Fest Time

Story by Dave Eckert

Although named Oktoberfest, the traditional German celebration held annually in Munich, is primarily observed in September-wrapping up in the first week of October. And that, by no means, is the only confusing thing about Oktoberfest, which I discovered by going down an Oktoberfest rabbit hole. But, since this is an article about beverages, I will focus on just one head-scratching element of Oktober Fest… the bier!

Oktoberfest biers are identified by two styles – Märzen, which is a sweeter Bavarian amber lager, and Festbier, a lighter and drier lager, though neither was the original bier served at Oktoberfest. No, that would have been a dark lager, similar to today’s Dunkels. Those biers ruled Oktoberfest from 1818 till 1872, when Märzen mounted the throne. After a 100-year run, Märzen was replaced by Festbier, which is the current bier ruler of Oktoberfest. Got it? Good. Time to cross the Atlantic.

Photo courtesy of KC Bier Company

Here in America, there are hundreds of breweries, small, large, and in between that produce Octoberfest-style beers. Some are sweeter in a Märzen style, but most in the lighter Festbier style. There are a number said breweries in the Kansas City metro, including the always excellent KC Bier Company. I recently spoke with founder and managing owner Steve Holle about their Festbier. “We first released Festbier on September 1, 2014, during our first year of operations. As a brewery making German-style bier, Festbier fit perfectly into our portfolio as a fall release to correspond with the fall Oktoberfest season. Today, it is the flagship bier of our own KC-Oktoberfest held the first Friday and Saturday of October at the Crown Center outdoor plaza, and our best-selling seasonal bier!” Holle shared.

“Festbier is brewed in accordance with the Bavarian Beer Purity Law of 1516, which allows only four ingredients in lager bier–malted barley, hops, water, and yeast. Our malt and hops come from the IREKS Malting Plant in Kulmbach, Germany, the hops from the Seitz Family Farm in the Bavarian Hallertau hop region, and the yeast from Andechs Monastery in southern Bavaria. Barley and hops acquire their own terroir from the region where they are grown, and since our ingredients all come from Germany, we feel we capture the same authentic flavors of bier brewed in Germany.” I love the attention to detail that goes into KC Bier Co’s Festbier, but mostly, I love the end product. It’s delicious!

Photo courtesy of Border Brewing

Border Brewing’s Eric Martens has dipped his toe into Festbier waters with a brew he’s called Rooftop Red Lager. “Rooftop Red Lager is made to be enjoyed by anyone, whether they’re a craft beer fan or just starting out. Originally, we brewed it as an ale, but a couple years ago, we converted the recipe to a lager. We’ve found we really prefer it this way, and our customers do too,” Martens shared.

And, it’s not just in the style of the beer that Martens honors Oktoberfest. It’s also in its production. “Historically, German brewers would brew beer in the spring (Märzen), then store them underground, often in caves, to keep them cool over the summer months. In the fall, they’d dig them up for Oktoberfest. Well, we’ve put our own spin on this by “burying” some of our Fest beer in the backyard in the spring and digging it up during our Oktoberfest event in the fall! This extra time underground isn’t intended to transform the beer in a dramatic way, but it does allow the flavors to mellow and meld together, giving it a smoother, more rounded profile. It’s also just a fun nod to tradition and an excuse to do something silly and fun for our Oktoberfest event every year,” Martens explained. Now, this I have to try!

Photo courtesy of Conrad’s

Speaking of trying Festbiers, I found a great place to do just that – Conrad’s, with two locations in The Northland. They offer multiple Festbiers, which is great. The fact that the Conrad’s on 291 in Liberty is just minutes from my house makes it even greater! “We have multiple Oktoberfest beers available throughout the season at both locations from breweries like 2nd Shift, Boulevard, Toppling Goliath, Sam Adams, and Avery,” Office Manager Laurel Bruening Bohlmeyer told me. And the fall taste treats don’t stop there. “We also bring in pumpkin beers from Off Color and Big Muddy, as well as sour beers like Toppling Goliath’s Caramel Apple Fandango and ciders like Downstream’s Cider Donut. We keep our beer selection seasonal, but also fun and interesting.”

So, where can you buy Festbiers, both local and national? I thought you’d never ask. I highly recommend Bubbles Wine and Spirits on North Oak Trafficway in Gladstone and in far western Parkville, just east of 435. Beer Expert Jeffrey Fizer provided some details. “We carry many brands. Some popular ones include: imports by Warsteiner, Hacker-Pschorr, and Ayinger, American offerings from Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, and Bell’s, and local brews like Boulevard’s Bob’s 47, and the aforementioned KC Bier Co Festbier,” Fizer explained. “Oktoberfest is one of our favorite times of the year. We pride ourselves on our selection and beer is no exception. We usually offer at least 40 different Oktoberfest beers from around the world!”