Festbier
Giesinger Bräu

From the half liter bottle, it pours a clear golden color with a modest white head that reduces to a thin layer and stays that way. A bit of grass and light sweet malt in the nose. The mouth follows with a sweetish malt flavor with some fruitiness noted. Feels smooth and pleasant overall.

A: Golden, small head which disappeared fairly quickly, slightly hazy.

S: Sugar Beet, malt, grassy.

T: Followed the nose, sweet but not cloyingly so.

M: Crisp melt in the mouth texture, moderate to low carbonation.

O: A nice take on a Festbier, more Franconian in taste than southern Bavarian.

500 mL bottle. BBE 01/2026.

Appearance: 2.5. Clear orange with minimal head.

Smell: 3.5. Light malts and hops.

Taste: 4. Light malts and hops with notes of citrus and orange.

Feel: 3. Light with moderate-high carbonation.

Overall: 3.5. A decent festbier.

I've had Giesinger's Marzen; it was good. I've had their Festbier; it is slightly better and softer and pushes the bigger masters to be better still. Pushing tradition is Giesinger's main contribution as I see them. And for that, they get very good Overall Hugs.

This Festbier has a little more amber and is much softer than typical for the style. Giesinger's entry Looks and Smells the style well, efficient foam and malt respectively. Tastes are balanced. And while a good Fest will string out the hops in the finish and after-taste, Giesinger does it more subtly. Soft. Soft. Full-mouthed.

I can't wait for next year. Hope I find this again.

500ml bottle at my home bar in Bavaria. Golden and clear in color with active carbonation. The head holds up moderately well. Malty and sweet aroma. Sweet malt flavor with a slightly sparkling taste. We are all hoping that this will be part of the Oktoberfest in 2026.

Blind-tasted excl it's name.
L- Golden and pours clear with a 3mm white foam lid that is holding well.
S- Mild apart from 'a bit beery'. I struggle to get anything conclusive.
T- Biscuity with a roundness of feel, a slightly rich aspect then some minor hops appear right afterwards.
F- The taste is the Festbier style, malts lead and dominant. Hops here are perhaps a bit lighter than usual, it needs starting off with a decent chill to keep the richness tamed.
O- I'd high hopes for this but the stars haven't aligned. The core of it is it appears to lack positive detail, a character, something I'd remember, a reason to buy it again.
Bought from The Real Ale Store, Newark-on-Trent £4.25
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Now rated/reviewed in draft above I will read the lable for any clues. - It's in German... 'a Festbier brewed to 'Munich Purity Law, obviously!'. 'With Munich water and air...' etc. It also says it is unfiltered yet there is not the slightest hint of sediment in the glass or remaining in the bottle.
500ml bottle BB: 08/03/25

 

From bottle, sadly. Light amber in color with a proper head. Is this the next Oktoberfest bier? Who knows. If it were up to me, this would gain entry. But I’m a simple bitch. As the style goes, pretty standard. Honey, caramelized malt, hops, it’s all there. Delicious.