Beyond the Stein: Celebrating Oktoberfest Across the World of Craft Beverage
Oktoberfest Is Bigger Than Beer
When we hear the word Oktoberfest, most of us immediately picture overflowing steins, Bavarian pretzels, bratwurst, lederhosen, polka music and, of course, beer.
Beer is undeniably at the heart of Oktoberfest. The original Munich celebration dates back to 1810, when a festival was held to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese. Today, Munich’s Oktoberfest has evolved into the world’s largest folk festival. In 2026, the celebration runs September 19 through October 4 at Theresienwiese. (Oktoberfest.de)
But for the modern craft beverage community, Oktoberfest can—and should—be an opportunity to celebrate more than one beverage category.
For the Pink Boots Society community, that means looking beyond the traditional beer stein and raising a glass to the women working across beer, wine, cider, spirits and sake.
The Beer That Started It All
Traditional Oktoberfest beer is closely associated with Märzen and Festbier, styles designed for celebration, food pairing and communal drinking.
But today’s brewers are putting their own spin on the season. Oktoberfest-inspired releases can include traditional lagers, experimental lagers, barrel-aged beers, non-alcoholic beers and collaborations that showcase local ingredients and brewing cultures.
And there is no better reminder of beer’s diversity than the Great American Beer Festival, taking place October 10–11, 2026, in Denver. The festival showcases beer and cider while bringing brewers, makers and consumers together. (Great American Beer Festival)
For Pink Boots members, these gatherings aren’t simply opportunities to sample beverages. They’re opportunities to meet makers, build relationships, exchange knowledge and create the next generation of craft beverage culture.
Let’s Put Wine at the Oktoberfest Table
Who says Oktoberfest has to stop at beer?
Wine brings an entirely different sensory experience to a fall celebration. Crisp whites, sparkling wines, rosé and bold reds can complement traditional German-inspired foods beautifully.
Think:
- Riesling with sausages and spicy mustard
- Sparkling wine with pretzels and soft cheeses
- Pinot Noir with roasted meats
- Gewürztraminer with spiced dishes
- A fruit-forward red with apple strudel
Wine also gives Oktoberfest organizers an opportunity to welcome consumers who may not drink beer but still want to participate in the celebration.
And there are plenty of fall wine events worth watching. DC Wine Fest Fall Edition takes place October 16–17, 2026, while Wine on the Beach in Ocean City, Maryland, is scheduled for October 23–24. (DC WINE FEST)
Cider: The Apple of Oktoberfest’s Eye
If there is one beverage category that naturally belongs at a fall festival, it’s cider.
Apples, harvest season and cooler weather make cider a natural Oktoberfest companion. Dry cider can provide a refreshing alternative to a lager, while fruit-forward and barrel-aged ciders can bring complexity to the table.
Cider also represents an exciting intersection between brewing and fermentation. Pink Boots members interested in expanding their knowledge can explore the techniques, ingredients and sensory differences between beer and cider.
Australia’s cider community, for example, has a busy fall calendar, including the Australian Cider Awards in October and the Australian Cider Awards dinner on October 15, 2026. (Cider Australia)
Spirits Bring a Different Kind of Celebration
Oktoberfest doesn’t have to mean drinking a liter of beer.
Craft spirits can become part of the experience through cocktails inspired by the flavors of fall.
Imagine:
The Bavarian Old Fashioned
A whiskey-based cocktail featuring apple, bitters and warm spice.
The Pear Schnapps Spritz
Pear liqueur, sparkling wine and soda.
The Alpine Mule
Vodka or gin, ginger beer, apple and fresh herbs.
The Harvest Negroni
A classic Negroni variation featuring seasonal fruit or spice.
These drinks allow distillers and bartenders to participate in the Oktoberfest conversation while bringing a completely different craft perspective.
For Texas-based craft beverage enthusiasts, Spirits of Blanco runs October 30–November 1, 2026, in Blanco, Texas, bringing spirits and the broader beverage community together. (Spirits of Blanco)
Sake? Absolutely.
One of the most exciting ways to rethink Oktoberfest is through sake.
Sake may not be the first beverage people associate with a German festival, but that’s precisely what makes it interesting.
