Celebrate Oktoberfest with these offerings from Newport County craft breweries
Oktoberfest is a slightly misleading name for the famous German beer-drinking festival, since it's generally celebrated at the end of September.
Fortunately for fans of traditional Marzen lagers, often characterized by an amber color and a sweeter, less hoppy flavor, and Festbiers, which mix in pilsner hops, are lighter in color and have replaced Marzen as the main style poured in Germany, the seasonal specialty is generally available throughout the month of October.
Today, there are only six breweries given the honor of pouring Festbier at Munich’s Oktoberfest: Paulaner, Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner-Bräu, Staatilches Hofbräu-München and Hacker-Pschorr-Bräu.
For beer aficionados on Aquidneck Island, we have our own lineup of local breweries crafting their very own Oktoberfest offerings.
Newport Craft Brewing and Distilling Co.
293 JT Connell Hwy, Newport
Started in a garage by some college friends back in 1999 as the Newport Storm brewery, Newport Craft these days boasts a 10,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and a portfolio of 16 craft beers and nine distilled spirits, including the Thomas Tew Rum line, which USA Today ranked among the top ten craft rums in America.
However, the development of the distillery hasn’t detracted from the quality of the beer. Bartender Brandon Arnold, a licensed historian of German beers and a certifiably fascinating conversationalist, is confident in the quality of both the marzen and the festbier on tap, and Newport Craft even has a third German beer on offer, a traditional Schwarzbier that is a dark lager similar in color to a stout.
More: Inaugural Oktoberfest event aims to bring authentic German vibe to Newport's Fort Adams
Coddington Brewing Company
210 Coddington Hwy, Middletown
Aquidneck Island’s oldest brewpub has an Oktoberfest beer, a maibock and a doppelbock on tap, and also boasts a lovely atmosphere with more of a sit-down restaurant vibe than some of the other brewery spaces on the island.
Regulars at the bar were friendly, quick to converse and absolutely raved about the quality of both the brews and the food. One friendly beer drinker with his own personal Coddington Brewing Company mug even revealed the pub has a mug club but described the process of joining it as “nebulous” — how intriguing.
Rejects Beer Co, Middletown
124 Aquidneck Ave Middletown
Rejects Beer Co is one of the newest breweries in Newport County, and takes its name from locally popular Reject’s Beach. It usually focuses on modern styles such as IPA, fruit and sour beers — they currently have a very interesting cherry cinnamon sour on tap.
More: In the face of COVID, these 33 businesses opened in Newport Co. during the past 2 years
However, they also have a tasty festbier, best enjoyed in their unique taproom on the southeastern shore of Easton Pond. For a multicultural pairing, order takeout from Diego’s next door and enjoy some quality Mexican food with your German beer.
Ragged Island, Portsmouth
54 Bristol Ferry Road, Portsmouth
This beautiful brewery sits on a 37-acre working farm, with its facility in a renovated building and its taproom in a remodeled 1890s farmhouse. Enjoy Ragged Island’s traditional Oktoberfest marzen lager on one of the taproom’s multiple outdoor decks or in its beautiful greenhouse. You can also wander the lawn overlooking stunning views of Narragansett Bay.
More: As Ragged Island expands, a familiar face to Newport's craft beer scene is coming aboard
General’s Crossing Brewhouse, Jamestown
34 Narragansett Ave., Jamestown
Rhode Island’s second smallest brewery is nestled in the heart of downtown Jamestown and named in commemoration of a blustery March day in 1781, when General George Washington crossed Conanicut Island to meet with French military leadership and plan the final battles of the American Revolution.
General’s Crossing describes its Oktoberfest as “malty, but not too sweet” and also offers a Hefeweizen, which is a classic German wheat ale.
This article originally appeared on Newport Daily News: Celebrate Oktoberfest with these offerings from Newport County brews
