Oktoberfest is a beloved German beer festival that celebrates Bavarian culture (fun fact: it all started as a royal wedding celebration) in Munich that takes place this year on Sept. 16th – Oct. 3rd.
Here in Colorado, you can get in on the fun because a number of Colorado craft brewers are releasing Oktoberfest beers, Märzens, and Festbiers. We’ve rounded up the best Oktoberfest beers to enjoy this fall, and no, it’s not too early to don your lederhosen!
OKTOBERFEST PARTIES
Sept. 9th
Holidaily Brewing (Golden) – Oktoberfest Party
Save the date for our annual 100% gluten-free Oktoberfest at the Golden taproom!
Oktoberfest beer tapping, food trucks & food vendors 12-7pm. A classic märzen-style lager is malty, refreshing, and certified gluten-free. Join their Oktoberfest celebrations on Sept. 9th starting at 11am.
Sept. 9th
WestFax Brewing (Denver, Lakewood)
OkFAUXberfest Party
Join us Saturday, September 9th for a day filled with great beer, tasty food, and lots of fun! Stein fill specials, live music and their Festbeer release. This beer is a collaboration brewed by the entire WestFax Staff.
Sept. 15th
Lariat Lodge Brewing (Evergreen & Littleton) Lodgetoberfest Party
Lariat’s Amber-Style Marzen is finally balanced with a malt sweetness and some hot bitterness. 5.3% ABV. This beer will be available on tap and in cans at both locations on Sept. 15 and will accompany their Oktoberfest menu featuring hand-cranked sausages, handmade pretzels, and other German fare.
Sept. 16th
Strange Craft Beer (Denver)
Strange Fest Party
To celebrate both Oktoberfest and the brewery’s silver medal win at the World Beer Cup for Strange Fest this year, Strange is celebrating in true Oktoberfest style with their German Marzen Lager. On Sept. 16th, join the brewery for an Oktoberfest celebration with traditional Oktoberfest fare, Oompah music, and a costume contest. 5.6% ABV.
AVAILABLE NOW
Crystal Springs Brewing Company (Louisville) – Oktoberfest
This German-Style beer is balanced and well-attenuated. It is slightly bitter yet still malty, clean, smooth, and very drinkable. 5.1% ABV. Available at Crystal Springs and within Crystal Springs’ distribution footprint at the end of August.
Elevation Beer Co. (Poncha Springs) – Arktoberfest Märzen
Elevation Beer’s Arktoberfest (named after the Arkansas River Valley where Elevation is located) is brewed with imported German malts from Weyermann and features all German-grown Hallertau and Saaz hops to create a super traditional style with big malt flavor, light toast, and a relatively dry finish. 5.5% ABV. This beer is available now at the Elevation Beer Co. tasting room.
Gilded Goat Brewing Company (Fort Collins) – Oktoberfest
A crisp, sweet aroma from the Vienna and Munich malts first hits the nose, a reminder of the rich history of a beer once stored in cold caves and cellars during the summer months and served at Oktoberfest in the fall. Deep orange-copper, bright and clear with a thick, creamy head. Initial maltiness gives way to a
moderately dry finish. Overall this is a smooth, clean, and rich introduction to fall. Available now. 6.3% ABV.
Horse & Dragon Brewing Company (Fort Collins) – Festbier German-Style Lager
The luminous amber color of this lager announces a perfect beer for the transition from summer into fall. Sweet caramel aromas waft and carry through to its medium body, joined by biscuity malt flavors. German hops complement this base of all local Root Shoot Malting malts, with light touches of lemon rounding out a full and refreshing beer worthy of celebration. 5.9% ABV. This beer is available now on draft and in 16-ounce cans at Horse & Dragon with limited distribution Colorado.
Ska Brewing Co. (Durango) – Oktoberfest
A malty lager with an amber-brown color imparted by nutty, bread, toasty Munich and Vienna malts. With a clean, neutral yeast flavor–it’s all about the malt. Crafted with all-European Munich and Vienna malts and classic German lagering techniques, this amber-brown hued lager is nutty, bready, and toasty with a clean, neutral yeast flavor on the finish. When it first debuted in 2018, Ska Oktoberfest received a gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival® in the Vienna-style Lager category. It has also earned awards at the European Beer Star and The Stockholm Beer and Whiskey Festival. Available now. 6.1% ABV | 12oz 6-packs.
Woods Boss Brewing Company (Downtown Denver) – Herbstwald
Available now, Herbstwald is like a jaunt through an autumn forest. This Märzen lager encapsulates the senses with crisp, clean aromas of soft toasted bread and brown sugar. Deep malt tones of slight toffee and caramel fall across your palate like the changing leaves. Subtle cocoa and raisin notes envelop your taste buds before a crisp lager finish. 5.5% ABV | Draft, 12oz 6-packs.
