Suburban Septemberfest

Counterintuitively, Europeans get the ball rolling on Oktoberfest before October has even begun. To parallel the beer-drinking extravaganza across the pond, Grist Beer Hall (310 Palladio Parkway, Suite 713) in Folsom will host its free holiday kickoff on September 16 and 17 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Although it’s a bit of a drive from Sacramento, the trek will be worth it as the bar is stocking 13 of its 50 taps with imported beers to fit the occasion. Executive chef and owner Heather Zamarripa wants her business to become a destination for “beer nerds,” so she’s pouring rarities like a Smoked Märzen from Germany’s Gänstaller Bräu and a Belgian pale ale with gooseberries from Denmark’s To Øi. They’ll offer liter-sized boots for bulk drinking, contests for costumes and stein-carrying as well as traditional German fare like schnitzel and bratwurst. Prost!