Oktoberfest is in full swing, and many American drinkers are reaching for the amber, bready lager they associate with the holiday. That style, known as Märzen, has been the traditional Oktoberfest beer for over a century, but it has not been the beer served at the actual Munich festival since 1990.

What the Munich festival now serves

Since a Munich Regional Court ruling on Jan. 17, 1990 affirmed the event as the “festival of Munich beer,” the six breweries permitted at the Wiesn—Augustiner, Hacker‑Pschorr, Hofbräu, Löwenbräu, Paulaner and Spaten—have each produced their own version of Festbier. Festbier is a pale golden, smooth, malt‑forward lager that is lighter in color and body than the amber Märzen style.

Why the change happened

In the mid‑1970s Paulaner’s brewers decided the traditional Märzen was too filling for a full day of festival drinking. They created a lighter, more drinkable version that still retained malt character. The other five Munich tent breweries eventually followed suit, and the shift was formalized in the 1990 court decision.

What Americans are still drinking

Across the United States, breweries label their seasonal fall lagers “Oktoberfest” or “Märzen,” offering the amber, toasted‑malt profile that many associate with the holiday. Under EU regulations, the name Oktoberfestbier is protected for beer produced in Munich, but the style itself is not restricted, allowing U.S. craft brewers to continue producing Märzen.

A small holdout in Munich

Poschner’s Hühnerbraterei, a modest tent at the Wiesn, still serves the original amber Hacker‑Pschorr Wiesnmärzen from a wooden barrel alongside the standard Festbier. Though a minor footnote in volume, it shows the historic style has not been completely abandoned.

For American drinkers, the distinction matters: Märzen delivers a richer, bready malt depth, while Festbier is smoother and designed for multiple rounds without overwhelming the palate. As the EU protection of the Oktoberfestbier name took effect in 2022, the traditional amber style may receive more careful attention from U.S. brewers than it does at its source.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.