Center of the Universe Oktoberfest and AVO Syncro Nicaragua Fogata

Our annual celebration of "all beers Oktoberfest" continued with beer, a cigar, and a fire. Despite a late afternoon temperature of 80°, it wasn't raining for a change, so we decided to get in the first fire of the season. Center of the Universe Oktoberfest Märzen and a AVO Syncro Nicaragua Fogata made for a wonderful pairing.

We have enjoyed the Center of the Universe Oktoberfest Märzen on a few occasions this season. The copper-hued beer has a thin, short-lived white head and a bread-like aroma. The flavor profile is malt forward, with biscuit and caramel notes. There's a hint of hop bitterness rounding out the sweet notes. This is an enjoyable Märzen that is as well done as some the "native" Oktoberfests.

The AVO Syncro Nicaragua Fogata was something I picked up a couple months ago on a whim. I've not smoked too many AVO releases but this one did intrigue me. The 6 x 54 Torpedo sports an Ecuadorian Habano 2000 Clara wrapper with a Mexican San Andrés binder underneath. The filler is a complex blend of Dominicana Yamasa viso, Dominican Piloto, Dominican San Vicente ligero, Nicaraguan Esteli ligero, Nicaraguan Condega viso, and Nicaraguan Ometepe tobaccos. With that many interesting leaves, not to mention syllables in the recipe, it's got to be good.

The Fogata kicks off with a bit of pepper as I expected from the binder variety. As the cigar heats up, the profile morphs into one featuring cedar, an interesting toasted caramel, and sweat cream. There's an also somewhat of a malty bread undertone. 

Strength falls to the high side of medium. This is a quite flavorful smoke that kept my interest all the way through — just like the first one I smoked recently. The flavor notes of the Oktoberfest beer and the cigar complimented one another very well.

Soon the fire, the cigar, the beers, were finished. It was a fun afternoon repast, enjoying one of the rare sunny days we've seen in the past couple weeks.

Cheers!

Maltese Brewing Oktoberfest Celebration

It's that time of the year when the local craft breweries put on their Oktoberfest celebrations. I haven't gone to many of them in recent years so was glad when our schedule made this one doable. I do have fond memories of the events held by Blue and Gray Brewing in years past. 

Last weekend we went over to Maltese Brewing (FB Link) for their Octoberfest event. Maltese recently relocated to a new, expanded location. Coincidently, they are now located in the same industrial complex where the long-gone, and greatly missed, Blue and Grey brewery and taproom was located. 

We arrived at the event early to take advantage of the breakfast menu. While simple, the meal of scrambled eggs, bratwurst, and pancakes was a tasty and a fun way to start the day. Of course, it was enjoyed with a pint of Maltese Oktoberfest Märzen.

After eating, we moved to an outside table to enjoy the pleasant weather. We had plans to attend another, non-beer event later in the afternoon but there was still time for another beer and a smoke. As we sat, the afternoon food trucks arrived and we debated perhaps staying for a quick lunch before leaving.

I enjoyed an Espinosa Knuckle Sandwich Maduro with the beer. This cigar is the result of a collaboration between chef and cigar lover Guy Fieri and Erik Espinosa. I've enjoyed this one in the past. The dark coffee, cocoa, dark fruit, and mild white pepper flavors make for a pleasant smoke.

After a bit, a couple of friends arrived to enjoy the festivities as well and we enjoyed catching up. It wasn't long before we were getting hungry again. We were having fun, so decided to just stay for the afternoon. Another beer, and a "german grilled hotdog" sandwich from one the food trucks capped off the now long afternoon.

It was a fortuitous and fun way to spend Saturday afternoon.

Cheers!

Oktoberfest Season and Cigars

Bourbon and other whiskies make up the usual partnering with cigars on these Musings. But, I'm a long-time craft beer fan. (This blog had its birth during the infancy of the craft beer "movement.") I especially enjoy the malt-forward beers. To that end, St. Patrick's and Oktoberfest seasons are some of my favorite times each year when it comes to beer enjoyment. It's then when the malty red ales and märzens hit the shelves in force. Oktoberfest in Munich officially kicks off September 21, but the Oktoberfest beers are here now. 

As noted previously, I recently picked up some Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen to enjoy at a tailgate event. I opened another on a relaxing Saturday on the deck. When it comes to beer and cigars, malty and roasted notes go better than the more intense citrus and hop flavor of an IPA. (Although I do enjoy such pairing at times.)

