At Oktoberfest, the beer is what brings everyone together; it’s the centerpiece of the celebration. From fruity seltzers to rich Belgian sours, the wide range of brewers at the BrewFest segment of the festivities made sure there was a flavor for every taste. 

Over its 29 years of existence, Oktoberfest has iterated on the events, partnering with a variety of businesses in the community, such as the Eastern Iowa Airport and the New Pioneer Co-op. 

This year, the annual celebration included not only BrewFest, but also the more relaxed Bier Hall and the family-focused SodaFest. The thriving beer community wouldn’t be possible without the work of BrewFest founder and local owner of John’s Grocery, Doug Alberhasky, who remains dedicated to the festival. 

“We made it a top priority to have the experience of the brewers paramount. Without the brewers, we have nothing,” Alberhasky said. 

Through BrewFest, Alberhasky and the Northside have also been able to raise money for local charities. 

Since the festival began, he said, it has raised over $750,000 dollars for donations. For $60, people could get a ticket to BrewFest, where they were presented with a selection of over 140 different craft brews from 40 vendors, hailing from across the Midwest and beyond. BrewFest was set up in the parking lot between George’s Buffet and the Bluebird Diner, lined with tents from various brewing companies. Tasters were given a weizen glass, and each table offered a small portion of refreshments.

What we tasted

Our day started with a visit to the Boulevard Brewing Company. The glass was filled with a Quirk seltzer, the Raspberry Bomb Pop, an excellent first brew. Bubbly and sweet, it tasted like a bomb pop in a glass. 

This summery drink is a perfect way to cool down in the mid-September heat. Big Grove Brewery was the second tent of the day. The Radical Tangerine Honey Thyme beer was a crowd favorite, and for good reason. This brew lived up to its name with hints of all the flavors perfectly blended, giving the beer a crisp autumnal taste. 

Ophelia Flores has worked at Big Grove for seven years, including five as a brewer, and has represented the brewery at Oktoberfest for the last four. 

“I love that it gets so many different breweries. It’s not just local breweries,” Flores said.“They do a great job catering to both.” 

People often forget Iowa is right in the middle of the country. Flores said Oktoberfest shows why that matters; it’s a chance for Iowa and Iowa City’s growing brewing scene to bring together beer fans from all over, all sharing a love for craft beer.

Our next taste of the day was from Barn Town Brewing. The Bavarian-style Marzen Oktoberfest beer was a star on the menu. Perfect for fall, it had a rich, musky flavor that goes down smooth. 

In true Oktoberfest fashion, next on the menu was mead. Emery Meadery, local to Iowa City, had a menu of incredible flavors. Black raspberry was tangy, leaving behind a rich, decadent aftertaste. The red raspberry leaned sweeter; it had a classic warm fruit flavor. Emery Meadery locally sources its honey from Iowa City, and it shows; the honey mead was fresh and bright.

Wilson’s Apple Orchard showcased its hard ciders. The Cherry Cider was a beautiful combination of flavors. Crisp apple and tart cherry offered a great seasonal mix. This cider was breezy and sweet; regardless of the season, the flavor will always hold up. 

Last, but definitely not least, was St. Bernardus Brewery. All the way from Belgium, this brewery brought a selection of crafted beers highlighting the depth and tradition of Belgian brewing. The Red Dutchess was a favorite among BrewFest attendees, drawing a sizable line. Deep red in color with a sweet cherry aroma, this beer bursted with cherry flavor and had a pleasantly thick, satisfying texture. The tartness of the drink balanced well with the fruitiness, making it easy to enjoy. 

             Aficionado culture 

Alex Borges was the representative for St. Bernardus at this year’s Oktoberfest. Borges is in charge of representing nine states across the country. This is his first year at the Iowa City Oktoberfest. 

“It’s so nice to just get a different vibe,” Borges said. “Every festival has different vibes, I feel, and everyone here is very much willing to ask questions.” 