OCC Brewing (Colorado Springs, Old Colorado City) – Union Maid Oktoberfest Märzen
Available now on draft in the OCC taproom, 5.8% ABV.
Joyride Brewing Company (Denver, Edgewater) – Rogtoberfest
Named after Joyride’s beloved mascot, Roger the Elephant, Rogtoberfest celebrates the arrival of autumn with this classic interpretation of the Märzen style. The color, as well as the delicate toasty and bready flavors, come from the use of high quality German Munich malt. Hops are restrained, providing just enough bitterness to prevent the beer from being too sweet. The yeast finishes dry and clean, allowing the supreme elegance of this malt forward beer to shine brighter than its hue. Available Thursday, Aug. 31 at Joyride. 5.5% ABV.
Sept. 1st – Our Mutual Friend Brewing (Downtown Denver) – Festbier
OMF’s Festbier is brewed with 100% Troubadour Malt and Colorado grown Tettnang and Crystal hops. This beer is available on draft and in 16-ounce cans at OMF.
Sept. 1st – WeldWerks Brewing Company (Greeley) – Märzen
While Weldwerks is known for their unconventional beers, the Greeley brewery did not want to mess with this classic! The Märzen-Style Lager is nutty, malty and pours a beautiful dark amber hue, is light in body and is highly drinkable at 5.9& ABV. This beer will be available on Sept. 1st (just in time for Labor Day weekend).
Sept. 2nd – Odyssey Beerwerks (Arvada) – Oktoberfest
Märzen, a traditional German-style amber lager with slight toasted malt sweetness and a dry, crisp finish. This beer releases on Sept. 2nd with the Mayor of Arvada, Marc Williams, tapping the first keg at 2 p.m. The first beer out of the first keg is free, while supplies last. Available at Odyssey taproom, and at participating retailers within Odyssey taproom’s distribution footprint. ABV. 6.3%.
Sept. 8th – LUKI Brewery (Arvada) – In Like a Lion Märzen
Brewed this past March and lagered for six months, this malt-forward treat used a blend of traditional base malts including Pilsner, light Munich, and a touch of Vienna. Some very light German caramel malt adds a nice sweetness of honey and toffee, with hints of rich biscuit. Hopped with Hallertauer Mittelfrueh for a floral finish, this Marzen will knock your loferl off! 5.3% ABV. This beer will be available starting on Sept. 8th at LUKI Brewery.
Sept. 15th – Verboten Brewing & Barrel Project (Loveland) – Märzen and Festbier
Verboten’s Oktoberfest Marzen-Style Lager is an elegant malty German amber lager that features notes of bread, biscuit, and caramel. Oktoberfest releases Friday, August 25th. 5.8% ABV. Festbier releases Friday, September 15th and Verboten will be running 20 oz Tankard specials on Oktoberfest and Festbier (6.3% ABV) all weekend long!
Sept. 16th – Call to Arms Brewing (Denver, Tennyson) – Seshtoberfest
Call to Arms Brewing’s Seshtoberfest channels an easier-drinking, more sessional approach. Boasting a biscuity malt backbone with just a hint of caramel notes, Seshtoberfest finishes with a bright crispness, balanced by the perfect touch of hop presence. Seshtoberfest makes its debut on-draft and in cans to-go on September 16th.
Mythmaker Brewing (Fort Collins) – Oktoberfest and Festbier
Oktoberfest is Mythmaker’s German Style Marzen brewed with German malt and hops. It’s an easy drinking 5.6% Alc/vol pale copper Lager with bready, biscuity, bready, and toasted malt flavors with a balanced floral hop presence. Festbier is the brewery’s German Style Golden Lager brewed with German Malt and hops. It’s slightly stronger than our Marzen at 6.0% alc/vol and a little more hoppy. Expect malty flavors of toasted bread dough with a medium low bitterness.
Red Swing Brewhouse (Colorado Springs) – Märzen
Notes of pretzel, cracker and a light floral hop. Immensely crushable at 5.3% ABV.
Bristol Brewing (Colorado Springs) – Red Baron Oktoberfest (Vienna Style Lager)
A hardy beer befitting the celebration and the man it celebrates, Red Baron Oktoberfest lager is a dark lager brewed in the tradiational Vienna style. Vienna and Munich malts give this beer a toasty, dry flavor and ruby color that warm the heart when the leaves begin to fall. Available now in 6-pack bottles and on draft around the Pikes Peak Region.
Beyond The Mountain Brewing (Boulder) – Festbier
The lightest of the Oktoberfest styles. It has a rich, toasted bread body with a touch of sweetness on the finish. This beer is available starting Sept. 1st. 5.7%
Magic Smoke Märzen , malt-forward with notes of cracker and a light caramel finish. 6% ABV
Sept. 15th at 5pm – Goat Patch Brewing (Colorado Springs) – Märzen
Traditional fall German lager brewed with lots of Munich malt! 5.4%
