Celebrate Oktoberfest in Philadelphia with 21 local beers

Prost! Oktoberfest, the largest beer festival in the world, kicks off in its spiritual home of Munich, Germany, on Sept. 16, and Philly brewers are beginning to release their seasonal-inspired lagers to get Philadelphians in the mood.

The 188th Oktoberfest will run through Oct. 3 in Munich, where local breweries tap its kegs of sweet, malty Märzen and pale, crisp Festbier-style lagers, and dish out mugs of the dark golden brown beers to millions of festgoers seated around long tables underneath tents that fit thousands. Oktoberfest beers come from traditions like the Märzen-style (meaning “March”), which is traditionally brewed in the spring and aged for months until it’s strong enough to be served in the fall. You can still find Märzen lagers, but the Festbier now reigns supreme since the ‘70s, when brewers at Munich’s Paulaner Brewery decided on a lighter beer that would be easier to drink throughout the day, according to retailer Saveur Bière.

Across the world, beer lovers carry this tradition to their hometowns, including Philadelphia, where some of the biggest names in local brewing release their best fall beers.

Grab your lederhosen and best buds and clank some beers to Oktoberfest this year at time-honored classics and Oktoberfest events with live music and dancing into the late hours.

Attic Brewing Co. is bringing a Munich Märzen to Philadelphia with their Funktoberfest lager (ABV 5.4%). This rich and balanced beer with a creamy, light texture is a perfect pairing for a Bavarian bratwurst. The Wister Woods Vienna Lager (ABV 5.4%) features a bold and hoppier flavor, with notes of toasted bread and caramel, while the G-Town Strutter German Pilsner (ABV 5.4%) uses exclusively German pilsner malts and European noble hops.

🌐 atticbrewing.com, 📍 137 Berkley St., 📞 267-748-2495

For this fall, Conshohocken Brewing is collabbing with Pennsylvania chocolate royalty, Asher’s Chocolate in Bucks County, for a limited-edition Chocolate Peanut Butter Autumn Ale (ABV 6.5%) — say that five times fast. This is a decadent beer through and through as Conshochoken uses Asher’s award-winning chocolate, premium peanuts, pumpkin, vanilla, and a touch of lactose to make a rich and flavorful brew.

🌐 conshohockenbrewing.com, 📍 739 E. Elm St., Conshohocken, Pa., 📞 610-897-8962

Check out Docktoberfest (ABV 5.8%), Dock Street Brewing’s seasonal Festbier-styled lager, golden brown and medium-bodied with a fresh bread aroma and a crisp finish. Dock Street uses traditional German malts like Weyermann Pilsner, Vienna, and Munich to craft a range of sweetness, hoppiness, and a sensational texture.

🌐 dockstreetbeer.com, 📍 2118 Washington Ave., 📞 215-337-3103

When Stoudts Brewing Co., one of Pennsylvania’s earliest microbreweries, closed shop two years ago, owner Carol Stoudt struck a deal with Evil Genius to produce a select amount of beer at the Kensington-Fishtown brewery. Enter Stoudts Oktoberfest lager (ABV 4.5%), a golden and hoppy Märzen brew available on draft at select bars, including Evil Genius. Evil Genius also releases its own Oktoberfest-inspired beer, Is Butter A Carb? (ABV 5.5%), brewed with rich malt, hops, and warm Philly soft pretzels for a kick of local flavor. There’s also the chocolate pumpkin porter, Trick or Treat (ABV 7.8%), for those looking for a Halloween treat.

🌐 evilgeniusbeer.com, 📍 1727 N. Front St., 📞 215-425-6820

In Ambler is Forest & Main, a small craft brewer with more than a dozen rotating house brews on draft, including its annual Festbier lager (ABV 5.5%). Brewed with a double decoction of German pilsner and Munich malts, hopped with Hallertau Mittlfruh hops, and slowly cold-fermented using in-house lager yeast, this lager is a portal to Munich’s fest tents after one sip. It’s an easy, drinkable brew with notes of toasted bread, apple, and lemon grass tea that finishes crisp and dry.

