The Beer Side of Oshkosh’s Oktoberfest

If you live in or around Oshkosh, you already know that we’ll be having our first Oktoberfest celebration this weekend at the Leach Amphitheater. What you may not have heard is that unlike the “Octoberfest” that was held last weekend just a few clicks up the road, the Oktoberfest in Oshkosh will offer authentic German beer. Here, at least, it’s going to be done right.

Like the Munich festival, the action at the Oshkosh celebration will be based around beer tents named for the beer they’ll be pouring. The two large tents at the Oshkosh Oktoberfest will be the Paulaner Tent and the Hacker-Pschorr Tent and it looks like they’ll live up to the reputation of their namesakes.

At the Paulaner Tent they’ll be pouring Paulaner’s wonderful Oktoberfest, the inaugural Oshkosh Oktoberfest (brewed by Point Brewery) and, for the less robust, Coors light.

At the Hacker-Pschorr Tent, you’ll be treated to the incredible Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest, HP's Munich Gold (a near perfect Helles-style lager), and their very tasty Hefe-Weisse. If you’re so disposed, the always cold Coors Light will be there, as well.

It won’t be just beer, of course. There will be authentic German food, music and a lot more that you can find out all about by going here. The approach their taking in making this an authentic Oktoberfest celebration is certainly welcome and, to me, much more inviting than the typical beer-party-in-the-street sort of thing.

One final note: On Saturday morning, as part of the event, they’ll be staging an Oktoberfest 2K Bier Run (1.25 miles) in and around the Leach grounds. Best of all, the run will include four beer stops. As a seasoned beer runner, I can’t recommend this sort of thing enough. Beer and running are a natural combination and if you haven’t paired the two before, now is your chance. I can’t wait to lace ‘em up and lap it up.