Irlbacher Premium Weihnachts Festbier
Review Date 12/6/2024 By John Staradumsky
Working my way through the beers of the Biergarten Collection box I bought at Costco, I’m now on my second Irlbacher brew: Irlbacher Premium Weihnachts Festbier. Although I bought the box in September, I saved this one for December 1st. There were a few reasons for this, one being that I usually start my Kalea beer advent calendar on this date, though this year Costco did not import them. Instead, they sold the Biergarten Collection. Now, I didn’t wait for December to start on this box, and truth be told I am about halfway through it.
That said, Irlbacher Premium Weihnachts Festbier literally has Christmas written all over it, since Weihnacht is German for Christmas. So, this one waited until December. On the Irlbacher website, the beer is listed as Winter Festbier rather than Weihnachts Festbier. Here’s what they say about it:
Das Bier, für die kalte Jahreszeit. Rund und ausgewogen im Geschmack. Ideal für die winterliche Küche und Anlässe. Sein Genuss ist für jeden ein Geschmackserlebnis und passt zur festlichen Stimmung.
Which means if you don’t speak German:
The beer for the cold time of year. Round and balanced in taste. Ideal for winter cuisine and occasions. Its enjoyment is a taste experience for everyone and fits the festive mood.
Personally, I prefer bocks and doppelbocks for Weihnachtsbier, and that is a tradition for me going back to the late 1980s. I still recall bringing home cases of Wurzburger Hofbrau Premium Holiday Beer, which was a doppelbock, and a beer I deeply loved. To this day doppelbocks are my favorite style thanks to that beer.
Back to the Irlbacher Premium Weihnachts Festbier, though. It has an alcohol content of 5.6% by volume according to the label, through the Winter Festbier on the brewery website is listed as 5.8%. I paid $59.99 for the box of 24 half liter cans, a good deal at about $2.50 a can. Where are you going to get a craft beer single for $2.50 these days? It happens, but it is rare. My can was stamped 27.05.2025 on the bottom. The label says the beer is brewed by Irlbacher in Germany and canned by Malcolm SA in Poland. I have this styled as an Oktoberfest as it is a Festbier.
Irlbacher Premium Weihnachts Festbier pours to a bright amber color with a thick head of foam and a nose of toasted nuts and earthy hops. Taking a sip, the beer is medium in body, hints at caramel and really pops with toasted nuts. It is very fresh nutty and has a balanced but not aggressive hop finish.
I really enjoyed this one and for me it was one of the better beers in the box.
Other beers in this collection:
Rittmayer Hallendorf 1422 Festbier
Klosterbrau Neuzeller Anas Geheimnisse
Eichbaum Perfekte Zeit Wheat Pale Ale
Irlbacher Premium Vollbier Hell
Glad I tried it?
T
Would I rebuy it??
*Pricing data accurate at time of review or latest update. For reference only, based on actual price paid by reviewer.
(B)=Bottled, Canned
(D)=Draft