By Stephanie Thara Metzinger<\/em><\/p>\n The Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest has been hailed as the number one Oktoberfest in the western US \u2013 and now I know why. With an impressive beer selection, captivating Oompah band and around-the-clock German contests and entertainment, Big Bear\u2019s Oktoberfest was one of the most impressive beer-centric celebrations I have been to.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s get into it.<\/p>\n As you enter the event, you are hit with the joyous melody of \u201cEin Prosit, Ein Prosit Der Gem\u00fctlichkeit\u201d reverberating from the Oompa band atop the massive dance floor and Oktoberfest go-ers throughout the room. It\u2019s honestly hard not to join in on all the singing\u2026even if you don\u2019t understand the language.<\/p>\n You are then greeted by a massive arch adorned with brightly colored flowers\u2014and a statue of a cow. Yes, a cow. As BeachRock Bill explains in his Oktoberfest origin story post<\/strong><\/a>, the arch is probably attributed to the fact that Oktoberfest started out as a wedding celebration that grew into a cultural phenomenon. However, I am unsure the significance of the cow\u2026perhaps we can dig into that in a future blog post.\u00a0To the right, you see a bar with taps as far as the eye can see. I head over to immediately grab a beer and was happily surprised at the wide selection of drinks available. As you all know from Chancey B\u2019s Great Expectations post<\/strong><\/a>, I am a sucker for when breweries go beyond their comfort zone and offer a HUGE variety of beers.<\/p>\n The beer line-up included three German beers (two of which are the very same beers poured at the original Munich Oktoberfest) and a variety of beers from Spaten, Hofbr\u00e4u and Warsteiner. They also had American beers on tap including Rougue\u2019s Pumpkin Patch Ale, Golden Road\u2019s Mango Cart, Second Chance\u2019s Hazy IPA, Harland Brewing\u2019s Hazy IPA, Elysian Space Dust IPA, Stella. Here\u2019s my take on the ones I did try:<\/p>\n To my surprise, the Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest sold mini-kegs of Warsteiner and Hofbr\u00e4u (original and Oktoberfest). I\u2019ve partaken in numerous Oktoberfests over the years\u2014including Alpine Village in Torrance (RIP), Old World Village in Huntington Beach and Phoenix Club in Anaheim (RIP)\u2014and none of them sold mini-kegs that could easily and conveniently be enjoyed at your table. Talk about a bang for your buck!<\/p>\n Inside the venue, there were 2 bars available to serve beer \u2013 which allowed lines to move quite quickly. Outside, there was an additional Tiki bar which served beer as well as hard liquor. Unique to this Oktoberfest was a Slushie Bar, which offered alcohol and nonalcoholic options.<\/p>\n The tiki bar was part of the outside festivities, which featured outdoor seating that was very kid-friendly, a small dance floor, a craft market, food vendors and typical beer-centric games such as beer pong and cornhole. I loved that Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest offered both inside and outside options\u2014so I could grab my beer, shop around, play some friendly yet competitive games and enjoy the mountain view.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, paying the extra few bucks to reserve a table inside is definitely the way to go if you want to experience the entirety of the event. Being inside, you have easy access to both beer bars and the main food nook which served the best brat and sauerkraut I\u2019ve ever had. You are also up against the dance floor, so are able to see the entertainment up close \u2013 everything from Log Sawing to Steinholding. There are smaller versions of these competitions outside, but the inside spectacle is where Big Bear Lake places the most focus on.\u00a0<\/p>\n Overall, the vast selection of beers along with breathtaking mounting views and the spectacle of beer-happy festival goers rigorously sawing through a thick piece of wood for fame and glory won me over. I recommend that the Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest is placed on the bucket list of beer lovers across Southern California. To learn more about the event, visit the Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest website here<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Have an Oktoberfest that you think tops the Big Bear Lake Oktoberfest? Share them below in the comment section or email us at socalcraftbeer@gmail.com<\/strong><\/a>. We\u2019d love to hear from you!<\/p>\n Until next time, prost!<\/p>\n \u2014 Stephanie \n\t\t\tPublished<\/strong>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/socalcraftbeerblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/oktoberfest-banner.jpg?w=1024\")
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Check out the profusion of flowers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBeer and Other Drinks<\/h2>\n
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Outdoor Market<\/h2>\n
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Instagram\u00a0@stephzinger<\/a>
https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/stephaniethara<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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