As the air turns crisp, leaves shift to fiery reds and golds, and pretzels, bratwurst, and lederhosen begin appearing across Pennsylvania, one thing is certain: Oktoberfest season is here. And with it comes a flood of Märzens and Festbiers—those malty, toasty, smooth lagers that define the season.

Pennsylvania, with its deep German brewing roots, doesn’t just celebrate Oktoberfest—it owns it. From Philly to Pittsburgh, Hershey to Pottsville, PA breweries churn out some of the best seasonal lagers you’ll find anywhere in the country. Whether you’re a malt-forward Märzen loyalist or a fan of the lighter, crisp Festbier, the Keystone State has you covered.

So, grab your stein, dust off your dirndl, and let’s dive into the Top 5 Oktoberfest Beers in Pennsylvania (plus a few honorable mentions).

The Top 5 Oktoberfest Beers in Pensnylvania Are….

(See our recent article: Embracing the Season: The Return of Fall Beers)

1. Tröegs Oktoberfest Lager (Hershey, PA)

Tröegs doesn’t do anything halfway, and their Oktoberfest Lager proves it. Brewed with a traditional decoction mash (a rarity in American brewing), this Märzen glows copper in the glass and bursts with notes of caramel, toasted bread, and gentle floral hops. At 6.1% ABV, it’s rich without being heavy, making it dangerously drinkable by the liter.

This one isn’t just a local favorite—it consistently earns national praise as one of the best American Oktoberfest-style lagers brewed today. If you’re hitting Tröegs’ beer hall this fall, a stein of this paired with their pretzels and beer cheese is mandatory.

2. Human Robot Festbier (Philadelphia, PA)

If Tröegs is about tradition-meets-accessibility, Human Robot is about absolute technical precision. Their Festbier, brewed with a double decoction mash and lagered cold and long, is a masterpiece of restraint and balance.

Think: buttered crackers, honey sweetness, and a touch of noble hop bitterness that keeps it endlessly refreshing. Beer geeks have been raving about it for years, and Untappd scores back that up—it’s one of the highest-rated Festbiers in the country.

Pro tip: If you’re in Philly this fall, don’t just drink it—drink it fresh at Human Robot’s biergarten.

3. Victory Festbier (Downingtown, PA)

Victory has been around long enough to be considered a Pennsylvania institution, and their Festbier is a shining example of why. It balances malt depth (think chocolate, caramel, and dried fruit) with an earthy hop character that makes it richer than most Oktoberfests.

Wine Enthusiast gave it a 90-point rating, and for good reason—it’s hearty, bold, and just different enough to stand out from the crowd. If you’re into darker, maltier lagers that still stay drinkable, this is your pick.

4. Boneshire Brew Works Pigtoberfest (Harrisburg, PA)

Harrisburg’s own Boneshire Brew Works has quietly built a reputation for balanced, flavorful lagers, and their Pigtoberfest is no exception. Malty and smooth, with just enough hop bitterness to keep it crisp, this beer captures the essence of the German Märzen style. It’s a perfect companion for bratwurst, pretzels, and festive gatherings.

5. Penn Brewery Oktoberfest (Pittsburgh, PA)

Over in the Steel City, Penn Brewery has been flying the German beer flag for decades. Their Oktoberfest has the pedigree to prove it, too—it’s a Great American Beer Festival medal winner.

Brewed with caramel and roasted malts, it’s a clean, medium-bodied lager that leans traditional. At 5.5% ABV, it’s smooth, approachable, and exactly the kind of beer you want in your stein while polka bands play and sausages hit the grill.

Honorable Mentions 🍂

Pennsylvania has so many stellar Oktoberfests, narrowing it to just five is almost unfair. A few more worth tracking down this fall:

• Love City Brewing – Love Fest (Philadelphia): Weyermann malts give it a nutty, bready character with a kiss of caramel sweetness.

• Neshaminy Creek – Creekfestbier (Croydon): Toasty, crisp, and bone-dry—a Festbier lover’s dream.

• Sly Fox Brewing – Oktoberfest Lager (Malvern): Caramel and spice on the nose, crisp and malty on the palate. A yearly favorite.

• Yuengling Oktoberfest (Pottsville, PA): Crisp large scale Oktoberfest

Final Thoughts

Oktoberfest season in Pennsylvania is something special. Between its rich German-American brewing heritage and its thriving modern craft beer scene, the state produces lagers that stand toe-to-toe with the best from Munich.

