Hopewell Brewing | Endgrain Oktoberfest

The fact that Märzen-style beers aren’t offered year-round is devastating. Even if we all had to come together and choose just one local offering to hold onto outside of the season, I’m convinced that Endgrain by Hopewell Brewing would have a strong chance.

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Taft’s Brewing Co. | Oktubberfest

With so many Oktoberfest beers to choose from, it’s challenging to sample them all, but we’re trying. Oktubberfest, a Festbier from Cincinnati’s Taft’s Brewing Co. is a fine example of a light, easy-drinking Lager-style Oktoberfest beer.

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Crooked Run Fermentation’s Oktoberfest

Daylight is starting to dwindle down a little earlier nowadays. There are slightly cooler temperatures in the air of the evenings and long into the night. It’s turning downright cold in some areas and we are starting to see pumpkin spice everything all the time everywhere! Those are some tell-tale signs that fall is right around the corner. With the coming of fall brings one of the most celebrated times in the beer community, Oktoberfest! Breweries across the land will be holding their versions of Oktoberfest starting in September and running through October. Crooked Run Fermentation in Sterling, VA invites you out to their Oktoberfest festival on Saturday, September 25.

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2021 Guide to Colorado’s Oktoberfest Releases & Celebrations

Believe it or not, summer is once again drawing to a close. Before we dive into pumpkin spice bombs and fresh hop season, let us raise a liter to German-style beers with a round-up of Colorado’s craft beer-centric Oktoberfest celebrations. So lace up those dirndls and strap on the lederhosen it’s time for the beautifully crisp, easy-drinking, toasted malt forward profile of Oktoberfest Märzen lagers. Check out our craft beer guide to Colorado’s Oktoberfest celebrations. Keep in mind, we’ll keep adding Oktoberfest beers from Colorado’s craft breweries as they’re released, as well as Oktoberfest celebration events for future weeks.

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Oddwood Brewing | Austinerbräu Oktoberfest Festbier

Despite the temperature in central Texas still nearing 100 degrees every day, it’s finally time to start enjoying the wonderful Oktoberfest season.
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What We’re Cooking | Pilsner-Simmered Kielbasa

Beer and sausage are a happy pair any time of the year, but it seems that fall is when they really shine as a duo. Oktoberfest is an obvious occasion to head to the meat market and peruse the links hanging behind the counter. This recipe from our very own Ana Pelfka swaps a traditional German bratwurst or knockwurst for Polish smoked kielbasa, simmered in Revolution Brewing’s Rev Pils and served with caramelized onions and apples.

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Brewery Showcase | Rhinegeist Brewery

Cincinnati’s Rhinegeist Brewery was founded in 2013 as a step toward reclaiming the area’s German brewing heritage. Rhinegeist’s expansive 250,000 square foot brewery and taproom is housed in the former Christian Moerlein turn of the century packaging hall and over the years has grown into multiple floors throughout the building.

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What We’re Drinking | September 25, 2020

Fall is officially here and our lives are about to be taken over by pumpkin spice lattes, if they haven’t  already. Another way many beer lovers look at fall is that it kicks off Stout season with the cooler temps settling in. Seasonal food and drink can be a lot of fun and our crew here at PorchDrinking has been highlighting a seasonal beer lately — Oktoberfest beers. Check out some of our articles lately and give some seasonal offerings a try! Here’s What We’re Drinking. Read More

Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Victory Brewing Company Festbier

Fall is steeped in tradition. It brings the change of another season, a reminder of the passage of time. The flannel shirts come out and the apples are ripe for picking. Along with that, the beer you’ll find on shelves at your local stores will replace the light, refreshingly tart and citrus flavors of the summer with the malty and more full-bodied offerings that are also a reminder of the changing of the calendar. Read More

Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Great Lakes Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest started as a wedding celebration in Bavaria in 1810. Two centuries later in 2009, Great Lakes Brewing Company brewmaster Mark Hunger tied the knot and poured his brewery’s Oktoberfest lager at his own autumn wedding reception.

“Picking the beer for the wedding was a no-brainer. From what I can remember, it was a hit,” he says with a laugh. “We went through a keg.”

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The Midwest Guide To Märzens

Even though this summer hasn’t been like any other before due to the pandemic, it is still sad to see this season go. However, as the days change from sunshine to the darkening of leaves, there are some things to get excited about! No, we are not talking about pumpkin spice lattes (even though they are a popular guilty pleasure)–we’re talking about Märzen beers. The dark brown color and rich, malty flavor brings about a notion of nostalgia that no other style of beer can induce. There is just something special about sitting outside on a chilly day next to a campfire with a Märzen in hand. This may sound crazy, but fellow Midwesterners prefer that coziness of fall to a lazy day on the beach–it speaks to the Midwestern soul.

