Great Central Brewing Company Commemorates Oktoberfest With Limited-Edition Festzelt Brew
Great Central Brewing Company, a Chicago-based collaborative brewer for brands like Middlebrow, Pollyanna, Cruz Blanca, Old Irving, Maplewood, and Illuminated Brew Works, is celebrating the fourth anniversary of their taproom with the launch of their limited-edition Oktoberfest beer dubbed the Festzelt.
With an ABV of 5.7%, the Festzelt uses a Vienna Malt to create a light caramel taste and bring out the underlying bready notes. The Oktoberfest brew pairs well with the season while maintaining the crisp, clean, and drinkable flavor and quality Great Central is known for.
In addition to using ingredients imported directly from Germany, the Festzelt is brewed using a decoction process, a traditional way of German beer brewing, to support superior foam and flavor.
Because the company’s anniversary coincides with the Oktoberfest season, they are celebrating the Festzelt and four years of success with an Oktoberfest-inspired event. From noon to 9 p.m. on Saturday, October 9th, patrons can stop by Great Central’s taproom at 221 N. Wood Street in Chicago’s Fulton Market district to enjoy authentic German-style beer, Bavarian food, live music, and a Lederhosen contest. There will also be a 50/50 raffle where half of the proceeds will go to Alliance for the Great Lakes, whose mission is to provide clean water to all.
In order to attend the event, patrons will have to provide either a COVID-19 vaccination card showing their fully vaccinated status or proof of a negative COVID test within the previous 72-hours of October 9th to be admitted.
“Oktoberfest represents a time honored tradition in Germany. This celebration just so happens to coincide with the anniversary of our own brewery, and the release of our seasonal beer, Festzelt, a German-style Oktoberfest. What better way to celebrate another year than to gather with our community at Great Central for a celebratory Oktoberfest-inspired event,” says CEO and co-founder, David Avram.
Not only is the Festzelt available on tap at select local restaurants such as Gino’s East, Kaiser Tiger, Lucky Dorr, Roots Pizza on Dearborn, and 2Twenty2 Tavern, but individual cans are also available for purchase at various craft beer shops and food markets across Chicago, namely Beermiscuous, Bitter Pops, Beer Temple, Fresh Marketplace, Joe’s Wine Cellar, and Green Grocer, retailing for $9.99 for four 16 ounce cans. It’ll only be around until the beginning of November, so be sure to try it while it’s available!
To learn more about Great Central Brewing Company and their great tasting beer, please visit their website at www.greatcentralbrewing.com or follow them on Instagram at @gcbrewingco.
About Great Central Brewing Company
Great Central Brewing Company is a collaborative brewery that helps brew a wide variety of craft beverages for growing brands, while brewing their own line of authentic German style beer. Brewing great, timeless beers free from trends, Great Central Brewing Company celebrates a classic Chicago attitude: work hard, be good to each other, and share a beer with your neighbors every now and again. Created in 2015 with the love of beer and desire to contribute to the craft beer community in mind, Great Central Brewing Company is dedicated to keeping the Chicago-born spirit of ingenuity pumping and alive in the world. With the Great Central Train Station as its namesake, this local taproom and brewery honors it’s “great central” heritage with everything they create.
