Festbier - Victory Brewing Company

evansrdbrew

North Carolina

3.58/5  rDev -4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Drank on 10/22/10
12 oz. In NB ballon

A- poured a beautiful clear honey amber with a 1/8" head which disappeared to leave swirls of bubbles a a nice halo which leaves a fine lace on the glass. Fine streams of carbonation.

S- malt up front with good toasted notes and a slight sweetness.

T- a nice toasty character, wonderful malt flavors with a slight noble hop freshness.

MF- upfront tingle of carbonation with a very slight bitterness. Finishes with a dryness. Nice refreshing body.

D- could definitely enjoy a couple playing horseshoes on a nice fall day.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2010 22:18:38 | More by evansrdbrew

rebelthrower

Massachusetts

3.88/5  rDev +4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Pours light orange/copper, a hint of brown and a slightly hazy. Head is a almost white. About a half thumb thick and a little bit of lacing.

S - Sweet and citrus, and bready, Malty and a bit of caramel.

T - Malts and a lot of sweetness. Lights hops and a bit bready.

M - Medium bodied, good carbonation, well balanced. A slight watery taste at end. Hint of caramel.

D - Very drinkable and smooth.

Serving type: bottle

11-24-2011 04:11:03 | More by rebelthrower

ABHatter

Rhode Island

3.9/5  rDev +4.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured from 12oz btl into 16oz tumbler. Very attractive amber color, Appears quite transparant with good carbonation

s-Smell is quite bready with some sort of mild fruity smell which for some reason I can't identify.

T- This beer is all about the malt. Bready qualities with a touch of raisins & figs. Hops are quite mild with a touch of spicyness & a faint tea flavor, But they help to balance the malt quite nicely on the finish. Sweet Maltiness all around on this beer

M- Medium bodied with good carbonation, Mouthfeel is considerably better than other Rocktoberfests that I've had in the past

D- Drinkability is also quite good due to the mild sweetness. I could easily have a few of these.

I'm not a huge fan of lagers, but this beer really hits the spot. Overall a great Oktoberfest beer from Victory. Well worth a try.

Serving type: bottle

09-26-2008 01:09:04 | More by ABHatter

seesnow3

Connecticut

2.6/5  rDev -30.3%
look: 2.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 2.5

Heavy Seas pint glass, no freshness date, $1.90/bottle in NH

Pour-Pours a small head that quickly fades to a washy film with a thin ring of bubbles. Deep copper with a little less of an orange color. A faint stream of large effervescence bubbles here and there. Essentially no lacing that sticks.

Nose-Caramel malt for sure with just a hint of skunky musty aroma. There seems to be just a touch of dark fruit. The spice aroma is a little bit subdued.

Palate-Sweet right away followed by a hint of sour and some noticeable bitterness. The taste is predominantly rich caramel malts. The lingering qualities are fairly short. The sweetness is a little bit fruity and off. Alcohol, despite the low percentage is slightly warming and noticeable.

Body-Medium to heavy, very little effervescence renders this one a tad closer to syrupy in texture. It is sort of creamy but has a slightly drying finish.

Final-I’m not really sure what to make of this. Out of all of the Marzen’s I’ve tried this probably has the least amount of bubbles in it. I’m not sure I personally like it, due to the odd sweetness, but there is nothing in there to severely offend anyone. It’s fairly balanced though a little bit off kilter on the sweetness, but overall worth a go for the price if you don’t mind a fairly “flat” Marzen. Maybe this bottle wasn’t any good, because I know it wasn’t old and my review seems quite contrary to the others.

Serving type: bottle

11-09-2011 00:53:45 | More by seesnow3

thefireman

Pennsylvania

3.83/5  rDev +2.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured dark copper with an ample, beige head, which quickly dissipated. Good lace throughout. Malty at first, good smell. Slightly sweet, but finishes with the trademark hoppy bitterness. Mouthfeel is ok.

Not the greatest Victory product, but would purchase again.