Luckily, breweries across the Midwest have begun releasing a slew of their own incredible takes on this German classic. Some of these beers are widely distributed and some of them are more locally found. If you see any of these magnificent elixirs at your local bottle shop, pick them up before they are gone. So get your folding chair, grab a brat, get the campfire going and enjoy a delicious Märzen. 

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Cincinnati’s German Brewing Heritage

It’s Oktoberfest time! For beer lovers in and around Cincinnati, Ohio, this season is pretty much made for them — the Queen City throws the second largest Oktoberfest celebration outside of Munich, and the world’s largest chicken dance.

Sadly, COVID-19 will put a major damper on how Oktoberfest social events are handled this year. However, one of the great things about the season is the glut of Oktoberfest, Märzenbier and Festbier releases. (Check out this primer on what exactly it is we’re drinking when we have an Oktoberfest beer.) While it’s great enjoying these styles at a Cincinnati Oktoberfest celebration with an oompah band playing in the background, they’re also plenty enjoyable to relax with on a patio or porch as the summer heat wanes into crisp autumn evenings.

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Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Port City Brewing Oktoberfest

For many German beer fans, late September doesn’t just mark the onset of autumn or the beginning of a new school year. It’s the only time of year for eating too many brats, listening to polka music of questionable quality and drinking delicious beer. It’s Oktoberfest! During any other year, many would be dusting off their lederhosen and making pretzel necklaces, while visions of frothy overflowing beer steins danced in their heads.

Yet, even though COVID-19 is, sadly, torpedoing our hopes of having in-person Oktoberfest events this year, never fear. There’s still plenty of first-rate Oktoberfest beers to be had. Here in the Washington, D.C., Beltway area, those mourning the cancellation of this year’s festivities are finding solace in Port City Brewing’s exceptional take on the classic Oktoberfest Märzen Lager. Despite only being distributed in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and some select areas of New York and North Carolina, this beer has gained international renown. It took home the gold medal at the 2014 World Beer Championships, silver at the 2013 Great American Beer Festival and is currently ranked the 27th best Oktoberfest/Märzen style beer in the world by reviewers on Beer Advocate.

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Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Hochzeitsbier von 1810 Brauerei Hofstetten

The concept of an Oktoberfest style beer conjures up whimsical stories similar to those about the creation of IPA and Saison. Cute stories, but not quite accurate. Read More

What We’re Cooking | Rodenbach Rote Grütze

After hours of imbibing in the finest German beers and breads of Oktoberfest, a refreshing, fruity treat is ideal way to slow down into the evening.

Rote Grütze, also known as “Red Groats” is a traditional dessert from Northern Germany that is incredibly easy, customizable, and flexible.

The Flanders Red actually provides a lot of the acidity required to cut through all the tannins from the berries. Rodenbach Alexander goes the extra mile with the character from the oak foeders combined with sour cherries.

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Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Bierstadt Lagerhaus Oktoberfest Märzen

In a year when longstanding traditions have been upended by the unconventional, a Denver brewery is aiming to preserve one of beer’s most time-honored rituals. Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver, CO, which has been celebrated since its inception for its unwavering dedication to brewing traditional Lagers, is set to release their vaunted Oktoberfest Märzen Lager. This weekend’s release will coincide with the date that the 210-year-old Oktoberfest festival in Munich was originally scheduled to kick-off before being canceled as a result of the pandemic.

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Brewdacris Oktoberfest Beer Tasting

As someone who was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Oktoberfest is not just a type of beer or a festival in Germany; it’s a state of mind. With the cancellation of many Oktoberfest events, people have to be creative in their celebration. Personally, give me a day where I can justifiably drink beer and eat sausage all day and I’ll be a happy camper.

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Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Paulaner Oktoberfest Lager

The global pandemic has put a damper on our oom-pah-pahs and Zicke, zacke, hoi, hois. Indeed, Oktoberfest 2020 — whether it be in Munich or anywhere else — is not quite the same. Nevertheless, the six official Oktoberfest breweries in Munich have not ceased in creating their beers. The youngest of the six, Paulaner, offers not one, but two versions: the historic Märzen that’s available year-round and the Oktoberfest Lager served in Munich during the festivities. For extra fun, search for the special one-liter can and glass mug set.

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Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Dry County Brewing Company Oktoberfest

Autumn weather is approaching — even here in Georgia — but before the bottle shop shelves are covered in pumpkin Ales, there are a plethora of Oktoberfest Lagers to try! One of the best statewide options each year is brewed by Dry County Brewing Company in Kennesaw, Georgia. Read More

2020 Guide to Colorado’s Oktoberfest Beer Releases

It’s clear by now that the year 2020 has no chill, and rather than ease into a gradual shift of in temperature, us Coloradoans have already begun experiencing some seasonal … Read More