Why This Might Be the Best Week of the Year to Visit a Local Brewery
For over forty years, the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) has been the premier stage for craft beer in the United States. Each October, a three-day extravaganza unfolds in Denver, CO, now hosting hundreds of breweries and approximately 50,000 guests. The long weekend culminates in an awards ceremony, where medals are awarded for the best beers across 97 categories covering 175 styles.
In preparation, breweries across the country are producing special recipes and competition batches designed to showcase their finest ingredients, most exacting processes, and greatest creativity. Those beers have already been shipped to Denver for judging, which means you can taste many of them fresh, on tap at your favorite breweries today.
What to Look For
- Past winners. Finding a fresh batch of a medal-winning favorite is a great place to start, and you can do just that by checking this database of medalists (searchable by brewery, state, and style).
- Competition entries. Don’t be afraid to ask your beertender: “Do you know if any of these batches were submitted for GABF competition?” If the answer is “yes,” you know you are tasting a beer brewed with special care and high confidence.
Unfamiliar styles. GABF celebrates the full spectrum of classic beer styles—from Robust Porters to Bières de Garde to Grodziskies. These styles may not drive sales at retail, but they can win medals—and they’re on tap right now.
How to Follow Along
As you might expect, Bay Area breweries have a long history of success in these awards, and we expect this year’s competition to bring more of the same. To keep up with results:
- Watch the GABF Awards Ceremony livestream
- the official Great American Beer Festival website and the Brewers Association website after the event for complete lists of medal winners and other competition insight.
🍻 Upcoming Events Featuring Our Member Breweries
🎉 Free (Pay-As-You-Go) Public Events
Saturday, 9/20 — Hasta la Raíz Release Party (Alameda Island Brewing, Alameda | 12–6 PM)
Hasta La Raíz is a nation-wide beverage collaboration and community fundraising effort for Freedom for Immigrants. Celebrate with fresh beer, live Mariachi music, tacos, tamales, and good company. More Info →Hasta la Raiz Release Party at Alameda Brewing
Saturday, 9/20 — Oktoberfest (The Garden by Tannery Bend Beerworks, Napa | 1 PM – 5 PM)
Tannery Bend is hosting an Oktoberfest celebration in their beautiful indoor/outdoor beer garden location: Steins will be available for purchase, which can be filled ALL MONTH LONG at the Garage, The Garden, and Napa Palisades! More Info → OKTOBERFEST! In Napa
Saturday, 9/20 — Oktoberfest (Headlands Brewing, Berkeley)
Celebrate Oktoberfest with Healands Brewing at both of their Berkeley, CA locations - in their Westbrae neighborhood beer garden and on the Cal campus. Enjoy traditional German food specials, festive decorations, and lively music at both locations. Raise a 1L stein of their just-released Bierstiefel Festbier 🍻🇩🇪! More Info → OKTOBERFEST! In Berkeley
Saturday & Sunday, 9/20-9/21 — OKTOBERFEST! (Fruition Brewing, Watsonville | 12 PM – close)Fruition Brewing is hosting their annual two-day Oktoberfest extravaganza: A full slate of delicious lagers, Corralitos Sausages, and traditional tunes! More Info → OKTOBERFEST! In Watsonville
Sunday, 9/21 — Briny Bois Bash (Humble Sea Alameda Point, Alameda | 12–5 PM)
Expect Oysters (fresh & fried), shuckers, chefs, and shanty-singers as Humble Sea turns their Alameda taproom into an “oyster-fueled nautical rager.” More Info →Briny Bois Bash: A Celebration of Oysters in the Bay Area
Sunday, 9/21 — The Afterfest (Armistice Brewing, Richmond & Napa)
Armistice’s annual Oktoberfest blowout: German food from Butter’s Burgers + Curbside Kitchen, stein-holding contests, pretzel-eating battles, and lagers flowing all day. Napa details → The Afterfest in Napa / Richmond → The Afterfest in Richmond
Saturday, 9/27 — Cuver Brewing 4th Anniversary (Windsor, CA)
Celebrate four years with Lila’s Streetside Eats, live music from Rhythm Drivers, and a darts tournament. More Info →4th Anniversary Celebration!
Saturday, 9/27 — BYO Stein Oktoberfest at Enterprise Brewing (San Francisco, CA)
Show off your stein!!! Bring your own stein and Enterprise will fill it up with their new, limited-release Festbier brewed with 100% locally grown Admiral malt. Plus fresh pretzels, and DJs spinning tunes straight outta Deutschland! More Info →Oktoberfest in SF!
Saturday, 9/27 — Oktoberfest at Taplands (Santa Clara, CA)
Taplands continues its annual tradition of hosting an Oktoberfest celebration in Santa Clara. This year’s draft list includes offerings from several member breweries. Guests are invited to come in traditional costumes and participate in the stein-holding competition. More Info →Oktoberfest in Santa Clara!
🎟️ Ticketed Events
Saturday 9/20 — Oktoberfest (Alvarado Street Brewing, Monterey, CA | 1 PM – 5 PM) Alvarado Street Brewing is throwing their first Oktoberfest celebration on the historic Colton Hall Lawn in Monterey, California! The event benefits the Monterey Firefighters Community Foundation and will feature German-style brews from over twenty excellent breweries.
More Info → Oktoberfest In Monterey
Saturday 10/4 — Brew Good Fest (Petaluma, CA | 5:30–10 PM)
Brew Good Fest is a fundraiser/launch-party for The Open Tap Initiative, a nonprofit organization designed to turn collaborative beers into community benefits. Expect delicious beer from some of our members, a taco Bar, live music, and a silent auction. More Info →Brew Good Fest
Saturday & Sunday, 10/4–10/5 — Oaktoberfest in the Dimond (Oakland, CA)
The East Bay’s iconic, family-friendly Bavarian street fest — featuring dozens of member breweries, live music, and more. More Info →Oaktoberfest in the Dimond
📅 Save the Dates
Saturday, 10/4 — 2025 Wet Hop Party at Original Pattern (Oakland, CA)
Six unique Wet-hopped beers hit the taps — a once-a-year harvest-time treat. More Info → 2025 Wet Hop Party
Saturday, 10/11 — Strike Brewing Anniversary Party (San Jose, CA)
Raise a pint with San Jose’s hometown brewery as they celebrate another year of great beer. More Info → Celebrate With Strike
Friday 2/20/2026 - Sunday 3/1/2026 — Beer Week 2026 (The Whole Damn Bay Area!)
The biggest and best regional celebration of independent craft beer on the planet! Keep up-to-date on all the events at sfbeerweek.org