Whether you’re looking for tradition (Tröegs, Penn), precision (Human Robot), wide availability (Yuengling), or malt-forward richness (Victory), there’s an Oktoberfest beer here for you.

So, this September and October, skip the pumpkin spice latte and raise a stein of copper-colored lager instead. Prost!

See More Articles About Fall and Pumpkin Beers

• Fall Beers
• Beer Review: Hocktoberfest
• It’s Pumpkin Time! (Grandma SueAnn and Amy Review Zombies and Double Zombies are People Too and Braaaiins!)
• Pumpkin Patch Noir – Chocolate Pumpkin Stout (Homebrew Recipe)
• Grandma SueAnn Helps Review More Pumpkin Beers: 2 out of 3 Ain’t So Bad
• Pumpkin Beer Review with Grandma SueAnn – Abomination Brewing: Forbidden Pumpkin, Greater Good Brewing: Giant Pumpkin, and Pizza Boy Brewing: Sunny Side Up Double Coffee Pumpkin
• Beer Review: Pumpkin Stout (Newfangled Brew Works)
• Grandma SueAnn and More Beer: Beer Reviews of: Zaktoberfest (KCBC – Kings County Brewers Collective) and Devious Imperial Pumpkin (Fegley Brew Works)
• Master of Pumpkins, Cupcakes, Cookies, and Bacon Cheeseburgers
• Beer Review: How Now Brown Cow (With Pumpkin Spice) (Aslin Beer Co)
• LAKEFRONT RELEASES LATEST BREWERS’ RESERVE: IMPERIAL PUMPKIN ALE
• Embracing the Season: The Return of Fall Beers

Thank You For Reading

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Pigtoberfest Time Again!

Its time for everyone’s favorite annual ‘oinking good time’ – thats right, its Pigtoberfest time again! Once again its getting to be fall time and that means Oktoberfests everywhere, and at Boneshire Brew Works – that means Pigtoberfest.

The annual Pigtoberfest is always a fun event at Boneshire Brew Works with live music, great beers, a stein holding contest, and much more. And this year’s Pigtoberfest will be no exception!

Flyer

From their e – mail flyer:

They also have a Facebook event:

(Edited: September 30th, 6:50AM) (The event page was updated.)

“RAIN OR SHINE! Come join us for our 3rd annual Pigtoberfest. Its time to for Oktoberfest and 1L steins of Pigtoberfest to celebrate. The Bavarian Stompers will be here with traditional German music. Bratwurst, knockwurst, sauerkraut, soft pretzels and hot dogs! We will have plenty of tables outside. Stein holding contest at 2pm!”

You can find more information at their Facebook event page here: 3rd Annual Pigtoberfest at Boneshire Brew Works on Saturday, October 1st, 2022.

Annual Pigtoberfest Beer

Each year at this time Boneshire Brew Works also releases their annual Pigtoberfest Beer. You can read our review of it here: Beer Review: Pigtoberfest (Boneshire Brew Works).

Its an extremely delicious Festbier and certainly one of my favorites of the style; especially in the local area. If you are able to get it – and not just on the 1st (during the Pigtoberfest) – be sure to stop in and try it, you won’t be disappointed a tall, I can guarantee that.

Hurricane Ian

Well, this section is an update (edited and updated on September 30th at 6 – 7AM). With Hurricane Ian this changes things a little, but the event will go on – Rain or Shine. Music will still be there, stein holding will still happen, and there will still be wonderful beers flowing and food to eat. So be sure not to miss this just due to a few sprinkles (…or torrential rainfall… either / or). The event will still go on and be just as much fun if its inside or outside have no fears of that.

Past Pigtoberfest Articles

For past Pigtoberfest articles, please check these out:

• Pigtoberfest 2021 – Boneshire Brew Works
• Beer Review: Pigtoberfest (Boneshire Brew Works)

Boneshire Brew Works

For past Boneshire Brew Works articles, please check these out:

• Beer Review: Grace (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Pandemic Pils (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Fall Hippo (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Blue Hippo (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Sunburst (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Reviews: French Toast Shire, Cinnamon Bun Shire, Hazelnut Shire, and Coconut Shire (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Long Tongue Liar (Barrel Aged with Cherries and Brett-Lam) (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: The Hog (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Harrishire (Boneshire Brew Works and Harris Family Brewery)
• Beer Review: Dillston (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: A Good Walk Spoiled (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: S’Mores LazaRIS (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Iscariot (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Caucus-Race (6.0 Zappa Hops) (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Road Less Traveled (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Tried and True (Mango) (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: AuZealand (2.0) (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Boneshire Brew Works is Expanding into Harrisburg with a Second Tap Room
• Boneshire Brew Works is Celebrating it’s 5th Anniversary