For this pairing I selected a La Aurora 115th Anniversary cigar. I bought some of these on a whim recently, and they've been resting in the humidor for about 5 weeks. The 5 3/4 x 54 Toro feels hefty in the hand. The rough Ecuadorian wrapper conceals a Brazilian binder, which in turn holds Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Brazilian fillers.  

La Aurora 115th is a medium bodied smoke giving off notes of nuts and citrus, with a cinnamon spice added in the finish. The smoke is full and creamy. Towards the end of the smoke some roasted coffee replaces the cinnamon. 

I've been enjoying the Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen for the past week or so — always with a cigar. The beer has a pleasing malt aroma that entices even before the taste. This classic märzen lager brings rich notes of toffee, toasted bread, and sweet biscuit to the palate.

I enjoyed the pairing quite a bit. Though, interestingly, as I was sipping and smoking, my mind was also running through the bourbon options that would pair well with the cigar. But I have more La Aurora 115th Anniversary cigars in the humidor, so that's an experiment for another day.

Cheers!

Foundation El Güegüense with an Octoberfest Märzen

Sometimes you just want a big cigar and a beer. The El Güegüense Toro Huaco from Foundation Cigars is a hefty 6 x 56 cigar that fills the bill. It's a great candidate to enjoy on a warm afternoon of sipping beers. The Nicaraguan puro has a Corojo 99 wrapper and binder, and the binder is a blend of Corojo 99 and Criollo 98 tobaccos. A chocolate brown wrapper is somewhat bumpy with the rough inner leaves seemingly trying to escape. Despite a rough appearance, the oily wrapper held everything together and the cigar performed without issue. This is a medium bodied cigar. A blend of cocoa, espresso, sweet chocolate, nuts, accented with along mild pepper spice combined for a complex and flavorful smoke. 

I look forward each fall to the Ocktoberfest beers that many breweries release, even if they do show up in the summer. In especially enjoy the Märzen style beers over the more grain forward "fest beer" versions. Bell's Brewing Octoberfest is one that's generally easy to find.

The beer pours a coppery orange color with a thick and persistent white foamy head. The aroma of caramel and malt great the nose. A malt forward flavor profile is balanced with biscuit and caramel sweetness. It worked quit well with the chocolate and espresso notes in the cigar.

The umlaut accented names in this pairing may have been a coincidence, but in a sense, it was a sign of a pairing made to happen. 

Cheers!

Event: Adventure Brewing Oktoberfest

Since Adventure Brewing purchased Blue & Gray Brewing, the most frequent questions I've heard from folks revolve around the future of the popular St. Patrick's Day and Oktoberfest celebrations held each year at Blue & Gray. I've been told that these events will continue at the new Adventure Brewing South location, but it's still been a matter of "wait and see."

We know now that the fourteen year Oktoberfest tradition will continue. Adventure has announced plans for their first annual Oktoberfest on September 17th from 12:00 PM -8:00 PM. The event lives on, though with some changes.

The biggest change, and most exciting I think, is the addition of other local breweries to the lineup. Currently Maltese Brewing Company, Rusty Beaver Brewery, and Wild Run Brewing Company are all on the list. Ticket fees will include either a shaker pint or an Oktoberfest mug, and a token for a beer fill. There will traditional Oktoberfest foods for sale, as well as games and vendors.

More details and advance ticket sales can be found at the event website.

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest

I do look forward to the Oktoberfest beers showing up on the store shelves and local taps each fall. The rich, bready malt flavors just seem to go with the cooler weather. During the rest of the year I lean towards the bolder citrus and hoppy styles, but for a few weeks I take a respite from Pale Ales and IPAs. One of the Oktoberfest beers I manage to grab each year is Flying Dog Dogtoberfest.

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Märzen pours a deep orange-amber color with a moderate beige head. The aroma is a rich, bready malt. The flavor profile brings in roasted and caramel malt, with just a touch of sweetness. A hint of nuttiness comes through as well. The finish leaves a mildly astringent bitterness and mouthfeel is moderately thick and creamy. The Fying Dog influence in the beer is apparent from the slightly notched up flavor profile compared to the average Märzen.

I probably won't enjoy as many Oktoberfest beers this season as I have in the past, but I have more Dogtoberfest in the fridge, so I'll be having more of this one at least.

