German Brewing

72/Pils, 15/ dark Munich, 4/carafoam, 3/carahell, 3/Carared, 3/caramunich2,
25 IBU, 13 EBC, WY2124, OG 1.056

I've been farting around with this style for a few batches now and this is what I'm thinking for my next. From what I understand the Festbier served today is not a traditional Ofest/Marzen style but more of a stronger Hellles? I guess I'm trying to get somewhere inbetween the two. I figure a higher percent of Pils to obtain the Helles part and a bit of Munich along with layered light Cara malts for the traditional kick.

I forget who it was on the FB German Brewing group but someone said that a traditional festbier should be nothing more than 50% pils, 50% German Munich 2, enough Hallertau at 60 to get to 20-25 IBUs and a suitable (preferably Bavarian) yeast. When I heard that, I had to make it. So many people I have spoken with have told me that German recipes are often very simple. Their processes may not be but their recipes are. So I made it exactly that way and I used the 2352 Augustiner yeast in it. I got more color out of the Munich than I envisioned. That beer is lagering in a keg at the moment and I'm very excited for it. Cheers.

A lodo country style Helles turned up to 11 tastes like a festbier to me. With lodo, make sure to treat Vienna like a specialty malt, not a base malt.

Ken, many of us have found that with low o2 brewing, caramalts are essential for nearly all German styles. Dry styles like pils up to 5%, intermediate styles like helles and festbier 5-10%, and malty styles like märzen, dunkel, and weiss 10%+

I did a Festbier a few months back (pre Low-O2) that was
5 Gal
8 lb Pils (64.4%)
2 lb Vienna (16%)
2 lb Dark Munich (16%)
0.5 lb wheat (4%)
It was awesome and took 2nd place of 8 in a combined category (BJCP 3/4). Yes, that's an odd category combination to me, but that's competition for you. I was beaten out by a Czech Pilsner.
At that time I had moved away from caramalts in lighter German styles, preferring something a little drier.
My next brew is to try the same recipe Low-O2 and see where it lands before adjusting it with caramalz or different percentages.