🌐 forestandmain.com, 📍 33 East Butler Ave., Ambler, Pa., 📧 info@forestandmain.com

Human Robot is covering all the bases for Oktoberfest this year by offering both a Märzen and a Festbier. The Festbier (ABV 5.6%) is brewed using German pilsner and Munich malts with Hersbrucker hops that pack a delightful range of sweetness and hoppiness, with a cracker-like aroma. The Oktoberfest Märzen-style Lager (ABV 5.8%) uses those same classic German malts like Vienna, Munich, and pilsner and is gently hopped with German Hersbrucker hops and fermented with Human Robot’s in-house lager yeast.

🌐 humanrobotbeer.com, 📍 1710 N. Fifth St., 📞 215-978-4000

While Iron Hill isn’t releasing any traditional Oktoberfest-style beers, you can’t go wrong with the Delaware-born brewery’s Pumpkin Ale (ABV 5.5%). This light- to medium-bodied copper-colored ale is spiced with the fall favorites like pumpkin pie, vanilla, and real pumpkin.

🌐 ironhillbrewery.com, 📍 1150 Market St., 📞 267-507-7365

Nestled in Callowhill’s ever-evolving neighborhood of high rises and elevated rail parks sits Love City Brewing, a welcoming watering hole to local beer enthusiasts. For Oktoberfest, it’s releasing the seasonal Love Fest (ABV 6.3%) lager. This Märzen is brewed with exclusively German malts from Weyermann Malting and carries a toasted bread, dark fruit, and caramel flavor that pairs nicely with its light and sweet finish.

🌐 lovecitybrewing.com 📍 1023 Hamilton St., 📞 215-398-1900

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Co. is bringing a stacked lineup of Oktoberfest beers this year, from Märzen and Vienna lagers to Dunkelweizen ales. The Creekfestbier Lager (ABV 5.2%) is a traditional Märzen-style with an enjoyably crisp and hoppy flavor with a punch of toasted bread aroma. For a twist, check out Young Pumpkinstein (ABV 5.2%), Creekfestbier’s sibling with pumpkin, allspice, candied ginger, and nutmeg flavors. There’s also Punkless Dunkel (ABV 8.8%) for those ready for a heavy beer loaded with pumpkin, dark brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice notes. The award-winning Vienna lager, Churchville Lager (ABV 4.9%), is a sessionable dark lager brewed with Herkules and Hallertauer noble hops. Finally, be sure to check out the Halloween beer releasing soon, JAWN of the Dead (ABV 6.5%), a red rye IPA with a spicy yet fruity twist to a pale ale.

🌐 neshaminycreekbrewing.com, 📍 909 Ray Ave., Croydon, Pa., 📞 215-458-7081

Sly Fox makes a traditional Oktoberfest Märzen lager (ABV 6.1%) with amber-gold coloring, toasted bread aromas, and that crisp finish that Oktoberfest beer lovers have come to look for, not to mention the hints of caramel, savory malt, and a touch of spice.

🌐 slyfoxbeer.com, 📍 20 Liberty Blvd., Suite 100, Malvern, Pa., 📞 484-328-3567

Hocktoberfest (ABV 5.4%) is a Märzen lager made with Mt. Hood hops, with overall balanced, refreshing caramel and malty flavors.

🌐 sterlingpig.com, 📍609 W. State St., Media, Pa., 📞 484-444-2526

This fall beer may not be an Oktoberfest lager, but it’s perfect for any fall celebration. Weyerbacher’s Imperial Pumpkin Ale (ABV 8%) is a spicy and pumpkin-loaded brew with a dose of caramel and hints of toasted bread, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Weyerbacher’s taproom is now reopened in Easton and you can buy their beers from online retailers.

🌐 weyerbacher.com,📍 905 Line St., Suite G, Easton, Pa., 📞 610-438-3888