Blue & Gray Brewing Oktoberfest

The 14th Annual Oktoberfest celebration at Blue & Gray Brewing was held this past Friday and Saturday. After I got home from the IDPA match Saturday morning, Colleen and I headed over to the event to enjoy some good beer and German food.

The Baron von Steuben Oktoberfest is a beer I look forward to each year. It's one of my favorites from Blue & Gray. The Märzen-style beer has a bready malt aroma. Bready and caramel malt notes continue in the flavor, with just a hint of sweetness. There's a bit of hop bitterness in the finish to round out the flavor profile.

After we finished our beers, we realized that neither of us had eaten lunch and we were quite hungry. I didn't feel like hitting the food truck, but since the email promotion for the event stated "German Specials inside the brewpub too" we opted to endure the short wait for a table inside, where I had another pint of the Oktoberfest. Alas, it turned out there were no "German Specials" served inside, so we opted to go multi-cultural; Colleen ordered Shepherd's Pie, while I opted for Fish Tacos.

Despite the lack of Schnitzel we had a pleasant afternoon. We hadn't been to Blue & Gray for quite a while, and I was glad to have enjoyed a couple of pints of a seasonal favorite.

Warping the Calendar

The tap room at Sierra Nevada Brewing posted this to Twitter on July 21...

Our new Oktoberfest is now available at the @TorpedoRoom! Come try a sample or take home a 6-Pack. pic.twitter.com/oZfcxLFrat

— Torpedo Room (@TorpedoRoom) July 21, 2015

Despite the name, Oktoberfest actually starts in September, and we're used to seeing Oktoberfest in late Summer. But, July? That's just silly.

That said, I'm looking forward to trying this when it's available in stores, in August or September.

Oktoberfest Beer Tally

Oktoberfest officially ended a few weeks ago, but that didn't stop our enjoyment of Oktoberfest-style beers. I decided this year I would concentrate on trying as many Oktoberfests as I could. I didn't drink them exclusively, but I did look for them when I was at a pub, and also picked up a selection to stock the beer fridge.

• Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen
• Warsteiner Premium Oktoberfest (draft)
• Legend Oktoberfest (draft)
• Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen (draft)
• Bell’s Octoberfest (draft)
• Weihenstephaner Festbier (draft)
• Sam Adams Octoberfest
• Blue & Gray Baron von Stueben Oktoberfest (draft)
• Great Lakes Oktoberfest
• Sly Fox Oktoberfest
• Harpoon Octoberfest
• Shiner Oktoberfest
• Schlafly Oktoberfest 
• Wild Wolf Folktoberfest (draft)
• Brooklyn Oktoberfest
• Flying Dog Dogtoberfest
• Dominion Octoberfest

The American brewers do a great job with the style, even when they apply their own interpretations. As much as I look forward to the Oktoberfest beers each year, and enjoy them very much, I admit now that I've grown tired of them. For a while anyway. It's time for some IPAs!

12th Annual Blue & Gray Oktoberfest

Fredericksburg's original Oktoberfest celebration is happening this Friday and Saturday at Blue & Gray Brewery. This is the twelfth year for this popular event.

The event kicks off Friday, September 19 at 5:00PM with the traditional keg-tapping ceremony at 6:30PM, with an OOOmpah band providing music until 9:00PM. The celebration picks up Saturday at noon and goes until 7:00PM. There will be stein holding contests, beer barrel bowling, and German food and music. Of course, there will be plenty of authentic Oktoberfest beer from Blue & Gray Brewing, served in a commemorative 33.8 oz maas, a 17oz 1/2 maas, and the standard 16oz pub glasses. Lee's Retreat Brewpub will also have a special menu for the weekend.

The Blue & Gray Oktoberfest is a family friendly event, with game and crafts for the kids too. 

Complete details on activities can be found here.

Season's First Oktoberfest Bier

Even though they've been on the shelves for more than a few weeks, I had not yet opened any of the usual "fall seasonal" beers, the Harvest Ales, the Pumpkin Ales, and the Oktoberfest Bier. Colleen and I headed down to Deutschland Downtown Saturday evening to enjoy dinner in the Biergarten and to start the Oktoberfest tasting season. The restaurant's Facebook page noted they had "a few Oktoberfest biers that just arrived from Germany" and I was looking forward to enjoying a few Märzens with my dinner. Unfortunately, the European kegs need a special adaptor to hook up to the restaurant's tap system. That problem will be fixed soon I'm told. The only Oktoberfest beer on hand was the classic Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen. So that's what we ordered, it's not like that's a bad option anyway.

