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• CU residents to embrace Oktoberfest with worldly beer

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Legends »
Address: 522 E. Green St. Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 355-7674
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Blind Pig Co., The »
Address: 120 N. Walnut St. Champaign, IL 61820
Phone: (217) 398-1532
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Recycle your Keystone cans and raise your glass. We are currently in the midst of an infamous two week binge, a holiday that unites beer drinkers from around the world: Happy Oktoberfest CU.

With over six million people attending every year, Oktoberfest is the world’s largest festival. Held in Munich, Germany, it traditionally takes place during the sixteen days up to the first Sunday in October.

Overseas, we’ve also made it our responsibility to carry on the German tradition the best way we know how — we drink German beer, and we drink a lot of it. Bars in CU are embracing the spirit of this holiday and offering specialty beers on tap. Crane Alley is putting on their

lederhosen for the month by offering a couple of Munich’s finest. Brendan Gamel, the bar’s day manager says they have both Spaten Oktoberfest and Hofbrau Oktoberfest brews on tap. “You can get them by the glass or by the stein!” he adds. Beyond that, the bar boasts a variety of great German and domestic beers that are sure to have you speaking Deutsch, such as Weihenstephaner Hefe Weizen, Southern Tier “Heavy” Weizen and of course, the German favorite — Becks.

Seven Saints in downtown Champaign, although not going all out for the world-wide festival, does have some great brews for the season according to bartender Dan Kates. Also carrying the renowned Munich favorite Spaten Oktoberfest, Kates also says “We’ve got Souther Tier’s Harvest Ale in right now, too. It’s kind of hoppy and earthy,” perfect for the crisp nights and comforting smell of leaves in October.

Blind Pig Brewery owner Chris Knight said the Blind Pig and its sister, the Blind Pig Brewery, are dedicating six of their 27 taps to Oktoberfest.“There are 6 main breweries in Munich featured during Oktoberfest,” Knight said. “We have beers from all of them.” Their list includes Hacker-Pschorr, Lowenbrau, Spaten, Paulaner, Augustiner and Hofbrau.

Given the substantial German heritage of many Americans, it would be unfair not to bring in some sort of domestic tribute as well. “We are featuring some of the best American Oktoberfest beers, such as those from Left Hand brewery, Avery and Capital,” Knight added.

The Oktoberfest beers have a unique flavor that differs from your typical Busch Light. “The Oktoberfest beer is a darker beer and full flavored,” Knight said. “The beers are brewed specifically to be drunk in this season; they were brewed in March, so they have aged six months.”

Blind Pig will toast the final hours of Oktoberfest with a full, frosted mug and a party on Oct. 3. “We will sell all the Oktoberfest beers at $3 a glass and these are the big glasses,” said Knight. “For $1 more you get to keep the glass.”

The Blind Pig isn’t the only local bar celebrating the beerfest. On campus, Legends offers steins as well. In honor of the season, the bar has $5 steins of Samuel Adams, with $3 refills.

Samuel Adams Octoberfest has come to be widely known as a popular choice for seasonal beers, making it a great “transition” beer for those who find the idea of veering off course from their Solo cups of nerve-racking. Old Chicago bar manager John Bowman said Samuel Adams is his October pick and seems to be the most popular among customers. Also among their autumnal list of amber hued beers, Anheuser-Busch’s Jack’s Pumpkin Spice Ale is also on the menu in honor of the festivities.

It’s the season to put a temporary ban on flippy cups and raise a mug full of rich, golden beer instead. If you can’t help but drink beer competitively, there is always “Das Boot,” so you can get your game on and keep in the German spirit. If you still aren’t convinced, here are some OktoberFaks from 2007 that are quite inspiring: 6.2 million visitors consumed over 6.94 million liters of beer, 521,872 chickens, 104 oxen and 142,253 pork sausages. However, a disappointing zero goose chases were recorded.