Thanks For Reading

Saturday the 1st is going to be a busy day for us here at The Beer Thrillers. First off in the morning Amy and I will be volunteering with the Alzheimer’s Association’s Walk to End ALZ in Harrisburg (on City Island), then we’ll be stopping at the Polish / Slavic Fest (piroegies!) and then following that going to the Pigtoberfest. So look for us there probably around 1:30 to 2PM ish… I am guessing here, time becomes fluid once we start hitting up events. Hopefully Hurricane Ian will hold out and not turn everything into a wash fest, but we’ll see.

Fingers crossed.

(Edit: Hurricane Ian is going to be definitely playing a part, and will most likely be raining all day tomorrow – Saturday. We’ll see how this changes our plans. I know Amy’s mom SueAnne won’t be going with to the walk due to getting over a cold and having surgery on Monday. Edited on September 30th, at 7:15AM.)

(And don’t let the Breweries in PA banner with all the Oktoberfest Events mislead you… there is certainly a Pigtoberfest / Oktoberfest event going on at Boneshire Brew Works this weekend. They have several other breweries listed and shown on their image graphic / banner, but for some reason they don’t have Boneshire’s. They have Wolf’s listed, they have Pilger Ruh’s listed, Sly Fox’s, Wyndridge’s, Lost Tavern’s, and a few other’s listed, but they don’t have Boneshire Brew Works’s listed. They seem to give Boneshire Brew Works a bit of the short thrift it seems at times, but have no fear, we’ll cover them, and we’ll keep you updated. Also, have no fear, the event is certainly going on. Cheers! Edited: September 30th, 2:45PM.)

Once again, let me say thanks for reading. Hope you all have a wonderful end of September and beginning of October. There are so many fun Octoberfest events going on across the state (and across the nation… and across the world really) so get out there and enjoy some fun. I know on the 1st there is at least three events that I can think of – Pigtoberfest, Wolftoberfest, and Piltoberfest. (Boneshire Brew Works, Wolf Brewing, and Pilger Ruh Brewing respectively.) Hopefully you’ll be able to make it out to one of them.

Cheers all!

-B. Kline

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

Pigtoberfest

Its time for everyone’s favorite annual ‘oinking good time’ – thats right, its Pigtoberfest time again! Once again its getting to be fall time and that means Oktoberfests everywhere, and at Boneshire Brew Works – that means Pigtoberfest.

The annual Pigtoberfest is always a fun event at Boneshire Brew Works with live music, great beers, a stein holding contest, and much more. This year there’s even a cigar group thats going to be there to help with the festivities.

The event runs from 12PM to 10PM on October 2nd, 2021. You can read the events page information here:

Come join us for our 2nd annual Pigtoberfest. Its time to for festbier and 1L steins of Pigtoberfest to celebrate. The Bavarian Stompers will be here with traditional German music. Bratwurst, knockwurst, sauerkraut, soft pretzels and hot dogs! We will have plenty of tables outside. Stein holding contest at 2pm!

Pigtoberfest Facebook events page

So Come On Out

So come on out, hopefully we’ll get to see you at some point during the day and the festivities. I’m sure Josh will be there at some point, and after work, hopefully I’ll have a chance to stop by as well. Its always a hopping and busy day, with lots of good food, great music, and even more fantastic beer!

-B. Kline

Additional Links

• Beer Review: Pigtoberfest (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Boneshire Brew Works Expands to Second Location
• Boneshire Brew Works 3rd Year Anniversary Celebration
• Beer Review: Pandemic Pils (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Blue Hippo (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Long Tongue Liar (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Iscariot (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Tried and True (Mango) (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Harrishire (Boneshire Brew Works and Harris Family Collaboration)
• Beer Review: The Hog (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Dillston (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: AuZeland (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Caucus Race 6.0 (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: S’Mores LazaRIS (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Sunburst (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: A Good Walk Spoiled (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Beer Review: Road Less Traveled (Boneshire Brew Works)
• Human Robot Presents: Oktoberfest – And The First Milk Tube Race

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!