Serving type: bottle

06-08-2003 18:48:13 | More by thefireman

gcarl

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -6.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

poured into a pint glass.

Head quickly dissipates, leaving a dark orange/light brown brew. Lots of carbonation bubbles rising to the surface. Aroma is mild, with hints of malt and mellow fruits.

First sip reveals that this lager has a huge sweet malty backbone with an incredibly dry finish(almost makes you reach for a glass of water to rehydrate) Definitely is my least favorite of the the Victory offerings thus far. An easy drinker but far from the best representation of the style.

GC

Serving type: bottle

09-13-2008 19:20:00 | More by gcarl

DijonKetchup

California

2.75/5  rDev -26.3%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Very nice amber pour - very appetizing color. Head collapsed within minutes despite a perfectly clean glass. The dissipated foam then took on an unappetizing feel - looks like it actuall has floaties in it.

Taste is OK - I had expected more. Very malty and dry - almost over-hopped. I'm missing a bit of sweetness. I keep pouring, hoping that the head will build - too cold? No lacing, and I give up trying to make this more appealing.

Mouthfeel is good, I suppose average for the style. The aftertaste is rather unpleasant, with a bit of metallic. Where are the aroma hops? Now i know it's overhopped, as my teeth are grinding like an IPA - definately not in accordance to style.

I have heard much from Victory, but I just don't get this one. I do like the style, but this is off. A bit too free-wheeling in the interpretation of Festbier.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2009 00:59:37 | More by DijonKetchup

hopbar

New Jersey

3.73/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass, this beer has a yellowish-orange coloring (autumn appropriate) with a nice head, yet it disappeared quickly. It gave off a faint sweet smell with almost the hint of orange. The taste was smooth and refreshing. Sweet and malty followed by a mild hop aftertaste. It was fairly well carbonated and you could feel the bubbles in your mouth as you drank it. Overall, a very good Oktoberfest beer. We served this at our annual Oktoberfest family party back in October and it went over real well with an assortment of German sausages and smoked pork chops.

Serving type: bottle

12-07-2006 14:34:42 | More by hopbar

Tromba

Delaware

3.78/5  rDev +1.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Poured into a pint glass.

A: Pours a orange-copper with great clarity. Off-white head is creamy and lingers a bit leaving great lacing.

S: Not very apparent - some faint sweet, malty notes.

T: Very sweet malt up front, with a VERY mild hop finish.

M: medium body with moderate carbonation. "Feels" sweet with a clean finish.

D: Very drinkable - could be a session beer for some - may be a little too sweet or a little "rich" for some to be a session; definitely worth checking out.

Serving type: bottle

10-23-2009 00:35:20 | More by Tromba

Brewnami

Texas

4.38/5  rDev +17.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

I just found this in the back of my fridge and I forgot how good it is. This particular one is not the freshest Victory Festbier I've had as I bought this in October and its been sitting in my fridge for almost 4 months, but its still great. Honestly one of my favorite Oktoberfest beers. I put this one up there with Paulaner and Spaten. Best American Oktoberfest I've had so far. Obviously you probably wont be finding this very easily right now and perhaps it may be best to wait for August of this year to try it for the first time. Sweet and malty, crisp and clean, very drinkable. Highly recommended for Oktoberfest fans.

Serving type: bottle

01-16-2009 02:59:19 | More by Brewnami

Extrajoker00

Ohio

3.93/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Served in a pilsner glass

Review from notes: Beer Tasting 09-23-2011

A : Brownish amber with a thin head

S : roasted malt and caramel

T : Sweet roasted and caramel

M : Smooth and a slow finish

D : Left me wanting more

I felt this was a good Oktoberfest and would recommend

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 02:29:21 | More by Extrajoker00

Fcip78

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev -3.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Victory's Festbeer is one of the better Marzen style beer available. Nice amount of malt, mouthfeel is pretty good. Marzens can be a little too light or way too much malt, but Festbeer is a perfect balance. Nice hop bitterness to cut some of maltyness.

