Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany was canceled… blah, blah, blah. We’ve heard it for two years now. You can celebrate Oktoberfest here in South Florida!
The Sun Sentinel recently published Oktoberfest events around the area. But only listed two large breweries located four miles apart from each other: Khoffner at Sistrunk Marketplace and Funky Buddha. We’ll include those, too, but there are far more breweries celebrating the annual autumn beer festival.
Below is a breakdown of everything we could find scouring social media. If we left something out, please comment or drop a line to jpye@browardbeer.com and we’ll make updates and re-share this article ….
Focal Brewing
What: Oktoberfest-ish celebration
Where: 7235 NE 4th Ave, Miami, FL 33138
When: Saturday, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m.
How much: Free entrance. RSVP here and enter a chance to win $30 off your bar tab.
What’s different: Focal is releasing a new Dunkel beer and will have guest taps from Black Flamingo Brewing, Beat Culture, and Epoca Brewing. There will be several DJs performing throughout the day. There won’t be German-themed decorations or games.
Fat Tap Beer Bar & Eatery
What: Fatoberfest
Where: 3555 N Dixie Hwy, Oakland Park, FL 33334
When: Saturday, Oct. 2, at 1 p.m.
How much: Free
What’s different: Pretzel specials and bratwurst. From 1 to 5 p.m. beer pours will be $5. There will be a chugging contest with prizes to win. Lederhosen and dirndls are encouraged.
3 Sons Brewing
What: Week-long specially-made German-inspired food and beer, including guest taps from Green Bench Brewing Company in St. Petersburgh.
Where: 236 N Federal Hwy #104, Dania Beach, FL 33004
When: Saturday, Sept. 17 – Friday, Oct. 1.
How much: $25 for a full combo: a brat sandwich with German potato salad, and Oktoberfest liter stein with either fest beer or “Ocean Park” pilsner. More information is available here.
What’s different: You can mix and match your food and beer choices. If you can’t make it one day, simply come by another.
Tripping Animals Brewing Company
What: Week-long celebration, with a big bash this weekend.
Where: 2685 NW 105th Ave, Doral, FL 33172
When: Tuesday, Sept. 21 – Sunday, Sept. 26
How much: Free. RSVP here.
What’s different: Tripping Animals has a special German menu created by in-house restaurant Gorilla City Meats. Every day is a new beer drop or addition to the party. The Doral brewery is selling specially designed Oktoberfest mugs. If you RSVP to Saturday’s party, your first round is on the house. This Friday, from 5 to 8 p.m., there will be ax throwing and live polka music. On Saturday, ax throwing returns from 2 to 5 p.m. with polka music from 5 to 8 p.m. To finish out the week, on Sunday, from 1 to 3:30 p.m. they’ll host a “Brewers Olympic games.”
Unbranded Brewing Company
What: Block party at the Hialeah brewery in the Leah Arts District
Where: 1395 E 11th Ave, Hialeah, FL 33010
When: Saturday, Sept. 25, starting at 3 p.m.
How much: free
What’s different: There’s going to be three Oktoberfest-themed competitions: stein holding, bratwurst eating, yodeling, Lederhosen. Then an “Original Maverick” spin: A mechanical bull. First people are eligible for a $3 beer ticket. RSVPs are encouraged. Tickets are available here.
LauderAle
What: Second-annual “Stein and Dine” dinner
Where: 3305 SE 14th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33316
When: Friday, Oct. 8, from 7 to 9 p.m.
How much: $80, tickets are available here.
What’s different: Authentic four-course German meal prepared by Mike Smerda, a German chef who’s been featured on Diner’s Drive-ins and Dives. All dishes are designed around specially crafted beers. There will be a stein holding contest with a chance to win a $50 LauderAle gift card.
Mathews Brewing Company
What: Two-day party
Where: 130 S H St, Lake Worth, FL 33460
When: Friday, Oct. 8 through Saturday, Oct. 9
How much: Free
What’s different: Cheap German beer without the traditional experience. Hefewizen and German pilsners will be discounted to $5.50 a pint. On Friday, from 5 to 11 p.m., Silverspork Food Truck will be onsite, and local “country rock, dance band,” 56 Ace Band will perform from 8 to 11:30 p.m. Silverspork Food Truck will return the following day from 2 to 11 p.m. West Palm-based rock group Fall Victim will perform from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Then Tool tribute band 46 & Tool will take the stage from 9 to 11 p.m.
Black Flamingo Brewing Company
What: Flocktoberfest all-day party
Where: 3260 NW 23rd Ave #400e, Pompano Beach, FL 33069
When: Sunday, Oct. 10, from noon to 8 p.m.
How much: free
What’s different: Black Flamingo’s first-ever Oktoberfest-themed party. The Pompano brewery’s touting “new beer drops, delicious food, vendors, and tap beer guests.” Lederhosen and Dirndls are encouraged.
Hopportunities
What: Hoptoberfest at Hopportunities in Delray Beach
Where: 440 NE 5th Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33483
When: Saturday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m.
How much: Free
What’s different: The pour-your-own beer bar will have specials on “local and traditional festbiers.” The Hopportunities Kitchen food truck Lola’s Filipino-American Flare will “be going to her German roots and doing a ‘Bratoberfest'” with specials on Bratwurst all day long. “Game of Axes,” a free ax-throwing vendor will be on-site at 3 p.m. There will be a Lederhosen, or German attire costume contest.
SFL Hops
What: Oktoberfest pub crawl of four Boca breweries and one bar
Where: Meet up at Prosperity Brewers – 4160 NW 1st Ave Suite 21, Boca Raton, FL 33431 – then hit the other spots.
When: Saturday, Oct. 16 at 1 p.m.
How much: $6 to $20
What’s different: Oktoberfest-themed. What’s really different is it’s a cheap way to hit multiple locations. Each are in driving distance but Uber and carpooling are recommended. SFL Hops has a free ride from Uber provided here. For $6, you get BOGO beers at every brewery and bar on the crawl. It’s a unique way to meet other local craft beer drinkers. The last SFL Hops pub crawl in Oakland Park brought out at least 50 people. For $20, you’ll receive an SFL Hops rewards card, which is 40 percent less than it normally goes for. The card gets you discounts at more than 60 breweries and bars in South Florida.
Khoffner Brewery USA
What: Two-week long celebration
Where: 115 NW 6th St, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
When: Wednesday, Sept. 22 through Sunday, Oct. 10
How much: $20 for a “blind beer tasting on Sat. Sept. 25., and again on Oct. 2 and Oct. 9. Tickets are available here.
What’s different: The blind beer tasting on Saturday includes five flights of beer. Those who correctly guess three out of five of the beers win a free beer. Khoffner brewed a Märzen lager and a pale Oktoberfest. There will be Bavarian pretzels, schnitzel, apple strudel, and other traditional German fare served in the Sistrunk Marketplace food hall.
Funky Buddha
What: Annual Funktoberfest
Where: 1201 NE 38th St, Oakland Park, FL 33334
When: Monday, Sept. 20 through Friday, Oct. 24
How much: Free
What’s different: German food and beer specials. Not much different from a few others previously mentioned, to be honest. Refillable 32-ounce beer steins are $15, can refill for $10. The kitchen is selling pretzels for $5 and brats for $8. The Constellation-owned Oakland Park brewery made a “Buddhafest” Märzen lager.
For more information and regular updates, follow BrowardBeer’s event calendar.
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