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Can you name that yeast?



by John Anderson


Charlotte's fourth annual Oktoberfest celebration turned out to be a great day of brews and some unseasonably warm weather! With temperatures in the upper 90's, it was great to be able to enjoy some cold beer and good fun. The festival featured 18 breweries and over 60 different beers, the majority of which were served on tap. Patrons of the event made their way around a horseshoe-shaped array of booths where brewers were cheerfully serving up their various assortments of beer.

Speaking of the patrons, the turnout for the event was fantastic! With hundreds of beer-lovers and other adventurous souls in attendance, it was standing room only around the brewery booths. Many sought relief from the sun's fierce rays in the shade provided by the Red Oak and Thomas Creek booths on the west side of the lot, while the fabulous brews to be had on the sunnier side of the festival kept folks coming back for more, despite the heat.

Carolina Brewmasters and Homebrew Adventures shared a booth where they dispensed cold homebrew courtesy of the members of the Brewmasters club and offered sage homebrewing advice to all those interested in the hobby. The homebrews featured were Bridget's Love Potion Saison, Colner Hofbrau Kolsch, Sell Us Belgian Witbier, and Abbey Normal Belgian Ale. The Abbey Normal was so popular that the keg was empty by 6:00 PM!

One of the highlights of the Oktoberfest celebration was the presence of the brewers there to serve up their cold libations. After all, it's not every day a regular Joe gets to rub elbows with professional brewers! All those present were approachable and more than happy to discuss the finer points of their brewing techniques and the unique characteristics of each of their brews.

My personal favorite beer was the Firewater IPA being poured by our friends from the Catawba Valley Brewing Company in Glen Alpine, NC. It was cool, crisp, and refreshing on such a hot day! Also excellent was the Black Radish, a dark lager from the Weeping Radish Brewery in Manteo, NC. Of course, there were many more that were delightful, but those two stood out in my mind as the best of the bunch.

All in all, this year's Charlotte Oktoberfest was a great success! Eighteen dollars bought you a beautiful half-pint sampling glass featuring the Charlotte Oktoberfest and SouthEnd logos and all the craft beer you cared to drink. What a deal! Be sure to join us for next year's celebration!

Here are some HBA favorites:


Crimson Oktoberfest: Copper colored, medium bodied, malty brew with a sweet toasted malt flavor and aroma. This style was originally brewed for Oktoberfest but is too good not to be consumed year round.
St. Nick's Holiday Ale:: St. Nick's Holiday Ale is a delightfully spiced ale with accents of cinnamon and vanilla. Mildly hopped with nice honey flavors balanced by the nutmeg and clove. This Amber colored malty ale will really warm up your winter nights. Brew early to make the Holidays!
HBA Mini-Brew System:: A basic equipment package including all of the necessary equipment to get you started in brewing 2.5 gallon (approximately 1 case) batches of beer at home. You'll be amazed of the quality of your homemade beer! Includes 3.5 gallon fermenter with bottling spigot and drilled lid, airlock and rubber stopper to fit the lid, bottle filler and tubing, .25# Real Beer caps (approximately 50 - enough for your first 2 batches), bottle capper, ingredients (specify light, amber or dark) and instruction manual. The Mini Brew is the perfect system for the beginner who's not sure how serious they want to get with the hobby.
Franconia Rauchbier:: Deep amber color, rich malty sweetness and medium smoke intensity. Like other beers in Oktoberfest/ Marzen family, low to medium hop bitterness, low hop flavor and aroma which allows its delicious smoky character to shine through.
Cru Select Cabernet Sauvignon:: This variety is King of the noble grapes. Grown worldwide, it is a medium to full-bodied red with a distinctive black curranty flavor and hints of mint and cedar. Perfect for those cold winter nights.
Cellars Classic Bergamias (Beaujoulais): This refreshing, light bodied red has become a favorite wine for the holidays. The Gamay grape variety gives it a cherry and candy flavor with a hint of raspberry. Best enjoyed young.
Who is John Anderson?

  • New Media Developer with Burnett Group NC
  • Beginning Homebrewer
  • Sometime Medieval Re-enactor
  • Beer lover for 2x10-2 centuries