Critic's Notebook: Ready for Oktober

I detest the summer and I love beer, so when fall’s Oktoberfest celebrations come into view, I get pretty excited. The Oktoberfest season starts late in September and runs through the month of October. The parties started in Germany and were occasioned by the readiness, after months of gradual fermentation, of beers that had been brewed in spring.

Oktoberfest beers will be making their way onto draft lists at bars from South Philly Taproom to the Memphis Taproom, and Iron Hill Brewery will be featuring a special two-course menu for $19.95 that features hearty German fare (think bratwurst, mustard and sauerkraut) to go with its own seasonal Oktoberfest brew, the Vienna Red Lager.