Yes, we poured them into glasses.

We were told the Biergarten had not yet been dried out from the afternoon's rain so we opted for a table indoors. Colleen ordered her favorite, Schnitzel, with Sauerkraut, substituting a dumpling with gravy for the Spätzle — just to try something different. I opted for Weisswurst with Sauerkraut and German Potato Salad. Both dishes were, as always, very enjoyable. We lingered over another round of Paulaners while we debated our dessert choices.

The dessert selections for the evening included Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte (Black Forest Cake) and Bavarian Chocolate Puffs. We opted to order one of each. The Bavarian Puffs were served with whipped cream on the side and were enjoyable. The Black Forest Cake was a surprisingly delicious treat. I often find this sort of dessert to be a tad too rich for my tastes. However, I was continually reaching across the table to snare another fork full off of Colleen's plate. The moist cake with cherry topping and fresh whipped cream made a fine finish to the meal. Perhaps we'll need to order two next time.

We enjoyed our time dining inside but we both agreed that we prefer the open Biergarten over the small dining room. We're looking forward to getting back soon, and often, before the weather turns for the worse.

I see that the post about our previous visit is listed just a few stories down. I expect the frequent report trend just might continue for a while, as there are wursts and German beers, and desserts, yet to be enjoyed in the Biergarten at Deutschland Downtown. And I'm looking forward to seeing what other German beers will make an appearance!

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest

Colleen was out of town this weekend catching up with friends from college, and our son was spending Saturday with friends doing airsoft. So what's a guy to do when left to his own devices? The 11th Annual Fredericksburg Oktoberfest at Blue & Gray Brewing of course!

I ended up arriving at the brewery before kickoff time, but I ran into some friends who were there to man a table for the Ancient Order of Hibernians. I laughed at the juxtaposition of the Irish having such a strong presence at the German festival. Of course, the Irish organization's table was right next to the beer wagon, which meant I was also well situated to get my much anticipated pint of Blue & Gray Baron von Steuben Oktoberfest right at the start!

Prost!

One of my favorites from the brewery, this year's batch didn't disappoint. The aroma was sweet bready malt. The flavor is exactly what I look for in a Märzen/Oktoberfest beer. The taste is rich in caramel and bready malt, with the sweetness and bitterness in just the right balance. The finish is dry and clean. Very well-done; I think I'll have another!

I spent several hours of listening to Oompah music, watching the stein holding and beer barrel bowling contests, and talking to friends. Of course there was plenty of good food too. Frankfurters, Bratwurst, Weisswurst, Sauerbraten, Bavarian Pretzels were available for purchase. I grabbed a lunch of Weisswurst and German potato salad. Later, a large warm pretzel with spicy mustard made a tasty snack.

An afternoon rain shower didn't dampen the fun. Folks moved under the tents and continued to enjoy the activities, food and drink. The events at Blue & Gray are always fun, and family-friendly. The Oktoberfest was a great way to spend an afternoon. And I think I'll try to hit the brewpub later this week for some more of the Oktoberfest before it's gone for the season.

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest

One of my favorite events is just a week away! The Fredericksburg Area Oktoberfest will take place Friday, September 20 (4:00 PM-10:00 PM) and Saturday, September 21, 2013 (12:00 PM-7:00 PM).

The original Fredericksburg Oktoberfest celebration, held at Blue & Gray Brewery, is now in it's 11th year. Family fun includes sing-alongs, stein holding contest, beer barrel bowling, Oompah music, ginger bread walk. And of course, the ever delicious Oktoberfest Beer from Blue & Gray Brewing. This is a family event with activities for the kids too.

Blue & Gray beer will be for sale in 12oz or 16oz mugs, or 33.8oz (maas) commemorative stein, and well as food will be available under the tent. (Hint: Sign up here to receive a discount coupon for your commemorative mug or stein.) Inside, Lee's Retreat Brewpub will be serving a special Oktoberfest menu with wider variety of authentic, delicious German fare.

I look forward to this fun event every year. I'll see you there!

Oktoberfest Celebration

While Colleen was off this weekend enjoying time with friends from college, I hit the Blue & Gray Oktoberfest with my son for lunch on Saturday. When I first mentioned the idea to him, he replied "Sounds like fun." I raised him right don't you know?

