Heartwork Brewing’s third annual Oktoberfest celebrations were held noon to 11 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. The establishment decked its interior with the blue and white lozenge flags of Oktoberfest and offered a wide selection of German foods.
“Ziggy zaggy, ziggy zaggy, oi oi oi,” Sasha Ludington, a bar regular in a blue traditional German dirndl dress, yelled.
Ludington was shouting a German bar chant at a row of six customers who each held a pint-sized stein full of their choice of beer armlength in front of them — the competitors of the stein-holding competition. Ludington chanted as she tried to encourage the competitors as their arms grew ever tired.
But only one could remain to win the coveted $25 gift card to Heartwork Brewing. Sasha’s husband and reigning champion from last year’s event Michael H. Ludington came out on top. He said he set a record of 10 minutes last year.
“Yeah, I just hold a beer,” Michael H. Ludington said, after winning.
He donned dark gray lederhosen and a Tyrolean hat, matching his wife’s German garb. He said Sasha, who has German ancestry, was the one who found and purchased the outfits for them to connect to her heritage.
Aubrey Williams, co-founder of the brewery, said Heartwork began planning the event months in advance.
“There's definitely a lot of work that goes into it,” Williams said. “A lot of the beers specific to the event need to lager for, you know, six to eight weeks ahead of time.”
The event featured Märzen and the Festbier, two traditional beers to celebrate Oktoberfest in Germany, as well as one of its seasonal beers, the Munich Dunkel. The beers are brewed in-house by William’s husband and fellow co-founder Dan Williams. Customers could buy a Heartwork Brewing-branded stein, which came with cheaper refills and allowed them to enter the stein-holding competition.
Williams also said that customers can bring these steins back for their spring Frühlingsfest next year.
The food offerings were increased this year for Oktoberfest, spearheaded by Jeff Browne, the head of operations and runner of the tap room for the bar. The menu expanded for the weekend after the success of its bratwursts during its Frühlingsfest event in April. The normally pizza-centered menu temporarily included Festbier bratwursts, pulled pork sliders made with the Märzen, potato salad and homemade pretzels with beer cheese, also made with the Festbier.
While many would expect an Oktoberfest celebration to happen in October, Williams said they have theirs during September since most of the Oktoberfests in Germany also take place during this month.
Friday night was a bit calmer as Bloomington locals alongside out-of-towners came to enjoy the festivities and new menu additions. Dallas residents and Indiana University graduates Kathy and Rick Lowe came to the bar after seeing a flyer for the event after coming to town for Saturday’s football game.
“We had some time to kill,” Kathy Lowe said. “So, let's go have a beer.”
Williams said the brewery is celebrating its third year in business, and she encourages the community to support other local breweries as the Oktoberfest season starts.