Serving type: bottle

03-03-2012 20:06:03 | More by Fcip78

raven3131

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -16.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 4

I was a little dissapointed with this offering - though the color is good I found the nose a little soft, and had to really work it to bring out the character. First sip didn't deliver the roasted malt flavor I am used to from a Oktoberfest lager. Don't get me wrong, this is a nice fall beer, well made and very easy to drink - but I know Victory can do better. I typically look for more initial mouthfeel in alcohol and malt in a fest beer - the spice was faint, but there by the end.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2005 17:08:07 | More by raven3131

SiriusAth

Georgia

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Pours into a pint glass a clear light amber, almost reddish brown with a minimal head, just a collar really. Some lacing is evident but not much.

The nose is full of malty goodness. It has the classic marzen aromas of caramel, toffee, and a nice toastiness; lovely. Hops play second fiddle to the malt with a slight herbal character.

The taste is similar to the aroma. It starts toasty with toffee and caramel sweetness and glides along to a mild herbal hop finish with a touch of bready/doughy flavors lingering after. Balance in this brew is wonderful.

Body seems to fall somewhere between light and medium; the beer goes down very smooth and easy. Clean, fairly crisp, good carbonation.

I am a marzen fan, and Victory doesn't dissapoint with a good interpretation of the style. It's not mind blowing, but it is tasty and I could easily drink quite a few of these back to back and still come back for more. Prost!

Serving type: bottle

09-09-2008 05:23:30 | More by SiriusAth

noel2977

Pennsylvania

4.47/5  rDev +19.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

This - to me - is the sign that fall has come. My favorite Octoberfest brew out there...

Copper appearance, head dissapates upon the pour, very little lacing. The aroma is fruity/malty. The taste is malty-goodiness. A slight hint of yeast, intermingled with some simple fruit flavor and a return of malt on the finish. Not a long lasting finish, but it doesnt need to be. This beer is to the point. Mouthfeel has a perfect amount of carbonation. In summary, i could see myself sitting around with friends on a fall day on the deck drinking a few of these. Very drinkable. Seek it out and try one on for yourself.

Serving type: bottle

09-14-2010 01:29:43 | More by noel2977

longdivision

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +16.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a pint glass.
A - A really rich red amber/copper color. It does stand out in being a little dark than most lagers.
S - A very "signature" smell. I think it's the hops or yeast they use. Not being a big fan of hoppy stuff, I was fine with this, and even liked it.
M - Not too heavy on the tongue. Has some good bite of carbonation.
T - Really tasty. The balance of hops and malt is great. It seems at first you get the sharpness of the hops, but it smooths out nicely with malts after that.
D - I could enjoy a few of these easily. Very pleasant to drink.

Serving type: bottle

11-20-2007 01:08:19 | More by longdivision

constahoogan

California

3.33/5  rDev -10.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

The color is of copper orange very translucent body the provides a cramy 2 finger head the slowly diminishes with little stringy lace.

The nose doesn't really deliver but from what I can extract is sweet caramel malts followed by a very subtle hop scent. The taste is very similar to the smel but a bit more straight forward.

mouthfeel is crisp just how a lager should be. It is a very enjoyable brew with very high drinkability.

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2009 09:06:54 | More by constahoogan

DownDaHatch

Illinois

2.55/5  rDev -31.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I have loved the Victory label, so I was excited to give this beer a whirl. The best I can say of this beer is that it is unremarkable. It certainly lacks complexity. I am certain it's intent is a munich-like style Octoberfest, but falls a bit flat. It looks wonderful, pours great, but generally stops there. The slightly malty nose is also a nice compliment. The taste seems hopless with some floral and fruit (Pear/apples?) undertones. It is medium bodied and copper colored and has a bit of a dry finish. I love Octoberfest beers, but this one left me a bit flat.

