Truck Yard tapping 200 year-old kegs for Trucktoberfest

Image courtesy of Truck Yard.

In light of Dennis Wehrmann's recent move from his previous venture to Beard Science Sour House in The Colony, some may be curious as to the fate of annual Oktoberfest tappings drawn from his family's 200 year-old kegs. Well, wonder no more, as the Brew Boss will continue this popular pastime during Trucktoberfest events happening at Truck Yard locations in September.

“I’m excited to tap one of my personal 30-liter Oktoberfest kegs!" says Wehrmann. "Sharing this great tradition with Truck Yard is a great honor for me. The outdoor beer garden-style setting at Truck Yard is the perfect environment to enjoy something so special.”

According to a press release, the inaugural Trucktoberfest will feature a lineup of adult, kid, and dog-friendly activities including a stein holding contest, a pretzel eating contest, wiener dog races and a yodeling competition. And, there will of course be an Oktoberfest beer, with Truck Yard's take sharing the same name as the celebration.

“The 200+ year old wooden keg belonged to my great, great grandfather, who started our first family brewery in Germany in 1800," says Wehrmann. "We will fill the keg with our Oktoberfest beer, called 'Trucktoberfest,' that we brewed specially for this event. It is brewed as a traditional German Oktoberfest beer with German malt, hops and a Munich lager yeast. Enjoying this traditional German beer that is made locally alongside other local American and Oktoberfest beers at the event will certainly be a highlight for everyone."

Trucktoberfest takes place September 18-19 at Truck Yard Dallas and Truck Yard The Colony . The event is free to attend, but guests can click here to sign up for the various contests. To learn more, visit Truck Yard's social media channels for further details.

Ceremonial "Trucktoberfest" keg tapping schedule:

Saturday, September 18: Truck Yard The Colony at 2 p.m.
Sunday, September 19: Truck Yard Dallas at 3 p.m.

Oak Highlands Oktoberfest helping to build The Bridge

Image courtesy of Oak Highlands Brewery.

Renewing an annual pledge to partner with a local breast cancer charity, Oak Highlands Brewery will raise funds for The Bridge Breast Network (The Bridge) during a campaign set to correspond with the release of its seasonal Oktoberfest beer.

The Bridge is a Dallas-based nonprofit that provides access to diagnostic screenings and treatment services for breast cancer to low income, uninsured and under-insured individuals in North Texas.

"Breast cancer has touched many lives close to the Oak Highlands family, and since the traditional Oktoberfest season and Breast Cancer Awareness Month loosely coincide, we thought it would be the perfect opportunity to raise funds for others affected by breast cancer," says Lauren Barnes, marketing director for the brewery.

To help support The Bridge, Oak Highlands will donate 10% of sales from the 2018 edition of its Oktoberfest beer to the organization. In addition, Oak Highlands will host its fourth annual Oktoberfest Celebration on Saturday, September 15, with 10% of the proceeds from the event going to The Bridge. Representatives from the group will be in attendance during the festivities to raise awareness and to answer questions about The Bridge and its mission.

Admission to the 2018 Oktoberfest Celebration at Oak Highlands is free. Beer will be sold by the glass, with food, live music and games rounding out the attractions.

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For more information on The Bridge Breast Network, visit http://www.bridgebreast.org/.

Eno's to host inaugural TEXtoberfest, September 24

Image Credit: Eno's Pizza Tavern.

Known for its involvement in the annual Brew Riot Homebrew Competition, Eno's Pizza Tavern is introducing a new event this fall to be held at its location in the Bishop Arts District.

TEXtoberfest is being billed as a festival that will celebrate Oktoberfest season in true Texas style. In preparation for the affair, Eno's will transform its back lot into a festive biergarten, where local breweries will sample their wares to the tune of live local music.

Those attending the celebration will receive a commemorative mug and sampling card, allowing them to enjoy brews from Peticolas, Deep Ellum, Four Corners, Oak Highlands, Community, Bishop Cider, Tupps and The Manhattan Project. Each guest will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite seasonal brews, with the winning beer in each category to be named a TEXtoberfest Peoples' Choice winner.

As for other attractions, Eno’s plans to expand on its regular menu of pizzas and pastas for the event, with a sausage and charcuterie-inspired popup serving treats to pair with the craft beer offerings. In addition, TEXtoberfest will feature a best boots competition, as well as stein-hoisting and pretzel-eating contests.

Tickets for TEXtoberfest are on sale now at bit.ly/enostextoberfest. Advance tickets are $25 per person, with the amount increasing to $35 if purchased at the door.

Oak Highlands pairs with AiRS to support breast cancer survivors

Purchase Oak Highlands Oktoberfest and drink craft beer for a cause (Oak Highlands Brewery).

