{"id":23797,"date":"2014-09-22T06:13:30","date_gmt":"2014-09-22T10:13:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.yurasko.net\/wfy\/?p=23797"},"modified":"2014-09-22T06:13:30","modified_gmt":"2014-09-22T10:13:30","slug":"beltwayland-and-beyond-beer-oktoberfest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/yurasko.net\/wfy\/2014\/09\/beltwayland-and-beyond-beer-oktoberfest\/","title":{"rendered":"BeltwayLand and beyond beer: Oktoberfest!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It’s late-September \u2014 school is open, the Washington Nationals have won the NL East<\/a>, football is back and daylight is becoming scarce as it is officially autumn at 10:29 p.m. tonight. Gin and tonic season<\/a> has gracefully yielded to Oktoberfests and ales made with last year’s pumpkin crop<\/em>. The same will happen with this year’s apples too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OKTOBERFESTS<\/strong>
As much as I like Oktoberfest beers, mid-August is TOO SOON for them to be released. The trouble can be they sell out before the swimming pools all close. Now, though, it’s definitely time to start drinking them. Actually, a few weeks ago…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, I have purchased three local Oktoberfests:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Corcoran Brewing Company<\/a> Corktoberfest (Purcellville, Va.)
Port City – Oktoberfest (Alexandria, Va.)
Lost Rhino – Rhinofest (Ashburn, Va.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first two I bought at the breweries, while the third was found at Westover Market in Arlington. They are all really good, though Rhinofest available in 1 pint, 6 oz. bottles is pretty pricey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DC Brau is releasing their first Oktoberfest<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“It’s a very traditional Oktoberfest,” explains Jeff Hancock, President & Head Brewer of DC Brau. “In recent years, Oktoberfests from Germany have started getting lighter in color and are closer to resembling Helles lagers than Oktoberfests or M\u00e4rzens. We think our version will stand out amongst the myriad pumpkin beers and Oktoberfests on the market this season.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

They are only making 60 barrels though, all for draft distribution or growler fills, but including Nationals Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outside of BeltwayLand, Flying Dog of Frederick, Md. makes Dogtoberfest. It’s not my favorite, but it tends to stick around longer than some of the other ones. At least in Northern Virginia. Former Ashburn-based Old Dominion also brews one from Delaware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I really like the Shiner Oktoberfest as well as Leingkugel’s and Great Lakes. Yuengling’s was disappointing and Samuel Adams is okay and probably the most-heavily distributed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

OMBUDTOBERFEST?<\/strong>
Just going going to throw this out there for the Ombudsman \u2014 how about brewing a m\u00e4rzen next year around this time? No wedding to plan and the house is moved into, so how about it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, I owe you a half-smoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FESTIVAL SEASON<\/strong>
Drink up: A guide to local fall beer festivals<\/a> – The Post<\/em>
There are several beer festivals, mostly celebrating Oktoberfest in the D.C. area plus Annapolis and Baltimore. Snallygaster<\/a> is already in the past, but there are still others to come. I might check out the Shirlington one hosted by Capital City Brewing Co.<\/a> since it’s nearby, but we’ll see. Or maybe I’ll stop by my hometown for Vienna Oktoberfest<\/a>. That one is a bit on the family friendly side which may be a feature, not a bug. #dadlife<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DC Beer Festival<\/a> is at Nationals Park on November 8.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Flying Dog keeps a pretty busy events schedule <\/a>too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course there is a downside to all of these festivals — undesirables from out of state sometimes come down for these things:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hey #PSUinDC<\/a>, I’ll be at @SnallygasterDC<\/a> tomorrow if you’d like to see my pregnant wife give me dirty looks at a beer festival.<\/p>

\u2014 Toyota Jackson (@PancakeCatapult) September 12, 2014<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n