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There’s a bear with a beer at Bagg’s Square Brewing Co.
Upon entering the establishment, guests are greeted by the creature, proffering a massive mug overflowing with ale.
The wooden statue was carved by craftsman Mark Tyoe at last year’s Baggstoberfest; Tyoe will be returning this year to carve another statue for the third annual Baggstoberfest, the brewery’s version of the German beer festival Oktoberfest.
About Baggstoberfest
Kayla Cataldo, a bartender at Bagg’s Square Brewing Company who has participated in every Baggstoberfest to date, said that a bounce house obstacle course will be featured once again this year. She said that the course is one of the most fun things she’s ever done.
“I’ve never laughed so hard in my life after doing that,” Cataldo sai
Attendees of the German-inspired festival can expect live music, dancing, dirndl dress and lederhosen costume contests, and of course, bountiful brews.
“Who doesn’t love a festival?” owner Jennifer Earl said. “And Oktoberfest is the ultimate beer festival. It’s just about trying to bring people into the city and celebrate what we do and have a good time.”
From Germany to Utica
Earl and her husband were inspired to open Bagg’s Square Brewing Co. after a 2014 trip to Dusseldorf, Germany. They were enamored with German beer culture, and wanted to bring their experience back to Utica.
“There weren’t really any German restaurants or anything like that in the area, so we thought it would be a really good opportunity to do something new,” Earl said.
Earl also appreciates being a part of the ongoing revitalization of Bagg’s Square. She said the neighborhood is beautiful and has a lot of history.
“We’re happy to be a part of renewing that,” Earl said.
Bagg’s Square Brewing Co. serves craft beers made in-house with a mixture of German influences and creative flavors. The Altbier, a brew with roots in Dusseldorf, is always on the menu; Earl calls it the beer that started it all. Also on tap: Märzen, the traditional German Oktoberfest beer, a peach ring sour, and Coffee Gold, a nitrogen-infused golden ale with a smooth, creamy texture.
The Altbier, which means “old beer” in German, is Cataldo’s personal favorite..
“It’s got a little caramel, a little chocolate, and you can taste those notes of coffee in the background,” Cataldo said.
More festival fun
All of those beers and more will be available at Baggstoberfest, as well as traditional festival food like hot dogs, hamburgers and soft pretzels.
Guests can compete in the aforementioned bounce house obstacle course and costume contests for the chance to win free beer for life. Cataldo said that in years past, guests have gone all out with dressing up. One guest last year even wore beer socks, which resembled a beer mug with a handle when pulled up.
With music by German singer-songwriter duo Beth & Fritz and Central New York band Homebound and dancing presented by the Edelweiss Schuhplattlers, a German-Austrian folk dance troupe, Baggstoberfest will celebrate German roots and all that the region has to offer.
Cataldo wants to emphasize that Bagg’s Square is in the business of beer, and good beer at that.
“We’re really excited about brewing beer and introducing people to new flavors that they haven’t had before,” Cataldo said. “All of us bartenders were trained to do that. You can come in and tell me what kind of beer you like, and we’ll find something that really tingles your taste buds.”
If you go
What: Baggstoberfest
When: Noon to 11:45 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 16
Where: Bagg’s Square Brewing Co., 330 Main St., Suite #1, Utica
Admission: $10, or free for Bagg’s BierKlüb members.
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