This weekend’s SMOKED BBQ feature is a Smoked Bratwurst Burger on a Pretzel Bun. $17.95 (Weather permitting.) As colder weather looms, this will be our last BBQ feature until next Spring.
NEWS FROM THE BUSHWAKKER BREWERY. Bushwakker head brewer, MICHAEL GAETZ, reports our small but very vocal group of English Best Bitter customers have expressed great joy now that our GRANNY’S BITTER has returned. Enjoy that one tank while you can because it is selling much faster than usual! Our Oktoberfest beer, HARVEST LAGER, was released the last week of September for our Oktoberfest Week celebration. When it runs out the NORTHERN STRONG LAGER will return. Our autumn specialty brew, GREAT PUMPKIN SPICED BROWN ALE, will be released at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 7th – just in time for Thanksgiving! BUSHVAR CZECH PILS and another double batch of CHICO IPA are also working their way through the brewery. Our next fruit beer offering will be the very popular BLOOD ORANGE BLONDE ALE.
Our guest tap is currently pouring a Hofbrau Original Munich Helles from Munich; $8.95 for a half litre and $16.95 for a traditional Oktoberfest litre! Next up is an Oatmeal Session Pale Ale from the Black Bridge Brewery in Swift Current.
Our premium wines for October are the INVISIBULL WINES from BC. The red is a Malbec and the white is a Sauvignon Blanc. Both are $7.50 for a glass and $19.95 for a half litre.
THANKSGIVING FANCY GROWLER PACKAGE. Your Thanksgiving fancy feast deserves a fancy growler of Bushwakker beer to go with it! Right now you can purchase one of our Hop Handle growlers with two newly designed JoeFafard/Bushwakker etched glasses and a complimentary growler fill at the time of purchase for only $70! Take your traditional Thanksgiving Dinner spread to the next level this year!
Oct. 2: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. THE U OF R JAZZ BAND. Come hear the future Regina jazz stars! 8:00 PM.
Oct. 4: MONTHLY ALES MEETING. Looking to enhance your homebrewing skills. Why not sit in on a meeting with some of Regina’s most passionate and enthusiastic homebrewers? All levels of brewing experience are welcome. Meetings are held in the Bushwakker basement clubroom on the first Wednesday of the month at 8:00 PM.
Oct. 4: Wednesday Night Folk. THE RED WAGON GYPSIES. An unplugged a cappella/acoustic blend of sister-like harmonies. 8:00 PM.
Oct. 6: FIRST FIRKIN FRIDAY. Enjoy the pomp and circumstance of this long-standing Bushwakker monthly tradition. A keg of special beer is paraded throughout the brewpub in a procession led by a piper from The Regina Police Service Pipes & Drums. A volunteer is selected to wield the handmade wooden maul affectionately called The Mighty Firkin Wakker and attempt to tap the firkin in one mighty blow. The suds-soaking spectacle takes place at 5:30 PM.
Oct. 7: ANNUAL GREAT PUMPKIN SPICED BROWN ALE RELEASE. This will be Bushwakker head brewer, Michael Gaetz's new version of this autumn specialty brew. He has a revised plan on how the ginger component of this pumpkin pie-like ale will be introduced into the beer. He is confident this year's offering will not disappoint! Be sure to pick up some bottles or a growler fill for the Thanksgiving weekend!
Oct. 9: CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAY. Happy Thanksgiving!
Oct. 11: Wednesday Night Folk Night. CHAD KICHULA. Solo acoustic show featuring two-fisted, blue-collar rock & Americana. 8:00 PM.
Oct. 13: SASK VS. OTTAWA. Kickoff is at 8:00 PM. Enjoy our gourmet OTTAWA BURGER & A PINT special for only $17.95. Think of it as “devouring” the competition!
Oct. 14: GOLD MEDAL “PINTS.” The Bushwakker has been invited to participate in a celebration of the best in Canadian beer being held at the Delta Regina Marriott. Gold Medal Pints is an invitation-only showcase and cross-Canada beer competition. A national panel of beer experts headed by global beer authority and World Atlas of Beer co-author, Stephen Beaumont, has chosen our PALLISER PORTER as among the top five beers in our region.
Oct. 16: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. THE MINISTRY OF GROOVE. Great 1970’s jazz funk and beyond! 8:00 PM.
Oct. 18: Wednesday Night Folk Night. MADISON NICOL & FRIENDS. Young Regina alumni of MI and Berklee plays 1970s inspired singer-songwriter tunes mixed with bluegrass. Opening acts too! 8:00 PM.
Oct. 19: HEALTH SCIENCE PUB. Post-Traumatic Stress & Public Safety: Breaking the Silence, Challenging the Stigma. Our wildly popular Science Pub Series has returned for a sixth incredible season! Enjoy lectures on scientific topics of general interest in our Arizona Room (main floor banquet room) over beer and snacks. The room opens at 5:00 PM and quite often is full by 6:00 PM. Avoid disappointment and come down early for dinner and a pint before the presentation which begins at 7:00 PM. This month's lecture will be presented by Dr. Nick Carleton, Professor of Psychology, University of Regina and Dr. Nick Jones, Associate Professor of Justice Studies, University of Regina. Nick Carleton will showcase the recently released results of the national survey assessing the mental health of first responders and other public safety personnel. This data shows that PTSD poses a serious concern for the health of public safety workers. Nick Jones will discuss the potential implications of these results in terms of how we train public safety personnel and how we provide ongoing support. In both instances the talks will highlight some of the structural factors that may be influencing public safety mental health.
