Article by Leah Garcia
Dust off your dirndl dresses and get the lederhosen ready as Oktoberfest returns to St. Petersburg this fall. This annual German beer festival is the perfect time to enjoy the wide range of craft breweries that the Gulp Coast has to offer. Raise your stein and start your adventure here. Prost!
Big Storm Brewing Co.: Everyone loves a good Beerfest, especially when it’s for a good cause. Ales for ALS will be held on October 30th at Big Storm’s Clearwater location. Attendees are invited to enjoy beers from over 15 of Florida’s best brewers with proceeds supporting ALS research. Big Storm will also be releasing a series of German-style beers throughout the season. Grab a stamp card, try every new release, and you’ll be taking home a half-liter Big Storm Stein. Clearwater
Caledonia Brewing: Is it Fall yet? Is Caledonia’s seasonal Oktoberfest Marzen, celebrating the end of Summer and the beginning of Fall (even if it’s still 100 degrees in Florida)? Other fall beers served throughout the season include Thrill Kill Kolsch, Dunkel Dieter, and a Ginger Lemon Hefeweizen dubbed The Cure. Dunedin
Cueni Brewing Co.: Cueni will be releasing Cuetoberfest Marzen for the season, with Red Chair Vienna Lager and Skyway to Helles also on tap. Pumpkin lovers can look forward to the October re-release of Cueni’s Curious Gourd Pumpkin Ale, an amber ale that scored Cueni a Gold medal at the U.S. Open Beer Championship. Dunedin
Grand Central Brewhouse: Grand Central features four new Oktoberfest beers: Your mom goes to Marzen, Airing of Grievances Festbier, None More Black Schwarzbier, and I’m a Mawg: Half Man, Half Dog Munich Dunkel. Throughout the fall, the venue also boasts live music every Thursday through Sunday and Tuesday night trivia. Downtown St. Pete DTSP
Green Bench Brewing: Festbier, a more golden, lightly toasted lager than its Marzen counterpart, will be available throughout October at Green Bench. As the official partner for Oktoberfest Tampa, Green Bench features three traditional beers for the event: Hefeweizen, Drunkel Lager, and Festbier. DTSP
Gulfport Brewery and Eatery: In addition to its Gulfport Oktoberfest, visitors to the cozy beach bungalow brewery can enjoy Gulfport Brewery’s new Schwarzbier – brewed in collaboration with King State Brewing in Tampa and Flying Boat Brewing Company in St. Petersburg. Gulfport
Mastry’s Brewing Co.: Beachgoers are invited to stop in at Mastry’s for Fest, the brewery’s traditional Oktoberfest-style lager, that will be available throughout the fall on draft and to-go in 16oz four-packs. St. Pete Beach
Pinellas Ale Works: It’s Oktoberfest year-round at this downtown brewery. Pinellas Ale Works keeps their Festbier on tap all year. They also highlight their PUPkin Ale, a Pumpkin Spiced Amber Ale, throughout the fall. Lovers of all things pumpkin, Pinellas also will be releasing a Pumpkin Oktoberfest beer, Pumpkin Sweet Stout, and Jack the Ripper 1888, an award-winning Russian Imperial Stout with Pumpkin Spice. DTSP
St. Pete Brewing Company: To celebrate the season, St. Pete Brewing has two special releases. The first is Drop Dead “Gourd”eous Pumpkin Ale, blended with orange wine that was fermented with chocolate syrup. The award-winning brewery’s Oktoberfest Marzen will also be on tap throughout the fall. DTSP
3 Daughters Brewing: An annual favorite in the tasting room, 3 Daughters’ Oktoberfest Marzen will be on draft and in six-packs through the end of October. One of Florida’s largest independent breweries, 3 Daughters is also excited to distribute Oktoberfest Marzen throughout Tampa Bay and statewide in stores and restaurants for the very first time. DTSP
