefer others. To me this seemed a lot like a very dry, bitter, stronger pilsner and it is not really what I expected.

Bottle: Pale and greenish-golden with a persistent frothy head, unexpected aroma: distinctive aromatic, a bit grassy hops, completed by some fruity grains; quite dry, moderate bitter flavour, rather light bodied for a beer of 5.8%; moderate bitterness, sweet malt and some aromatic hops, not to forget the tinge of vanilla, in the finish. More a "Pils de luxe" than a Festbier.......

Im usually very impressed by this brewing comapny although this beer did not meet my expectations. Poured cloudy with minimal head and lacing. Tasted slighly hoppy for a fest beer.

Poured yellow, puffy white head. This one snuck up on me. First taste was underwhelming, but improved with each taste. Flavor is sweet, honey, faint breadiness. Finishes dry with enjoyable spicy hop flavor. Body is thin, like a pilsner. Good

Weihenstephaner makes many great beers, but this is not one of them. Festbiers served in Germany usually are crystal clear with huge heads served in one-liter mugs. This had almost no head at all and was cloudy. The taste was fairly "hoppy" and not bitter and not too tasty. It does go down easily though. It is the kind of beer you can drink at a volksfest without realizing you have imbibed seven liters until you have left the beer tent and searched for your hotel in vain for four hours, weaving from street to street.

A light beer with a spicy wheat taste, somewhat similar to a weak marzen. A good blend of malts and hops.

Medium yellow, nicely lasting head. Aroma is sweet honey malt with a touch of floral hops. Flavor is sweet, honey and bread, with a pleasant floral and grassy hop finish. Nice. Improved significantly as it warmed.

I get the lemongrass aroma, and pilsner aroma. Has a great balance of malt to spicey pilsner bitter. I guess that’s the helles profile. I don’t get the breadiness. It’s got a contrasting sweet and dryness. moutfeel is full but w/ small refreshing bubbles.