Beer Fest Fever: Oktoberfestivals Roundup
For most, the arrival of autumn signifies an excuse to go see the falling leaves in rural Maryland, pick apples at an idyllic orchard in Virginia, or simply enjoy a respite from the humid heat of a D.C. summer. For beer lovers, the beginning of September is just a reminder that Oktoberfest is coming soon. Although many of the events in the area are styled after the original Oktoberfest in Munich, other beer events in the next several weeks are not even German-themed and just happen to be crowding an already crowded schedule. It's a busy, exciting time to be a beer geek in D.C.
- Tuesday, September 16: Rocktoberfest at Rock Bottom Location/Time: Rock Bottom Ballston or Rock Bottom Bethesda. 7-8pm. Cost: Free, pay for beer ($2/pint from 7-8pm, normal prices after that). Public Transport: 2 blocks from Ballston Metro. Lowdown: Although neither Rock Bottom location is in DC proper, they are both vital parts of the local brewing scene. Tapping parties can get a bit crowded here, so it might be a good idea to get there early and grab a barstool before the official start time.
- Thursday, September 18: Tapping Party for Festbier at Gordon Biersch
Location/Time: Gordon Biersch Chinatown. 6-9pm.
Cost: Free, pay for beer. $5.50/pint
Public Transport: 2 blocks from either Chinatown or Metro Center
Lowdown: Tapping parties at Gordon Biersch are fun. The staff are all dressed up in Oktoberfest gear, and the beer is good. Although head brewer Jason Oliver left a few months ago to start Devil's Backbone Brewing, the new brewer seems to be picking up right where he left off.
Image courtesy of nivad
- Wednesday, September 24: Chimay Beer and Cheese Tasting Location/Time: The Brickskeller. 7pm Cost: $35 Public Transport: 3 blocks from Dupont Circle metro stop. Lowdown: Tasting will consist of Chimay's three varieties, one sample apiece from both a 330ml bottle and a 750ml bottle (the brewery views them as different beers due to the effects of bottle-conditioning in different volumes) and three of their cheeses. If you haven't had the beers before, this is likely to be a very enlightening experience. The cheeses are available state-side only sporadically, and the pairing of cheese with beer has the potential to be very interesting.
- Saturday, September 27: Das Best Oktoberfest
Location/Time: National Harbor. 12-8pm.
Cost: In advance, $20 admission with 10 beer tokens. $50 for VIP (all-you-can-sample, advance only). Regular admission is $30 day of event.
Public Transport: Metro to King St + 1 mile walk + 20 minute water taxi ($14 roundtrip)
Lowdown: Run by the same folks who do the Maryland Brewer's Oktoberfest (below). The public transportation route home seems like a bit much to handle after a day of drinking, but it might be acceptable to do one-way, and cab back. This is the first year they are hosting one at the National Harbor location, but it should be a good time if previous years at the Maryland version are any indication. - Saturday, September 27: Barracks Row Oktoberfest
Location/Time: Barracks Row (The block that Belga is on). 11am-5pm.
Cost: Free.
Public Transport: 2 blocks from Eastern Market metro stop.
Lowdown: Restaurants have "expanded beer gardens" and sounds more like a block party than a beer-tasting event. - Saturday, September 27: Maryland Microbrewery Festival
Location/Time: Union Mills, MD. 11am-7pm.
Cost: $18 for a mug and six 4oz samples.
Public Transport: None.
Lowdown: The 13-brewery lineup includes a few breweries that make good beer (Clay Pipe, DuClaw, Clipper City, Flying Dog) so at the very least they should make it worth the trip up if you feel like a drive. - Saturday, October 4: Capitol City Oktoberfest
Location/Time: Shirlington, Arlington. 12-6pm.
Cost: $25 all-you-can-sample.
Public Transport: 10B and 23A buses both go to Shirlington and can be picked up at the Ballston Metro stop.
Lowdown: They have supposedly reworked some things to alleviate crowding issues that have plagued them in the past. Even if it's crowded, still a great time, and one of the area's best Oktoberfest celebrations. Good German food, some great breweries from around the country and abroad. - Sunday, October 5: Chef Geoff's Oktoberfest
Location/Time: Wesley Heights (north of Glover Park, near AU). 4-10pm.
Cost: $50, food and beer inclusive.
Public Transport: The N buses will get you there from Dupont or Tenleytown. N2/N6/N8 stop right on the street, but N3/N4/N6/N8 don't look too far off.
Lowdown: Sounds like a good option if you're more interested in the food: "Sausages, Roast Pig, Kraut, Pretzels, Potato Salad and More" is quite a lineup. Leinenkugel is the beer supplier, so expect to drink lots of the same thing. - Saturday, October 11: Maryland Brewer's Oktoberfest
Location/Time: Timonium, MD (North of Baltimore). 12-8pm.
Cost: $20 gets you eight beer tokens, $1/token after that.
Public Transport: None.
Lowdown: It's quite a hike, but can be a very good time. Another one that has added more beer and space this year to help alleviate crowding issues. 12+ breweries, 75+ beers. No specific beers have been mentioned yet, but I've enjoyed DuClaw's and Clipper City's offerings at this event in the past. - Saturday,
September 27October 18: Rustico Oktobeerfest
Location/Time: Rustico, Alexandria. 12-5pm.
Cost: Free, pay for beer ($5-$9 per pint).
Public Transport: Metro to Braddock Road + .8 mile walk or 5-min ride on DASH-4 bus
Lowdown: An outdoor, block-party atmosphere, but with 18 Festbiers, 2 Harvest Ales, and 5 Pumpkin Ales. Food served by all restaurants in the NRG, and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Capitol Area Food Bank. (Full disclosure: the author is a bartender at Rustico) - Saturday, October 18: Chesapeake Real Ale Fest
Location/Time: Wharf Rat, Baltimore. 1pm-6pm.
Cost: $35 all-you-can-sample.
Public Transport: Amtrak?
Lowdown: This isn't really an Oktoberfest event at all, but it's a beer event and worth mentioning. "Real ale" is the term used to describe the traditional English method of lightly carbonating beer in smaller casks, and subsequently pulling the beer straight from the cask: no CO2 added. The resulting beverage is less carbonated and served warmer than the average pint, but some folks really seem to prefer that. This will be one for the beer geeks, but if you happen to like cask beer, there are few places better to be...that is, until NERAX in November. - Saturday, October 25: Oktoberfest at the Brickskeller
Location: The Brickskeller. 1-4:30pm.
Cost: $82 for non-Smithsonian members, $65 for members.
Public Transport: 3 blocks from Dupont Circle metro stop.
Lowdown: If you're still not tired of festbier at this point and have money to burn, go for it. Sitdown format hosted by Horst Dornbusch, author of Prost: The Story of German Beer. Food not included.
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