Festbier Returns to a Taproom That Pairs It With Tex-Mex

Eastbound Brewing Company's Festbier is back on tap at the Queen Street East brewpub, and the pairing the brewery is suggesting this week is tacos.

That is less of a joke than it sounds. Eastbound's kitchen is a Tex-Mex cantina, so a seasonal German lager arrives here next to a menu with no interest in Bavaria whatsoever. The newsletter recommends a cold pint alongside it for what the brewery calls a truly diverse experience. The can hedges in the other direction: the line printed around its shoulder says the beer goes well with soft pretzels, pork hock and oompah bands.

Eastbound brews it in what it calls the classic Bavarian tradition, with German malt and hops, then lagers it before packaging. The brewery describes a golden hue, a smooth toasted-malt balance and a crisp, clean finish, with Hallertau supplying the hop character. Its product page lists the beer at 5.9 percent and sums it up as festive, malty, smooth and boisterous.

Hallertau is the expected answer rather than a surprise. It is the growing region south of Munich that supplies the noble hop family most Oktoberfest lagers are built on. Still, it is a spec worth having in writing, since plenty of festbier release notes skip the hops entirely.

Draft is the only format for now. Eastbound says cans are in the works and dropping soon, with a separate announcement to follow. The brewery is also careful to note that Festbier arriving is not a verdict on the season. It is not pushing summer aside, in its words. It just likes beer.