ON TAP: You can still enjoy Oktoberfest

If you’ve been waiting for October to celebrate Oktoberfest, guess what? You missed it! That’s right. Oktoberfest traditionally starts in September, runs for 16 to 17 days, and ends with the last weekend taking place the first weekend in October. This year, Oktoberfest actually officially ran from September 17 through October 3. If you want a condensed version explaining the misnomer, Reader’s Digest has the answer.

Of course, regular On Tap readers already know this and have been enjoying Marzens and stuffing themselves on bratwurst for a couple of weeks now.

Atlanta’s local craft brewery scene is thriving, even more so as summer turns to autumn and Oktoberfest is celebrated. With many of the tap rooms offering outdoor seating, a brewery is a safe alternative to drinking indoors.

Here’s a sampling of what you can expect in October, followed by a look back at what you missed in September. And, because many of the Oktoberfest special brews are fall favorites, you may just get a chance to sample some of them this month and into November.

Suwanee’s Monkey Wrench Brewing features an open mic night every Tuesday at 7 p.m. The shows are all ages and instruments are provided if you want to give it a shot. Check out our Monkey Wrench podcast!

Join Three Taverns Brewery in Decatur Thursday, Oct. 7 from 7-9 p.m. for Stranger Things Trivia Night. They’ll have Smoke & Honey on site serving up some delicious BBQ and Southern cooking! Check out our Three Taverns podcast!

Marietta’s Schoolhouse Brewing celebrates their second annual Oktoberfest party on Saturday, October 9. They’ll have live music from Auf Gehts as well as this year’s Marzen. Free to attend!

Dry County Brewing Company in Kennesaw will feature live music from Stephanie Berlanga on Saturday, Oct. 9 from 7-10 p.m. Check out our Dry County podcast!

Second Self Brewing on the Westside celebrates the return of their popular Mole Porter, a spiced chocolate porter brewed with chilies, cinnamon, cloves, and cocoa nibs. Later this winter, they’ll also release 4 different variations of the Mole Porter—coffee, vanilla, coconut, and s’mores. Also, on Sunday, Oct. 10 from 1-5 p.m. along with My Abuela’s Food and VeganX they will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with their Bien Vegano Market, an international vegan market featuring 60 vendors along with live music. Check out our Second Self podcast!

The Westside’s Fire Maker Brewing Company celebrates their Second Annual Oktoberfest Celebration all day Saturday, October 16 featuring German beers, Oktoberfest-themed food, and live music. Make sure to check out their US Open Beer Championship Bronze medal winning Altbier called ALT in the ATL while you’re there! Check out our Fire Maker podcast!

Roswell’s From the Earth Brewing’s Back Porch Concert Series continues with a celebration for Ike Stubblefield on Friday, Oct. 22 and Sonny Emory featuring the music of Earth, Wind and Fire on Saturday, Oct. 23. Music starts at 8 p.m. and advance tickets are on sale at freshtix.com.

The Boos and Brews Halloween Festival takes place this year at Atlantic Station on Saturday, Oct. 30 from 1-5 p.m. Tickets include entry, entertainment, souvenir cup and alcohol samples. Details and tickets available at atlantabeerfestivals.com.

Marietta’s Red Hare Brewing and Glover Park Brewery are teaming up to support the annual Root House Beer Festival on November 13. Each year, the festival works with local breweries to create a collection of beers crafted with hops, fruit and herbs harvested from the historic gardens at the William Root House in Marietta. Check out our Red Hare and Glover Park podcasts!

Tucker Brewing Company recently took home Georgia’s first lager gold in 30 years from the Great American Beer Festival for their Tucker Lager. Check out our Tucker Brewing podcast!

Westside’s Atlanta Brewing Co has a new Taproom exclusive beer called Boozin for Apples—a dark Saison that was double barrel-aged in whiskey and maple barrels with cinnamon apple notes and a boozy finish.

A new brewery in Lilburn just had their grand opening! Blackbird Farms Brewery is now open Wednesdays through Sundays pouring their Part Time Genius Hazy IPA, Georgia Airport Beer Lager, Taxidermy Porter, Kenny Lagers Pilsner, and Yellow River Wheat.

Another new place to sample brews is now open in Candler Park. Candler Rail Brewery and Taqueria features $3 Tacos all day on Taco Tuesday, as well as the rest of their menu and eight different beers including a couple of IPAs, Mexican and Vienna Lagers, a Hefeweizen, and a Porter. Try their Lake Claire light lager!

In case you missed it, a number of Atlanta breweries celebrated Oktoberfest with special seasonal brews. Check in with them, they may still be serving them through the fall!

Duluth’s Good Word Brewing celebrated their fourth annual Oktoberfest with two new canned beers — Good Word Drink Time, a Marzen-style lager; and Good Word Retrocausality, a Festbier.

Eventide Brewing in Grant Park celebrated their third annual Oktoberfest with SEVEN German-style beers. Check out our Eventide podcast!

Hapeville’s Arches Brewing celebrated Oktoberfest and their fifth anniversary with a special bottle release of their new Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. Check out our Arches podcast!

Marietta’s Glover Park Brewery celebrated with  the return of their traditional Oktoberfest Marzen called Holy Schnitzel, loaded with Munich malts. Check out our Glover Park podcast! 

Lawrenceville’s Ironshield Brewing has been pouring their Oktoberfest Bavarian Lager. Check out our Ironshield podcast!

Alpharetta’s Jekyll Brewing just released a new German-style Hefeweizen with banana and spicy clove notes with a soft, wheat body.

Horned Owl Brewing in Kennesaw celebrated Oktoberfest with new beers, like a German Festbier, Munich Dunkel Lager, Graham Cracker Porter, and a Vienna Lager. They also have a new beer release, Elusive, a nitro milk stout with notes of dark chocolate, figs, dates, coffee and a subtle bitterness.

At Red’s Beer Garden in Grant Park their extensive beer menu includes a selection of Oktoberfest Marzens.

Burnt Hickory Brewery in Kennesaw celebrated with Marzen and Pilsner Cask Beers. They’ll also have their yearly Mudhoney Oktoberfest Marzen available.

Roswell’s Variant Brewing Company released a new New England IPA called Valewalker featuring Mosaic, Citra, and Simcoe hops, and standout notes of peach gummy rings, lemon, orange, and passionfruit. Check out our Variant podcast!

Avondale and the West End’s Wild Heaven Beer has released Ry-Gold Golden Ale, brewed with rye, pineapple, and honeydew. Check out our Wild Heaven podcast!

Six Bridges Brewing in Duluth also features a new release, this one called Feierabend, a Marzen lager, and the return of two favorites, Love Tractor, a fresh peach IPA already in the taproom, and Sour Continuum with Key Lime, a sour ale that tastes like your favorite pie. Check out our Six Bridges podcast!

In Suwanee, StillFire Brewing featured FIVE brand-new authentic German brews, this year, including Marzen, Doppelbock, Hefeweizen, Dunkelweizenbock, and German Chocolate Cake Sticke Altbier. Check out our StillFire podcast!

Social Fox Brewing in Norcross picked up a bronze medal at the US Open Beer Championship (one of the top three beer competitions in the U.S.) for their Dry Irish Stout. Check out our Social Fox podcast!  —CL—