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Festbier

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Subtly sweet with a delicate malt nose, full-bodied and seductively malty, with a kiss of hops for balance. This Märzen-style lager was Victory's very first recipe when the doors opened in 1996, made with imported Vienna and Munich malts, whole-flower German hops and decoction brewing. Victory Festbier won gold at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival.

ABV
5.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter
SRM
amber9
PaceA Few

AWARDS

Gold · 2007
Great American Beer Festival
German Style Märzen
★Gold — Great American Beer Festival (German Style Märzen)
Where this beer sits
Body
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
drysweet
Bitterness
mildbitter
Texture
crispcreamy
Balance
malt-forwardhop-forward
What makes this beer itself
maltynoble hopclean
malty
noble hop
clean
toasty
caramel
bready
Aroma
The nose opens with a delicate Vienna and Munich malt character—toasted grain and subtle caramel sweetness dominate.
not found:hoppy,roasted,fruity,smoky

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Festbier

◎ Appearance

Deep golden amber with excellent clarity and a bright, inviting sheen. The head forms dense and persistent, clinging to the glass in fine lacing that marks each sip. Carbonation appears moderate and well-integrated, lending visual liveliness without aggressive effervescence.

deep golden amberexcellent claritypersistent head and lacing

◌ Aroma

The nose opens with a delicate Vienna and Munich malt character—toasted grain and subtle caramel sweetness dominate. Whole-flower German noble hops contribute a refined, herbal undertone that complements rather than overwhelms. A clean, malty foundation suggests traditional decoction brewing and skilled malt selection.

malt-forwardVienna and Munich characternoble hops, herbal

◐ Taste

Entry is smoothly malty with layers of bread crust and light caramel sweetness, building a full body across the palate. Mid-palate sustains the malt profile while noble hops provide restrained bitterness and a touch of herbal spice. The finish remains clean and dry, allowing malt character to linger without cloying.

full-bodied, maltycaramel and bread crustbalanced noble hops

◑ Finish

The aftertaste extends with a warm, toasted-grain character and gentle hop bitterness. A satisfying dry finish invites another sip without lingering sweetness.

warming finishdry and clean
82
hopIQ score
Aroma
84
Taste
83
Appearance
85
Finish
78
Serve at 7–9°C

Serve at 7–9°C for the best flavour balance and aroma expression.

Stein

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

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Food Pairing

What to eat with Festbier

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About Märzen

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Märzen?

Märzens are Bavarian lagers with 5.8–6.3% ABV. Rich toasty malt — bread, caramel, biscuit — with clean lager fermentation and low bitterness.

Finding a similar Märzen

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same malty, full-bodied, sweet character as Festbier will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Compare with another beer →Explore all Märzen beers in hopIQ →Browse United States beers →