Fest Lager Yeast | Imperial Yeast L02 | Seasonal Release

Imperial Yeast L02 Fest lager yeast for malt-forward festival lagers

Imperial Yeast L02 Fest is a seasonal liquid lager yeast strain built for malt-forward beers like Märzen, Oktoberfest lager, Festbier, bock, and related amber or dark lagers. It ferments cleanly, leaves a dry finish, and keeps the malt character at the center of the beer.

Fest is one of Imperial Yeast's more flocculent lager strains. That makes it a strong choice when you want a bright, polished lager without leaning on filtration. Expect a clean fermentation profile, good malt expression, and enough attenuation to finish crisp instead of sweet.

Best uses

• Great fit: Märzen, Oktoberfest lager, Festbier, bock, dunkel, Vienna lager, and other malt-forward lager styles.
• Fermentation profile: clean lager character with a malty impression and dry finish.
• Clarity: medium flocculation helps the beer clear well with proper cold conditioning.
• Format: Imperial Pitch Right homebrew pouch for standard 5 gallon batches.

Imperial L02 Fest specs

• Temperature range: 54-58°F / 12-14°C
• Attenuation: 72-76%
• Flocculation: Medium
• Alcohol tolerance: 10%
• Phenolic off-flavor: Negative
• Diastatic: Negative

How to use this pouch

Imperial's Pitch Right pouches contain 200 billion cells and are designed to inoculate 5 gallons of standard-gravity wort. For best results, chill the wort into the recommended lager range, oxygenate well, and pitch the pouch into clean, sanitary wort.

Use a starter if you are brewing more than 5 gallons, brewing a high-gravity lager above about 1.070 SG / 17 °P, or using a pouch that is older than 4 months. Keep the pouch refrigerated until brew day and avoid letting liquid yeast sit warm longer than necessary.

Brewing notes

Fest is at its best when the recipe gives the malt room to show. Pair it with clean continental-style base malt, restrained hopping, and a patient lagering schedule. A normal diacetyl-rest and cold-conditioning plan is still worth building into the batch, especially for stronger lagers and recipes with a large malt bill.

For more lager strains, browse our lager yeast collection or compare other options in beer yeast.

FAQ

Is Imperial L02 Fest a lager yeast?
Yes. Fest is a seasonal lager strain intended for malt-forward festival lagers, including Märzen, Oktoberfest-style lagers, and bocks.

What temperature should I ferment L02 Fest at?
Imperial lists the recommended fermentation range at 54-58°F / 12-14°C.

Do I need a starter?
For a fresh pouch in a standard 5 gallon, standard-gravity batch, a starter is usually not needed. Imperial recommends a starter for batches over 5 gallons, wort above 1.070 SG / 17 °P, or pouches older than 4 months.

What makes Fest different from a neutral lager yeast?
Fest is selected for malt-forward lager styles. It keeps fermentation clean while helping the finished beer land with good malt character, clarity, and a dry finish.