Oct. 23: Monday Night Jazz & Blues. 'ROUND MIDNIGHT. Veteran Regina act plays great jazz standards. 8:00 PM.
Oct. 25: Wednesday Night Folk. THE LINCOLN LOGGERS. Lumberjack themed band plays crowd pleasing covers, catchy sing along songs & comical original tunes. 8:00 PM.
Oct. 27: SASK VS. MONTREAL. Kickoff is at 7:30 PM. Enjoy our gourmet MONTREAL BURGER & A PINT special for only $17.95. Come “devour” the competition!
Beers inspired by the brews associated with the famous Oktoberfest beer festival of Munich are the most popular seasonal beers brewed by American craft brewers, as well as some of the most popular German imports. However, the use of the name Oktoberfest can be confusing.
In Germany and the European Union, “Oktoberfest” beer is essentially a trademark and its use is controlled by the festival. For over 100 years, the official beer style of the festival was the märzen style, a full-bodied amber lager that is brimming with rich malt flavor. By 1990, festival organizers had realized that many of those attending Oktoberfest preferred a lighter colored and flavored beer. In deference to this consumer preference, the official beer style of the festival was changed from the märzen to a golden lager. Thus, the only beer style in Germany properly called Oktoberfest is a golden lager and not the märzen, though this restriction does not apply to exports.
American craft brewers are not bound by the German trademark and have continued to use the name Oktoberfest to describe their fall seasonals — which are usually märzens. Most German exports, regardless of style, still use the name Oktoberfest on the label and sometimes will add “fest” or “märzen” to identify the true style. American craft brewers have adopted similar practices, though there is not real uniformity.
Most American craft brewers brew the märzen style because it is a more complex and flavorful than the fest style. This is not surprising, as that is what craft brewing is all about — flavorful and interesting beers. However, the fest style does have its charms. Despite its light color, it is full of balanced malt flavor, hints of sweetness, pleasant bitterness and floral hop flavor that make it very drinkable.
There are three German märzens available locally that are brilliant examples of this style: Paulaner, Spaten and Ayinger. Each is slightly different, but all are exceptional; however, I personally favor Paulaner Oktoberfest Märzen and consider it the standard for this style. This märzen is beautifully clear with attractive amber highlights. It is a study in elegance with an exceptional balance of ingredients remarkable smoothness. The flavor is reminiscent of lightly toasted bread. At mid-taste, there is a perception of slight sweetness that enhance the richness of the beer, and that sweetness fades to a pleasantly dry finish that encourages another sip.
There’s no real hop flavor in this beer; bitterness is hidden in the background and neatly balances the rich malt flavor. Spaten differs from the Paulaner in that it has a bit more bitterness at mid-taste, and Ayinger is slightly sweeter than the other two.
Asheville’s Hi-Wire Brewing’s Zirkusfest is an excellent märzen, as is Bell’s Oktoberfest. Both are very similar in approach to the style with the typical rich malt character and a bit more bitterness than the Paulaner version — so these do not have its smoothness. Leinenkugel and Shiner Oktoberfests are similar to these American versions though they are slightly lighter in flavor but still very enjoyable märzens.
Samuel Adams’ Oktoberfest is a perennial favorite and for years has been the biggest seasonal for this craft brewer. Sam Adams takes a slightly different approach to the märzen style. In addition to the standard malts used for the style, theirs features a measure of luscious caramel malt, setting it apart from the rest of the märzens. This is a great beer even though the caramel flavor is not stylistically accurate.
Paulaner Oktoberfest Wiesn is the brewery’s golden lager, the same beer the Paulaner brewery serves in its huge tent at the Munich festival. This beer is a beautifully clear, medium gold with a lightly toasted malt flavor, though not nearly as malty as a märzen. To add to the confusion, Paulaner does not use the “fest” designation on the bottles exported to the U.S. The name “wiesn” is German for “meadow” — the local nickname for the Munich festival. Weihenstephaner Festbier is a tasty golden lager that is a bit sweeter than Wiesn but finishes pleasantly dry. Cheers!
The highly anticipated release of our autumn specialty brew is Saturday, October 7th at 11:00 AM. Just in time for Thanksgiving!
Dolly Parton and Queen Elizabeth went to the Pearly Gates on the same day. They both met with an Angel to find out if they would be admitted to Heaven.
The angel said "Unfortunately, there's only one space in Heaven today so I must decide which one of you will be admitted."
The Angel asked Dolly if there was some particular reason why she should go to Heaven. Dolly took off her top and said, "Look at these, they're the most perfect breasts God ever created and I'm sure it will please God to be able to see them every day, for eternity."
The Queen walked over to a toilet, pulled the lever and flushes it without saying a word. The Angel immediately said, "OK, your Majesty, you may go into Heaven."