September is traditionally an important month in the beer world. It’s hops and barley harvest time. And in a normal year, we’d be saying “O’zapft is!” — a Bavarian expression that means “it’s tapped” and signals the start of Munich’s Oktoberfest. Pandemic health concerns have cancelled that festival for the second year in a row, but you can still celebrate at home with some local or imported Märzen or Oktoberfest beer.
Seismic news
Santa Rosa’s Seismic Brewing is undertaking a fun locavore project: Brewmaster Andy Hooper has partnered with Crane Ranch Hops and Grizzly Malt to make a new beer using ingredients grown, processed or sourced from Sonoma County.
Other breweries have done similar beers with California-grown ingredients, but I believe this is the first time the ingredients have hailed from just one county. With ingredients sourced from a 12-mile radius, this is about as local a beer as I can imagine. The malt has been harvested and kilned, hops were picked Sept. 2 and brewing began the next day for the new release, which will be called Sonoma Estate Beer.
Inspired by the season, Hooper decided to brew a Festbier, which is lighter than traditional Oktoberfest beers, but has a similar taste profile. Festbiers have all but replaced Märzen at Munich’s official Oktoberfest. Seismic’s version is brewed with 100-percent Sonoma-style pilsner malt and a blend of Cashmere, Crystal and Comet hops, and will weigh in at 6 percent alcohol by volume. Half the beer will be aged in used sauvignon blanc barrels, then blended before releasing it a Sonoma Estate Harvest Celebration Oct. 1 at Seismic’s taproom at The Barlow, 6700 Sebastopol Ave. in Sebastopol. Stop by to try this one-of-a-kind beer.
New sips
Speaking of Oktoberfest, East Brother Beer Co. released its annual Festbier a little early this year — in late August. With sweet, honeyed malt aromas and classic noble hop flavors, it’s a very easy-drinking, refreshing beer. If you want the more traditional Märzen, Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest is a darker, malt-forward Amber Märzen brewed with German malts and aromas of honey, biscuit and caramel. And Germany’s Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen, one of the best Bavarian examples of the traditional style, is available here for a limited time.
Oktoberfest gatherings
While most of the larger Oktoberfest celebrations have been cancelled again this year, a few smaller get-togethers will be taking place. In San Jose, Ludwig’s German Table is hosting Ludwig’s Oktoberfest 2021 on Sept. 25, Oct. 8 and 18. Reservations are by the table, which can seat six to eight people, and tickets are ($120). Ludwig’s is doing an Oktoberfest Family Brunch ($132-$180) on Sept. 19 and 25, as well.
San Francisco Brewing Co.‘s annual Oktoberfest runs from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sept. 18 with music, Hofbrau foods and custom 1-liter German drinking boots. A yodeling contest and a chicken dance off add to the festivities. Order tickets ($20) at bit.ly/SFBokto.
Head for Oakland’s Lake Chalet Oktoberfest on Sept. 23 or San Francisco’s Park Chalet Oktoberfest on Sept. 26 for the festivities, with tickets ranging from $40 (a stein and beer) to $800 for a three-course German meal for a party of eight. Campbell’s Oktoberfest runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Oct. 16 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 17. And the Biketoberfest Brewfest and Bike Expo will be noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Marin Museum of Bicycling in Fairfax.
Concord’s Side Gate
And in non-Oktoberfest news, Concord’s newest beer destination, Kevin Wilson and Paul Culbertson’s Side Gate Brewery & Beer Garden will begin pouring its craft beer — lagers, IPAs and seasonal brews — in the new taproom later this month. You’ll find the new digs right around the corner from Todos Santos Plaza at 1822 Grant St. The beer garden is family-friendly — and Fido-friendly, too — and outside food is welcome. Check out the details at www.sidegatebrewing.com.
Contact Jay R. Brooks at BrooksOnBeer@gmail.com.