Tucher Festbier

Tucher Festbier is a festival-style lager, filed here under Oktoberfest beer, and the style has a clear profile. Festbiers sit between a Helles and a Märzen: pale gold to deep amber, with a soft bready malt core and just enough noble-hop bitterness to keep it clean. Expect aromas of fresh bread crust, light honey and a faint floral or herbal hop note, with a smooth, dry finish rather than anything sweet or heavy. Styles like this usually land around 5.5 to 6.3 percent ABV with modest bitterness, but check the label for this bottle's exact figures. Serve it cold but not frozen, around 38 to 45°F (3 to 7°C). Colder than that mutes the malt, and the bready character that defines a festbier is the reason to drink it. The traditional vessel is a Mass (a one-liter stein), though a 0.5 liter stein, a Willi Becher or a tall Pilsner glass works well at home. A wide-mouthed stein or tumbler is fine for casual pouring, while a tapered Pilsner glass holds the white foam head and concentrates the hop aroma. Pour down the side of the tilted glass, then straighten it to build an inch or so of foam. At the table, festbier belongs with the food it was brewed alongside: soft pretzels with mustard, bratwurst, roast chicken, schnitzel, sauerkraut and potato salad. The malt sweetness handles salty and smoky meats well, and the carbonation cuts through fat. It also works with sharp cheeses such as aged Gouda or Emmentaler, and with plain roasted pork. Very spicy dishes will overwhelm it, so keep it to savory, hearty fare.