Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Best Oktoberfest Beers in San Diego

October! Oktoberfest! Time for a party!

Karl Strauss was my first local beer, way back when I first moved to town, so I put in a call to the brewery’s PR manager, Melody Daversa (858-273-2739, karlstrauss.com). “We have our Karl Strauss Oktoberfest. It’s a beer that gets lagered, so it takes a little bit longer to make than an ale. Lagering means that it’s fermented at a cooler temperature, with a different kind of yeast. You get a very clean, crisp beer with not a lot of fruity flavors. More toasted and nutty....

“We start making it six to eight weeks before we release it. We have it on tap here at the restaurant: 16-ounce pints are $4 during happy hour [4:30–6 p.m.], and $5.95 at all other times. We sell at retail accounts like BevMo and Costco [suggested retail for six-pack, $8.99]. And places like the Kensington Grill and PB Bar & Grill have bought kegs from us to offer it on tap.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

On the food front, Karl Strauss restaurants (multiple San Diego locations) suggest pairing Oktoberfest with its Forest Mushroom Flatbread topped with smoked Gouda, various mushrooms, truffle oil, beer onions, roasted red peppers, basil and arugula ($9.95).

“Dr.” Bill Sysak, beverage supervisor at Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido (760-471-4999, stonebrew.com), explained that Oktoberfest beers are made in the style of a German Märzen — “an amber lager with a malty mouthfeel and a dry finish. The roasted malt character pairs perfectly with grilled, roasted, or smoked dishes. Things like the bratwurst, roast oxen, and smoked fish that are traditionally served in Munich during the Oktoberfest. Even though Stone Brewing Co. doesn’t make a Märzen-style beer, several of our fine ales — especially Stone Smoked Porter and Arrogant Bastard Ale — have similar roasted malt characteristics.” Prices at the Stone Company Stores in Escondido and South Park: Stone Smoked Porter, $4 for 22-ounce bottle, $9 for two-liter growler fill. Arrogant Bastard Ale, $4.25 for 22-ounce bottle, $10 for growler fill.

Jason Stockberger has been the brewmaster at Rock Bottom downtown (619-231-7000, rockbottom.com) for eight years now. “We make our beer here in-house,” he said, “and we just tapped our Rocktoberfest. It took me about five weeks to brew. It’s a Märzen lager, and it’s malty and sweet and toasty. The flavors come from the different types of roasted grains that I use, as well as the blend of hops and the different sorts of yeasts. I get all of them from all over the world.... We have it on tap: a half-liter is $5.50, and I have a monstrous one-liter mug for $11. I also have a 64-oz. growler for $14, and kegs to go for $140.”

Stockberger assured me that his Rocktoberfest “also complements the foods we’re rolling out for Oktoberfest. We have a platter with three kinds of sausage plus sauerkraut mashed potatoes [$15.95]. We have schnitzel [$13.95]. And we have a Rocktoberfest sampler combo: a pretzel with three different kinds of homemade mustard, a knackwurst corn dog, and corned beef Reuben rolls ($13.95).”

Over at Lost Abbey in Escondido (800-918-6816), Sage Osterfeld was getting ready for High Tide — the brewery’s wet-hopped IPA. “We go to Yakima, Washington on the day of the hop harvest there, harvest the hops, drive them down to California, and then spend three continuous days brewing with those fresh-picked hops. Because it’s wet-hopped, it’s much fruitier and bolder than a beer made with the pellet-sized stuff. It’s a natural balance to spicy sausage like kielbasa or Munich-style wieners. But it’s only available for a very limited time; it’ll be gone by mid-October. We’re distributed by Stone Brewing Co., so you can get our beers anywhere you get Stone beers, and you can buy from our tasting room in San Marcos: $6.99 for a 22-ounce bottle, five-gallon kegs for $80, half-barrels for $180.”

Finally, down at San Diego Brewing Co. in Mission Valley (619-284-2739, sandiegobrewing.com), Karen assured me that she would have at least one domestic Oktoberfest beer, “like a Sam Adams or a Karl Strauss,” and at least one imported, “maybe a Spaten Munich. Our house beers are ales, as opposed to lagers or pilsners. Domestics will start at $4.75 and go as high as $6.”

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Flowering pear trees in Kensington not that nice

Empty dirt plots in front of Ken Cinema
Next Article

Best Sports Betting Sites - 10 Online Sportsbooks Ranked for 2024

Best Sports Betting Sites (2024) - Reviews of TOP Online Sportsbooks

October! Oktoberfest! Time for a party!

