Malt aroma & flavor
Clean, sweet, bready malt profile is low to medium-low
European Origin Lager Styles
German-Style Oktoberfest/Festbier
Lager · Straw to gold
What to expect
Malt character: Clean, sweet, bready malt profile is low to medium-low. Hop character: Medium-low to medium.
Reading guide · The complete guideline attributes below preserve the source’s qualifications.Color · SRM
3–5
Pale / strawBlack
Straw to gold · Illustrative colors on the shared, uneven SRM scale.
Explore styles overlapping this color rangeAlcohol · ABV
5.1–6.1%
Reference scale, not a limit on official guideline values.
Bitterness · IBU
23–29
Measured bitterness; perceived bitterness is described in the guideline below.
Brewers Association 2026 · Printed guideline page 37 · PDF page 46. Color graphics are illustrative.
The guideline, in detail
Official style attributes, including what may be present and what should be absent.
Hop aroma & flavor
Medium-low to medium
Perceived bitterness
Very low to low and in balance with low sweet maltiness
Body & mouthfeel
Medium
Clarity
Appearance should be clear. Chill haze should not be present
Color
Straw to gold
Fermentation characteristics
DMS, diacetyl, fruity esters, and phenolic attributes should not be present.
Additional guideline notes & competition context
Traditional Oktoberfest beers were brewed to original gravity at or above 13 oPlato. Today, some examples are brewed to a lower original gravity.
Technical specifications, including gravity
Original Gravity (°Plato) 1.048-1.056 (11.9-13.8 °Plato) • Apparent Extract/Final Gravity (°Plato) 1.010-1.014 (2.6-3.6 °Plato) • Alcohol by Weight (Volume) 4.0%-4.8% (5.1%-6.1%) • Hop Bitterness (IBU) 23-29 • Color SRM (EBC) 3-5 (6-10 EBC)