Sake is a fermented beverage with incredible diversity in aroma, texture and flavor. It also provides an opportunity to explore the connections between rice, fermentation, brewing, culture and food.
The American Craft Sake Fest in Los Angeles on September 5, 2026, brings together more than 100 sake selections from North American and Japanese producers, along with education, food pairings and opportunities to meet makers. (American Craft Sake Fest)
And on October 3, Sake Day East in Westborough, Massachusetts, will feature more than 100 sake styles and more than 20 producers. (Sake Day East)
For a Pink Boots audience, sake offers another reminder that fermentation doesn’t have a single language, culture or beverage category.
What Would a Modern Oktoberfest Look Like?
Imagine an Oktoberfest where guests could build their own tasting journey:
The Beer Station
Festbier, Märzen, craft lager and non-alcoholic beer.
The Cider Station
Dry, hopped, fruit-forward and barrel-aged cider.
The Wine Station
Riesling, sparkling wine, Pinot Noir and seasonal selections.
The Spirits Station
Fall-inspired cocktails and spirit-forward creations.
The Sake Station
Junmai, ginjo, nigori and sparkling sake.
The Zero-Proof Station
Non-alcoholic beer, botanical beverages, mocktails and sparkling options.
Now the celebration isn’t just about what is in the stein.
It’s about craft, culture, fermentation, creativity and community.
Festivals Worth Putting on the Craft Beverage Calendar
For Pink Boots Society members looking for events that extend beyond traditional beer festivals, here are several 2026 opportunities worth exploring:
Munich Oktoberfest — Munich, Germany
September 19–October 4, 2026
The original and still the benchmark. Beyond the beer tents, Munich’s celebration offers food, music, cultural traditions and an enormous opportunity to experience Bavarian hospitality firsthand. (Oktoberfest.de)
Oktoberfest USA — La Crosse, Wisconsin
September 24–27, 2026
A major U.S. Oktoberfest celebration featuring German traditions, music and beer culture. (Oktoberfest USA)
Great American Beer Festival — Denver, Colorado
October 10–11, 2026
One of America’s most important craft beverage gatherings, with beer and cider represented across the festival. (Great American Beer Festival)
Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape — Powhatan, Virginia
October 3, 2026
A particularly interesting crossover event for Pink Boots: wine, cider, mead, beer and spirits are all represented. (Powhatan’s Festival of the Grape)
DC Wine Fest — Washington, D.C.
October 16–17, 2026
A fall wine-focused event that provides an opportunity to explore wine culture beyond the traditional beer festival. (DC WINE FEST)
Sake Day East — Westborough, Massachusetts
October 3, 2026
A strong choice for anyone interested in sake education, fermentation and international beverage culture. (Sake Day East)
Oktoberfest in the Gardens — Australia
Perth: October 10 | Melbourne: October 17 | Sydney: October 31, 2026
This is especially relevant to the “Oktoberfest beyond beer” concept because the events explicitly feature German beers alongside wine and cider. (oktoberfestinthegardens.com.
Grape, Grain & Graze — Sydney, Australia
September 19, 2026
A fantastic model for an inclusive craft beverage festival, featuring wine, beer, cider, spirits and food in one experience. (rasnsw.com.au)
The Pink Boots Opportunity
For Pink Boots Society, Oktoberfest represents more than another date on the festival calendar.
It is an opportunity to ask:
What happens when we stop putting craft beverages into separate boxes?
A brewer can collaborate with a cidermaker.
A winemaker can partner with a brewer.
A distiller can create a cocktail around a seasonal beer.
A sake brewer can introduce consumers to a completely different fermentation tradition.
And consumers can discover that the craft beverage industry is much larger—and much more diverse—than they realized.
That is where Pink Boots Society shines.
We celebrate women. We celebrate craft. We celebrate education, collaboration and entrepreneurship.
So this Oktoberfest, raise your stein—but don’t stop there.
Raise a wine glass.
Lift a cider.
Toast with a cocktail.
Pour some sake.
Or choose a zero-proof creation.
Because the future of craft beverage isn’t about choosing one category.
It’s about celebrating all the people, cultures, skills and stories that make fermentation worth raising a glass to.
Prost! Kanpai! Cheers! Sláinte!
And, as always, drink responsibly and make room at the table for everyone.