Oak Highlands Brewery of Dallas has announced a new partnership with the AiRS Foundation to help raise funds for breast cancer survivors.

The AiRS Foundation is a group dedicated to assisting women with the costs associated with restorative breast surgery, while connecting them with doctors that can help. Beginning August 1, and running through October 31, Oak Highlands will supplement this effort by donating 10% of all sales of its Oktoberfest beer to the cause.

“Oak Highlands Brewery gives 10% of the proceeds from the sales of its Oktoberfest beer to a different local breast cancer awareness charity every year," says Erica Connolly, marketing director at Oak Highlands. "Breast cancer has touched many lives, including those closely connected with Oak Highlands Brewery, and because the traditional Oktoberfest season and Breast Cancer Awareness Month loosely coincide, we thought it was a perfect opportunity to raise awareness and money to help find a cure."

Women who have undergone a mastectomy are often unaware of their options for reconstructive surgery, which is a key part of the physical and emotional healing for breast cancer survivors. It is estimated that 70% of women do not have options discussed with them or they are unable to pay for the surgery – that is where the AiRS Foundation steps in.

“We are so honored and excited that Oak Highlands Brewery has chosen the AiRS Foundation to support this October in timing with Breast Cancer Awareness Month," adds Morgan Hare, co-founder of the AiRS Foundation. "We have high hopes for our partnership with Oak Highlands Brewery, that together we will raise money and awareness for this important cause.”

The brewery will host an event in late September to kick-off the partnership, with 10% of the proceeds going to the AiRS Foundation. Plans are still being finalized, so be sure to follow Oak Highlands on social media (Facebook, Twitter) for the most up-to-date details.

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Find out where to purchase Oak Highlands Oktoberfest at: http://www.oakhighlandsbrewery.com/our-beer/where-to-buy/.

For more information about the AiRS Foundation, visit http://airsfoundation.org/.

New fall seasonal from Grapevine supports local firefighters

Image credit: Grapevine Craft Brewery (click to enlarge).

Craft beer for a cause is something that's becoming more and more prevalent not only nationally, but also here in North Texas. As further evidence of that, Grapevine Craft Brewery is releasing a new fall seasonal in support of local firefighters with the accompanying label text, "Giving back to the Grapevine community is not just a part of our mission statement, it's a commitment."

Local 3113 Oktoberfest Style Lager is set to launch on draft and in cans with a portion of the proceeds from all sales going to the the Grapevine Fire Fighter's Association. Described as "bigger and bolder than the traditional märzen," the beer is said to have "deep maltiness backing a strong, but balanced hop character and a clean, dry finish. It's the perfect festbier to welcome the coming of fall."

According to a press release, Grapevine will unveil Local 3113 at a mini-Oktoberfest event to be held at the brewery's Taproom and Beer Garden on September 26. Running from noon to 3 p.m., the festivities will include live music and German fare provided by AJ's on Main. Fire trucks will be on site as well, with members of the Grapevine Fire Fighter's Association present to greet and thank the community for their support.

Expanded beer menu on tap for 2015 McKinney Oktoberfest

Image credit: Historic Downtown McKinney.

Nothing says Oktoberfest in North Texas like the ceremonial tapping of a 200 year-old keg by Franconia brewmaster Dennis Wehrmann. This annual occurrence marks the opening of McKinney Oktoberfest on the city's downtown square, and this year it will be no different.

What will be different, though, is that Franconia won't be the only brand of beer being served at this year's festival. For 2015, McKinney is bringing in additional Oktoberfest offerings from breweries in Texas and Germany. Not only that, Tupps Brewery will be on hand for the first time after opening earlier this year in the host city. Along with a handful of year-round beers, Tupps will be pouring a new pumpkin-inspired seasonal called Tuppkin' Ale.

Also on the bill for this year is the Meet the Brewmaster VIP Event, featuring a meet and greet with the folks from Franconia. The cost is $35 (+ fees), which includes a t-shirt, stein, guided sampling and 15 tasting coupons (good for roughly two beers). Tickets for Meet the Brewmaster may be purchased on Eventbrite for sessions occurring on all three days of the festival.

McKinney Oktoberfest runs from Friday, September 25 to Sunday, September 27. A full list of activities can be found on the event website, but here's a rundown of the beers expected to be available:

Franconia: Kölsch, Wheat, Dunkel and Oktoberfest.
Tupps: Black Ale, Cotton Mill Gold, Tupps IPA and Tuppkin' Ale.

Oktoberfest beers:

Texas: Karbach, Real Ale and Saint Arnold.
Germany: Hofbräu, Paulaner and Spaten.

Prost!