We arrived before the lunch line got too long, but I headed for the beer wagon first for my much anticipated glass of Oktoberfest. In addition to the standard 16 oz. shaker pint, and the festival 32 oz. Maas, this year the brewery offered a 20 oz. "tall pint" souvenir glass too. That'll do. :-) The dark copper colored Oktoberfest had a rich caramel malt base with a mildly bitter finish. We next headed to the food tent for the solid portion of lunch, both opting for Bratwurst, mine mit kraut, and a side of German potato salad. The brat was quite tasty. They had a wide selection of sausage dishes available and they looked very good as well. The food at the festival has certainly improved with the opening of the Lee's Retreat brewpub.

I ran into Jimbo, who's one of the longtime brewers at Blue & Gray, and he suggested I try the Kölsch. Well, Kirkland's Kölsch may just be my new favorite beer at Blue & Gray Brewery. Brewer David Achkio did this one right! The beer poured a clear golden color, with no head to speak of. The aroma was very faint bready malt. The beer shines in the drinking. A clean bready flavor followed by a crisp bitterness in the finish. For me it was that pleasing mild, lingering bitterness in the finish that won me over. The beer probably checks in at around 5 - 5 1/2%, not quite a "session beer," but certainly sessionable. Given I was drinking from a 20 oz. glass, and was planning an evening out with my son for 'wings' and possibly a few more beers (for me) I stopped at one Kölsch, but I do know I'll be going back to the brewpub later this week.

We hung around for a few hours, enjoying the activities. The stein holding contests and beer barrel bowling were entertaining. It was fun also to visit with some friends. The basketball team at my son's high school was also selling water and brownies as a fund raiser so he saw some classmates as well. It was a fun afternoon spent with my son, enjoying friends, food, and good drink.

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest This Weekend

The 10th Annual Blue & Gray Oktoberfest celebration takes place Friday, September 21 and Saturday, September 22. This family friendly, event is held at the Blue & Gray Brewery. The brewery will serve a trio German Beers this year; Oktoberfest Lager, Virginia Hefeweizen, Kirkland's Kölsch, as well has their regular house beers. The Blue & Gray Oktoberfest Lager is one of my favorites from the brewery so I'm looking forward to this year's celebration.

The festivities kick off Friday afternoon with an "Early Bird Special" of a Bratwurst and a beer for $5 from 4-5:00PM. The first keg of Oktoberfest Bier will be tapped at 6:00PM with friends from Fredericksburg's sister city Schwetzingenrom, Germany participating. The fun goes until 9:00PM with German food offerings outside under the tents and more elaborate offerings indoor at the brewpub.

On Saturday the party starts anew with another "Early Bird Special," an authentic Bavarian breakfast served 11:00AM - Noon. This is a pretzel with sweet German mustard made with malty sweet Fred Red Ale, and a Hefeweizen only $5.00. The wildly popular LOW'n'BROWS will play all day, along with Beer Barrel Bowling, Stein Holding Contests, and Ginger Bread Walks for the kids. The festivities will end at 7:00PM.

And new this year, the Lee's Retreat brewpub will be open on Oktoberfest Sundays, September 23rd, 30th and October 7th. Dine inside, or outside in the new Biergarten, and enjoy a special menu created just for this event. This brunch will be served from 10:00AM - 2:00PM.

As always, there will be plenty of food, music and activities for kids and grownups alike. I hope to see you there!

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest

Family commitments precluded me getting to the Blue & Gray Oktoberfest celebration this year. More than the missing the festivities, I was worried that the brewery's popular Oktoberfest beer would be sold out before I could try this year's batch. Friday evening we decided on dinner at Lee's Retreat and to my delight the Oktoberfest was on tap and still pouring.

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest pours a clear, dark amber color. The faint bread and caramel aroma has a hint of sweetness. There is a thin and short lived head. The flavor is toasted bread with a healthy dose of bitter hops. This year's Oktoberfest has more bitterness than I recall in previous years, which tended to be more malt-focused. A mild bitterness lingers in finish.

My first pint was enjoyed with the pub's wings. Our party was undecided so we ordered both the Chicken Stonewall Wings and the Spicy Blue Buffalo Wings. Indecision is not always a bad thing as we enjoyed both. I enjoyed another glass of Blue & Gray Oktoberfest with my often-ordered favorite, the Cheddar & Jalapeño burger. I think the little extra hop bitterness of the beer gave it the edge to stand up the the spiciness of the food.

