I’m German. Well, at least ancestry.com says so. Like a century back my family immigrated to the US through Ellis Island and here I am today, a California girl who loves both beer and pretzels, so I’d say that calls for an appropriate Oktoberfest celebration, right??
*watch the comments for my Aunt Janie to come in hot with a family heritage lesson*
The big NorCal brewery is Sierra Nevada, conveniently located north of me in Chico, CA. Keeping with that whole family heritage trend, Chico is the home of the University where my parents met and fell in love, so between my Chico legacy and my German ancestry, I basically had to attend Sierra’s Oktoberfest!
Forewarning– it’s definitely an event you need to plan ahead for, since the tickets sold out only hours after their release back in July. Aside from your entry, the ticket includes one free beer in your complimentary stein and a traditional German style buffet (additional beer tickets were $4 which is practically like stealing beer). Also, live German bands to accompany your dancing on tables… yes, please!
The beer geek in me was enthralled to seem them pouring from taps attached to the side of refrigerated semi trailers, all of which were appropriately placed in front of the hop field. Despite the hop trellis’ barren bones, the beloved, danky scent hung in the air (honestly probably my favorite part) which leads me to my next point… Hop Harvest!
While Sierra’s Oktoberfest season has come to an end, October 20th is their big Hop Harvest Festival so grab some friends and go! Chico is total road trip material, with a beautiful college campus, quaint downtown and tons of California history to explore!
World Watching 
Makes me thirsty just looking at the fine photos. PROST !