It’s the most wonderful time of the year! No, the holidays aren’t here yet – it’s FESTBIER SEASON!
When you ask around the brewery, those in the know uniformly proclaim Zipline’s Festbier to be one of the best beers we produce every year. Our classic Festbier represents a slightly lighter, modern interpretation of the Märzen style beers served at Munich’s original Oktoberfest celebration. Märzen is a malty, amber, European-style lager that can trace the roots of its modern variants to 1841, and Märzen become the official beer of Munich’s Oktoberfest in 1872. This tradition lasted over 100 years until it was replaced by the lighter-bodied, golden-colored Festbier in the 1990 Oktoberfest. The Festbier style was created by Paulaner brewers as a less-filling version of the Märzen Oktoberfests. Though still malty, Festbiers are a bit less malty and lighter in body than their predecessors.
We think our Zipline Festbier is a fantastic example of this widely accessible beer style. But, don’t just take our word for it: Ask the good judges at the Great American Beer Festival who, last year, awarded it a Bronze Medal in the category. And, come see for yourself at our annual Oktoberfest celebration at the Brewery Taproom and Beer Lounge on September 10th. Prost!