Beers for Fears

No word yet if smoke taint will obliterate this year’s wine grape harvest, but the tri-county area has brewed up a backup plan in case 2020 proves to be a year without a vintage.

As tempting as it is to say that we have a “Plan B for Beer,” the fact is this has always been the region’s Plan A. Before Vineburg there was Hopland and before you look that up to prove me wrong, consider that we are on the eve of October, which means Oktoberfest is coming soon.

I predict there will be no Halloween this year, so those adults who like to drink and costume themselves in saucy versions of pop culture characters should prepare to pivot and embrace this annual celebration of brews (that is if you need an excuse to dress up as sexy Baby Yoda and drink).

Here’s an Oktoberfest primer I once wrote somewhere else:

“Codified in 19th century Bavaria as an official 17-day beer-fueled celebration, Oktoberfest has been imported and contorted by innumerable celebrants as an excuse to go on a bender.” Still true.

And though I don’t have access to Bavaria, I do have access to the Bohemian and the Pacific Sun archives-specifically to the readers’ polls that comprise our “Best Of” issues. Using this data, I’ve been ruminating on beer; it’s been “room with a brew,” if you will.