I regret not bringing a growler with me to dinner so I could bring some Oktoberfest home. This is one of Blue & Gray's most popular beers, and for good reason.

Fredericksburg Area Oktoberfest This Weekend

If you missed the Capital Alehouse Oktoberfest this past weekend you can still get your Prosit! on this coming weekend. The 9th Annual Fredericksburg Area Oktoberfest kicks off Friday at the Blue & Gray Brewery, and continues through Saturday. There will be two three tents full of family fun — sing alongs, stein holding contest, Oompah music, ginger bread walk, authentic, delicious German foods and pastries, and free fall crafts table for the kids.

If you can't wait until Friday, Lee's Retreat has prepared a special Oktoberfest menu for this week. Blue & Gray's popular Oktoberfest Bier is also on tap at the brewpub. And just a word of warning, this beer sells out quickly every year so get your growler filled before it's gone.

8th Annual Fredericksburg Oktoberfest, This Weekend

The 8th Annual Fredericksburg Oktoberfest takes place this weekend at the Blue & Gray Brewery. The brewery's new location allows for an expanded venue so there's plenty of room this year. I stopped by Friday afternoon and enjoyed a couple of 1/2 liter mugs of the Blue & Gray Oktoberfest. I always look forward to this annual offering, and this year's batch seems especially well-done. I picked up a growler last week when it was first released, enjoyed it over the weekend, and will surely go back for more.

The Oktoberfest celebration continues on Saturday, starting at 11:00AM, with activities all day until 8:00PM. German food will be available outside, as well as special menu items inside at Lee's Retreat. As always, this is a family event so bring the whole gang and enjoy the day.

Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg, Twice

Craft beer fans, and fun-loving folks in general, will have two opportunities to celebrate Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg this month. (Yes, the Munich Oktoberfest actually does start in September.)

On September 18, the Fredericksburg Capital Ale House will celebrate Oktoberfest in downtown Fredericksburg with a block party in front of their Caroline Street location. The event will kick off at noon and continue until 10:00PM. This will be the second annual event for Capital Ale House in Fredericksburg. Entertainment will be provided by the SGTEV Hirschjager German dancers and German music by Heidi und Heimat, The Continentals & Low’n’Brows. A large children’s area will include three inflatable attractions, face painter and balloon artists. Food and beverages will be available. Other Richmond are Capital Ale House locations will celebrate Oktoberfest on September 24th & 25th, and October 2.

After you've spent the work week recovering, the party starts again the following weekend. The Blue & Gray Brewing Company will hold their 8th Annual Fredericksburg Oktoberfest all weekend long, September 24, 25, & 26. Family-friendly fun activities include sing alongs, a stein holding contest, Oompah music, ginger bread walk, K-9 demonstration, face painting for the kids, and the Low’n’Brows. And of course, plenty of the ever-popular Oktoberfest Beer from Blue & Gray Brewing will be available along with other Blue & Gray beers. See the event page for the complete schedule of events.

The newly opened Lee's Retreat Brewpub at Blue & Gray will be serving delicious German foods and pastries. Beer will be available for sale in 12oz or 16oz mugs, or a 33.8oz (maas) commemorative stein. Festival hours are Friday 5:00PM-10:00PM, Saturday 11:00AM-7:00 PM, and Sunday 12:00PM-4:00PM.

It's a great month to be a craft beer fan in Fredericksburg!

Update, September 7: This just in from Jeff at Blue & Gray, "VA ABC regulations require us to reduce our weekend event to 2 days, Friday and Saturday."  So plan your weekend accordingly.

Blue & Gray Oktoberfest This Weekend

The 7th annual Fredericksburg Oktoberfest at the Blue & Gray Brewing Company officially kicked off this evening with the ceremonial tapping of this year's Oktoberfest beer. A large crowd was on hand Friday evening to enjoy the LOW'n'BROWS oompah band and plenty of German food. Of course, the Blue & Gray beers were also flowing.

The celebration continues through Sunday at the brewery. There are family-friendly activities planned all weekend, rain or shine. This year's Oktoberfest beer is very nice with a smooth, sweet malt backbone and just a touch of bitterness. Be sure to get some before it's all gone.

Oktoberfest Schedule of Events