For dedicated beer lovers, fall conjures up images of Oktoberfest, and that means steins the size of toddlers, boisterous drinking songs and waitresses in dirndl skirts. But attending Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany — the biggest beer festival in the world (this year through Oct. 3) — also involves distance, time and expense.
Fortunately for those whose budgets and schedules preclude the trip, there is plenty to do — and drink — in the U.S. during the fall beer festival season. Think of it as Oktoberfest in America. The festivals can be rambunctious parties, where you have to shout to be heard. Or they can be quieter affairs, with the hum of mingling and a focus on the task at hand: drinking beer.
So many beer festivals are bubbling up throughout the U.S. that domestic fans now have a dizzying year-round array of choices, said Eric Shepard, executive editor of trade publication Beer Marketer’s Insights.
“It’s gotten so popular, I don’t know of any place that doesn’t have one,” he said, citing the success of craft beers as the reason.
Here’s a look at the phenomenon and some of the festivals going on in the U.S. this fall.
Basics: Breweries, brewers guilds, and local groups of enthusiasts hold the festivals. Tickets can range from $20 to $100 or more, depending on what is offered. Tickets may cover drinks or they may be good for entry only, and you have to pay separately for your drinks, said Julia Herz, craft beer program director for the Brewers Association, which represents most of the nation’s craft brewers.
Here are a few of the biggest and best-known Oktoberfests in America.
» Oktoberfest by the Bay, Sept. 30-Oct. 2, San Francisco. The scenic waterfront location is not found at its German ancestor’s fest, but Oktoberfest by the Bay keeps the German tradition alive. The festival — oktoberfestbythebay.com/ — features “sizzling oompah music” (as its website boasts), native dancing and of course, beer. Entry is split into sessions, either day or night. Tickets are $25 for any session, but that only covers your admission. VIP tickets for $65 include a buffet and a beer. Most beers are $6 and food ranges from $3 to $11. The final day of the event marks the 122nd anniversary of German Day in San Francisco.
» Samuel Adams OctoberFest, Sept. 9-10, Boston: Perhaps the best-known craft brewer is throwing a German-style festival to formally mark the release of its Samuel Adams Octoberfest, an autumnal seasonal beer, and kick off what it calls the “OFest” season. The brewer and event organizer beersummit.com are hosting the two-day event, which begins with a ceremonial tapping of the keg. On the 10th, festival-goers can partake in 10 hours of drinking, bands and even test how well — and how long — they can hold their steins. Tickets cost $16.25 and include a stein and first beer. Details at beersummit.com.
» Other Oktoberfests worth checking out include Germantown Oktoberfest, Oct. 1, in Germantown, Md., and HOToberfest, Oct. 1, Atlanta, billed as the nation’s largest consumer-judged beer fest with more than 250 craft beers.
Not all fall beer festivals are Oktoberfests. Here are a couple of others:
» Great American Brew Festival, Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Denver. This festival, run by the Brewers Association, is “cosmic,” Shepard says. There are 2,400 beers served in the festival hall from 465 brewers. With some 49,000 attendees each year, it’s considered the largest, ticketed beer festival in the U.S. Unless you have your ticket, you won’t be one of them. This year, tickets for the 30th annual festival sold out in a record one week. Tickets should go on sale next year in late July. Bookmark the site, greatamericanbeerfestival.com.