Karl Strauss was my first local beer, way back when I first moved to town, so I put in a call to the brewery’s PR manager, Melody Daversa (858-273-2739, karlstrauss.com). “We have our Karl Strauss Oktoberfest. It’s a beer that gets lagered, so it takes a little bit longer to make than an ale. Lagering means that it’s fermented at a cooler temperature, with a different kind of yeast. You get a very clean, crisp beer with not a lot of fruity flavors. More toasted and nutty....

“We start making it six to eight weeks before we release it. We have it on tap here at the restaurant: 16-ounce pints are $4 during happy hour [4:30–6 p.m.], and $5.95 at all other times. We sell at retail accounts like BevMo and Costco [suggested retail for six-pack, $8.99]. And places like the Kensington Grill and PB Bar & Grill have bought kegs from us to offer it on tap.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

On the food front, Karl Strauss restaurants (multiple San Diego locations) suggest pairing Oktoberfest with its Forest Mushroom Flatbread topped with smoked Gouda, various mushrooms, truffle oil, beer onions, roasted red peppers, basil and arugula ($9.95).

“Dr.” Bill Sysak, beverage supervisor at Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido (760-471-4999, stonebrew.com), explained that Oktoberfest beers are made in the style of a German Märzen — “an amber lager with a malty mouthfeel and a dry finish. The roasted malt character pairs perfectly with grilled, roasted, or smoked dishes. Things like the bratwurst, roast oxen, and smoked fish that are traditionally served in Munich during the Oktoberfest. Even though Stone Brewing Co. doesn’t make a Märzen-style beer, several of our fine ales — especially Stone Smoked Porter and Arrogant Bastard Ale — have similar roasted malt characteristics.” Prices at the Stone Company Stores in Escondido and South Park: Stone Smoked Porter, $4 for 22-ounce bottle, $9 for two-liter growler fill. Arrogant Bastard Ale, $4.25 for 22-ounce bottle, $10 for growler fill.

Jason Stockberger has been the brewmaster at Rock Bottom downtown (619-231-7000, rockbottom.com) for eight years now. “We make our beer here in-house,” he said, “and we just tapped our Rocktoberfest. It took me about five weeks to brew. It’s a Märzen lager, and it’s malty and sweet and toasty. The flavors come from the different types of roasted grains that I use, as well as the blend of hops and the different sorts of yeasts. I get all of them from all over the world.... We have it on tap: a half-liter is $5.50, and I have a monstrous one-liter mug for $11. I also have a 64-oz. growler for $14, and kegs to go for $140.”

Stockberger assured me that his Rocktoberfest “also complements the foods we’re rolling out for Oktoberfest. We have a platter with three kinds of sausage plus sauerkraut mashed potatoes [$15.95]. We have schnitzel [$13.95]. And we have a Rocktoberfest sampler combo: a pretzel with three different kinds of homemade mustard, a knackwurst corn dog, and corned beef Reuben rolls ($13.95).”

Over at Lost Abbey in Escondido (800-918-6816), Sage Osterfeld was getting ready for High Tide — the brewery’s wet-hopped IPA. “We go to Yakima, Washington on the day of the hop harvest there, harvest the hops, drive them down to California, and then spend three continuous days brewing with those fresh-picked hops. Because it’s wet-hopped, it’s much fruitier and bolder than a beer made with the pellet-sized stuff. It’s a natural balance to spicy sausage like kielbasa or Munich-style wieners. But it’s only available for a very limited time; it’ll be gone by mid-October. We’re distributed by Stone Brewing Co., so you can get our beers anywhere you get Stone beers, and you can buy from our tasting room in San Marcos: $6.99 for a 22-ounce bottle, five-gallon kegs for $80, half-barrels for $180.”

Finally, down at San Diego Brewing Co. in Mission Valley (619-284-2739, sandiegobrewing.com), Karen assured me that she would have at least one domestic Oktoberfest beer, “like a Sam Adams or a Karl Strauss,” and at least one imported, “maybe a Spaten Munich. Our house beers are ales, as opposed to lagers or pilsners. Domestics will start at $4.75 and go as high as $6.”

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Best Sports Betting Sites - 10 Online Sportsbooks Ranked for 2024

Best Sports Betting Sites (2024) - Reviews of TOP Online Sportsbooks
Next Article

Didja know I did the first American feature on Jimi Hendrix?

Richard Meltzer goes through the Germs, Blue Oyster Cult, Ray Charles, Elvis, Lavender Hill Mob
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.