festbier

In large parts of Europe, religion determines the festival calendar. Christianity is rich in holidays and gives free time to its congregation and everyone else at regular intervals. There are a particularly large number of these holidays in Bavaria: the holiday year begins with the New Year, closely followed by the day of the Three Kings at the beginning of January. Good Friday, Easter, Labor Day, Ascension Day, Pentecost, Corpus Christi, Assumption Day, Day of German Unity, Reformation, All Saints’ Day, Day of Repentance and Prayer and Christmas pepper the rest of the year with free vacation days and occasions to celebrate together.

Many breweries in southern Germany live in harmony with these weddings in the calendar and prepare for them with special beers. The Wagner brewery from Merkendorf, for example, brews its fine festival beer on the occasion of Easter, Pentecost, Christmas and the local church fair.

Thanks to its pithy character, high drinkability and noble hints of hops, the spicy specialty goes well with Easter brunch, Christmas roast or a pair of grilled sausages. The celebratory brew brings a peppy 5.7% alcohol content to the glass and creates a relaxed atmosphere with a successful balance of creamy caramel, roasted grain, earthy and floral hops, candied fruit, spicy yeast and freshly baked bread. A harmonious bitterness counteracts the soft sweetness and rounds off the taste experience appropriately.

Happy Holidays!