Cartridge Brewing’s Inaugural Oktoberfest

Maineville, OH—While many area-wide events are winding down or already complete, Oktoberfest at Cartridge is just getting started. This is the brewpub’s inaugural year celebrating all things Bavarian, and it kicks off officially today – an array of food, fun and libations that runs for two weeks through Sunday, October 10 … but it all starts with the beer, of course.

Cartridge has already established itself as a brewery dedicated to honoring the deep German roots of the Cincinnati area, brewing traditional German lagers and Munich-style beers since opening in the fall of 2020. For their first foray into the Oktoberfest domain, the brew team created a unique pair of fest varieties to celebrate in true Rhineland style: Panzer (Festbier), a “super Helles” and modern malt showcase, and Sherman (Oktoberfest), Panzer’s brother-in-arms and a bigger, bolder version of the classic style.

“Sherman is an aggressive version of the traditional Oktoberfest, rolling over into the Bock range,” says Adam Mills, head brewer. “While Panzer is more in line with what you’d see in a modern interpretation of that style – malty and easy-drinking.”

“We wanted to do something notable for our first Oktoberfest,” says Kyle Hackbarth, COO and co-founder. “And naming these beers after two historic tanks that went head-to-head was a given … it’s a big part of who we are, ‘honoring the past, brewing the future.’”

The brewpub also currently has an impressive six additional German-centric beers on tap, including Covert (Schwarzbier), Checkpoint (Hefeweizen), Prost (Munich-style Dunkel), Decoy (Dunkelweizen), Sip Trip (Kölsch), and Up the Hill (Munich-style Helles and recent USOBC silver medal winner).

But what’s an Oktoberfest without a proper stein of bier? Cartridge has that covered, too. The brewpub is selling limited-edition collectible Rastal steins – these 1-liter ceramic masterpieces are authentic to the core, made in Germany and branded with a special Oktoberfest event logo. Best of all, each purchase of a stein automatically reserves the buyer a spot in Cartridge’s stein-holding contests. Two are set to take place – Sunday, October 3, and Sunday, October 10, at 3 p.m., with winners to claim brewpub prizes and inaugural bragging rights. Limited quantities of these commemorative steins are available now for $25, with $10 refills through October 10.

Rounding out the two-week extravaganza is a feature menu full of Bavarian flavors – chef-inspired dishes that are separate and unique from the full-service, scratch-kitchen’s everyday upscale pub fare. These include a beer-braised bratwurst with house-made beer cheese, a pan-fried traditional pork schnitzel served with garlic-dill red potatoes and curry aioli, and a unique burger topped with crispy goetta and Swiss cheese. Notable, too, is that all three of these offerings are topped with beer-braised sauerkraut – because what would an Oktoberfest be without it?

MORE ABOUT CARTRIDGE BREWING: Veteran-owned, born within the restored historic Peters Cartridge Factory, located alongside the Little Miami River and bike trail, this isn’t your typical brewpub. Opening in the fall of 2020, the Cartridge team takes hospitality seriously – far above the standard restaurant-bar model, more focused and deliberate than most big production breweries. Brewing a balanced, crushable family of beers within its 15 bbl brewhouse (from lagers and IPAs to the light, eclectic and fruity), offering signature craft cocktails and curated wines, plus a full kitchen and fresh, upscale pub menus – all within 10,000 sq.ft. of restored industrial space … a community hub once again just north of Cincinnati, Ohio. Learn more on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, or go to CartridgeBrewing.com.