This curiosity comes from the love of the craft. Beer vendors traveled from all over the country, and even from other countries, to share enthusiasm for their brews. 

“I’m so excited, still to this day, that our customers at John’s are some of the best beer customers in the world. People aren’t debating the taste between Keystone and Busch Light,” Alberhasky said. 

Customers’ appreciation for the art of brewing grew after seeing firsthand the hard work and dedication the brewers put into their craft. 

“There are such devoted beer aficionados in Iowa City, and this is our chance to get our customers together with our breweries to make something special,” Alberhasky said.

While in between drinks at BrewFest, participants could purchase strung-together pretzel necklaces from the Boy Scouts of Troop 212. The scouts have long been part of Oktoberfest, as Alberhasky was one of the previous scoutmasters of the troop. 

“My favorite part of this festival is probably watching people just being outdoors and having fun in a very stress-free environment,” Jordan Conrad said. 

Conrad works as an assistant professor in the communication studies department at the University of Iowa and will soon become the new scoutmaster of the troop. His troop, which had kids working at both the SodaFest portion of the festival and handing out necklaces at Brewfest, was one of the pilot troops for accepting both boys and girls.

Director of Special Events Katie Carpenter played a significant role in the organization of Oktoberfest. Carpenter coordinated the varied events showcased at the festival. 

“I’s really a celebration of craft beer, of the Northside culture, the community spirit, and the kind of historical nature of the Northside neighborhood,” Carpenter said. “Attendees can seamlessly transition from Bier Hall to BrewFest and SodaFest and be with their family the whole time.” 

Carpenter is looking forward to the integration of SodaFest into the main festivities. This transition created a feeling of togetherness and community Oktoberfest embodies.

“It’s great to be able to connect with the community,” Jackie McCall, who worked at the SodaFest stand, said. “We see a lot of friends that we already know, but we meet a lot of new friends every year as well.” 

McCall came to Oktoberfest with the Iowa Children’s Museum, where she currently works as the director of development. This year, McCall said the SodaFest tent was set up closer to the main action of the day, a change she enjoyed. 

SodaFest was set up just down the street from the main Brewfest tents, with tables arrayed with lines of brightly colored soda bottles. 

“The butterscotch soda is very popular,” McCall said. “It’s sort of like butter beer, and everybody’s all about that.” 

          Contests and events

At 1:30 p.m., one of Bier Hall’s most popular contests kicked off — the annual bratwurst eating contest. Guests were invited to come up to the Bier Hall stage, where they were seated under a large white tent and were each given three brats with buns and several small bottles of water. 

Once the timer started, the contestants used a number of different strategies to try to scarf their brats down in the quickest way possible. Eventually, a victor did emerge, Jake Mayer, who avenged a runner-up performance last year by downing his brats in just under three minutes. 

Mayer works as the student success and engagement coordinator for the University of Iowa’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications. 

In the week leading up to Oktoberfest, Mayer ate 14 brats in preparation. On Wednesday, in particular, he drove home from work, cooked four brats, ate them, and then went back to work. 

He ate the brats before the buns, then drizzling the buns with water in an attempt to make them go down easier. 

“My grandma always said, ‘Don’t do something unless you’re going to do it right,’” Mayer said. “I’ve eaten brats for at least one meal the past four days.” 

In addition to the brat-eating contest, Oktoberfest included several other games and competitions throughout the day. Keg toss, Hammerschlagen, keg bowling, yard games, beer puppeteering, and the beer slide were all set up as tests of skill. 

Music underscored the festivities, showcasing both local talent and traditional German culture, as well as interactive performances, such as the ever-popular Maypole Dance. 

An award for the “Best Dressed” participants was also in contention — the lederhosen and dirndl contest. 

Anyone who wanted to enter lined up in front of the BrewFest stage in their best traditional German attire. 

“We’ve got a lot of fun stuff, and it’s all about showcasing our neighborhood and showcasing the wonderful world of beer,” Alberhasky said.