Sip & Savor

RAISE A STEIN to OktOberfest

on THE RIVER WALK!

by Kimberly A. Suta

Did you know that Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany is the biggest festival in the world with six million participants annually? It might come as no surprise that because of the German settlements in towns like New Braunfels, South Texas is rich in German culture and history. Therefore, we love to go all out for Oktoberfest, although who needs an excuse to drink beer and eat sausages? I certainly don’t!

This year, the River Walk will definitely be the place to be to celebrate Oktoberfest with decorated bridges, floating bands and River Walk bars and restaurants featuring special happy hours with discounts on your favorite German beers and everyone’s favorite light American lager, Bud Light. In particular, several of the venues that make up the Mad Dogs Restaurant Group should top the list for premier Oktoberfest celebrations as they’re known for their excellent pub grub and wide array of German libations.

BIER GARTEN

If you want to do it right, grab your friends and turn it into a bar crawl, starting with Bier Garten. Located on the River Walk between the Hyatt Regency and the Alamo, Bier Garten has been celebrating Oktoberfest going on nearly a decade now.

They’re a wonderful choice for a little taste of Bavaria with authentic fare, great German beer, pretty barmaids and live entertainment, which can be enjoyed five days during the week. There’s no struggle to find something good to drink and eat here with 26 beers on draft as well as juicy brats and six other kinds of German sausages.

Oktoberfest kicks off on September 24th with the annual “tapping of the keg” and family-friendly festivities taking place September 24-25 and October 1-2.

The ceremonial tapping of the keg is performed by a local celebrity who is delivered to the keg by a roving band of minstrels, but beware, those close to the keg will get sprayed, but that’s kind of the point. Afterwards, guests all enjoy a free beer from the newly tapped keg. It’s the perfect time to sit outside and enjoy a nice, cold beer and dip those giant pretzels in some tangy mustard with your best buds.

Folks also love sharing the Sausage Tower, which includes bratwurst, knockwurst, Texas sausage, Polish sausage, chicken sausage and a variety of accoutrements, including their popular Krautwurst Balls of pork sausage, cream cheese and sauerkraut that are rolled in panko breadcrumbs and deep fried to yummy perfection.

As for the entertainment, expect polka bands, emcees and crowd-pleasing sing-a-long’s where everyone’s swinging a stein along with tunes like “Sweet Caroline” and “Brown Eyed Girl”.

LITTLE RHEIN PROST HAUS

Mad Dogs Restaurant Group’s newest venue at La Villita, Little Rhein Prost Haus, will be another hot spot this season. Situated in a stunning 200-year-old German-built rock building with a gorgeous tiered outdoor patio and bar right along the River, it’s simply the place to celebrate an authentic Oktoberfest.

Prost Haus sports a wide variety of imported German bears like Hofbrau and Warsteiner, as well as local brews, such as Fredericksburg’s Alstadt Lager and Alamo Beer Company’s Alamo Golden Ale.

As for German eats, they also feature a tower of different sausages, along with sausage paddles topped with Bratwurst, Knockwurst, Polish and Nuremberg Sausages, warm Bavarian pretzels, potato salad, bacon cabbage, pickled vegetables and Dusseldorf mustard.

Enjoy more German-centric entertainment four days a week here, including the famous Stein Hoisting competitions where beer-filled steins are held by straight, strong and firm arms for the win. This unique competition is a well-known Oktoberfest event. The local winner will even go on to

Bier Garten

Little Rhein Prost Haus Bier Garten

compete in a national final. There will also be lots of prizes and swag to be had this year so make sure to mark your calendars.

MADDY MCMURPHY

Although Maddy McMurphy’s is an Irish pub and sports bar, they don’t discriminate when it comes to celebrations. Located a block away from the historic Alamo along Houston Street, they feature 15 beers on tap, multiple HDTVs, Deluxe

Sports Programming Packages and notable pub fare including Irish

Nachos, McMurphy’s Meatballs and an impressive Reuben made with house- made corned beef.

MAD DOGS

Then there’s Mad Dogs, the company’s flagship brand that’s located directly under the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which happens to be the largest seller of draft beer along the River Walk. Expect yards, kilts and Oktoberfest happy hour specials.

It’s worth a visit for some of the best FishN-Chips in town and that includes hand-cut and double-fried French fries. Sausage lovers will appreciate their Irish sausages, known as bangers, which are served with mashed potatoes and a delectable onion gravy. Enjoy karaoke on Monday nights and a variety of entertainment throughout the week.

Mad Dogs

click on this:

BIER GARTEN

www.Biergartenriverwalk.com

LITTLE RHEIN PROST HAUS www.Littlerheinprosthaus.com

MAD DOGS

www.Maddogs.net

MADDY MCMURPHY’S

www.Maddymcmurphys.com

THE FROSTY DOG

www.Thefrostydogsa.com

THE FROSTY DOG

Finally, Oktoberfesters on the go will appreciate a quick stop at the company’s newest concept, The Frosty Dog also located near the Hyatt Regency, where you can get grab a few German beers in cans as well as an assortment of margaritas, pina coladas and hurricanes in giant souvenir yards or fishbowls.

Truth be told, there will be no shortage of opportunities to celebrate Oktoberfest along the River Walk this year, not to mention at bars and restaurants throughout San Antonio. Prost!

WRITER’S BIO

Kimberly A. Suta of Sutapants Productions is a local and national food writer, awardwinning filmmaker and publicist for the culinary industry. She’s also the co-creator of Homegrown Chef (homegrowncheftv. com), a culinary series and catering and events company featuring our city’s best chefs and delicious eats.

09/30/21