I've grown to really like festbier, probably more than marzen. The latter tends to be sweet, which limits drinkability. Once again inspired by German imports, I made this one with the aim of approximating something like Paulaner festbier (aka wiesn). I read somewhere that it was 70% pilsner and 30% Munich, so that's what I went with. Unfortunately, the shop did not have light Munich, only dark, which at 10LV did not seem terribly dark.
In looking at it, I suppose it's not. It's sort of a burnt orange color, not red or brown like some marzens, notwithstanding the above photo. However, the real failing with this beer is the drinkability. It ended at 1.014, which is in line with what my software, brewer's friend, said Wyeast 2308 would produce. But it just has a very strong, almost overwhelming caramelly sweetness. There's also an occasional hint of booziness in the finish.
In the end, not the worst beer I've made, but certainly not the best, and not better than the beer in the festbier 1.0 post below. I find myself wishing I had re-brewed that beer instead. It would be interesting to taste this beer with light Munich with the same proportion, to see how much difference that would make. The dark Munich version is so caramelly sweet and rich. Something a little more bready sounds better.
Recipe:7.5 Weyermann pils
3.5 Weyermann Munich
1.25 oz Hallertau Mittelfruh (4.2 AA) at 60 minutes, for 21 IBU
OG: 1.062
FG: 1.017 (estimated); 1.014 actual.
Wyeast 2308.