Serving type: bottle

08-18-2008 16:40:44 | More by DownDaHatch

jimsimply

Georgia

2.7/5  rDev -27.6%
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | overall: 3

Well past its Enjoy by date, this poured a hazy amber into a pint glass with thin head. Not much aroma at all, a faint yeasty smell is all I can discern.

Taste is not much better. I generally like Victory's beers, but this isn't fantastic. Fairly sweet, but lighter in the mouth than I like, almost watery consistency. Carbonation there, but it doesn't add much.

All in all, not my favorite Oktoberfest by any stretch. I had to force myself to finish it.

Serving type: bottle

01-25-2009 21:08:39 | More by jimsimply

AnswerInQuestion

California

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Rich orange/red/copper with very slight visible carbonation.

S: Crisp and malty with a hint of pumpkin or sweet potato.

T: Sweeter than it smells, with that familiar Oktoberfest spicy malt flavor. Crisp and clean, with that familiar victory lightly hopped finish. A little sour aftertaste.

M: Pleasantly carbonated, a little too strong of a bite on the tip of the tongue.

D: Though I'm sipping now, I could definitely see this as a beer to gulp, as in during Oktoberfest. When the harvest is good, you have to celebrate somehow, right?

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2010 08:35:04 | More by AnswerInQuestion

kruthar

Indiana

3.23/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Extra in a great box i got last week.

A - a perfect amber color, very little head though only about half a finger that diminishes to a thin layer quickly.

S - interestingly not much smell, being an oktoberfest its a very familiar smell, sadly it kind of smells a littel like a cheap lager.

T - Can't say i taste anyting outstanding here. Its realy just a watery oktoberfest beerslightly hoppy witha full malt background.

M - initial cold bight with a small rough leave

D - as normal as any other off the shelf beer i would say.

Don't get me wrong i dont hate this ber, its just not a stand out brew that I can rave about.

Serving type: bottle

10-17-2010 03:12:47 | More by kruthar

ExMachina1

Tennessee

4.13/5  rDev +10.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

This has got to be one of the better October/Marzen beers I've had. The aromas and flavors are appropriately complex--bready and nutty with a smooth malty sweetness-- but overall, the beer is subdued enough that your palate never gets fried. This beer would pair great with a lot of foods. Beyond that, Octoberfest beer is supposed to be eminently drinkable and this one has got drinkability in SPADES. This beer is so clean that it exudes quality by its subtlety. I'm gonna go broke this fall!

Serving type: bottle

09-03-2009 19:12:55 | More by ExMachina1

xcrunner78

Ohio

2.58/5  rDev -30.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Presentation: 12 oz brown bottle

Appearance: Orange-Copper in pour, with a good size head. Good amount of carbonation in the glass.

Smell: A bit of dough and very malty. Cannot smell any hop addition.

Taste: Definitely a lager. Malts are toasted, a little carmel and a grassy hop on the palate. Finishes dry and would have been good with some bready food.

Serving type: bottle

12-22-2009 15:44:20 | More by xcrunner78

TonyVic

New York

2.83/5  rDev -24.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Good pour, copper red with a a good head, although it dissipated quickly. Caramel and malty notes on the nose. The mouthfeel has a medium body. I was not a fan of the taste though as the balance between the malt and hops was out of wack and left a slightly astringent finish.

Serving type: bottle

10-24-2010 22:30:59 | More by TonyVic

jmshulk

Pennsylvania

3.98/5  rDev +6.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Aroma: Really nice fall, grassy type of smell with some malts and maybe a hint of lemon.

Appearance: Awesome looking deep dark orange/redish color. Light Tan head the falls slowly and gently.

Taste: Nice bold toasted malt flavors with a little grass, some subtle lemon flavor. Not much bitterness.

Feel: Nice and smooth, medium plus body, with medium carbonation.

Overall: Really nice, refreshing fall beer. I've picked this up the past two falls and like sitting back and enjoying it once the weather starts to take a turn and feel more Fallish. It's got a really nice earthy flavor that goes down all too easy.

Serving type: bottle

09-25-2011 01:22:29 | More by jmshulk