Oktoberfests add oompa to the next two weekends

Plus the requisite Oktoberfest beer, food specials and live music. See the full schedule and menu at hofbrauhauspittsburgh.com.

At Lawrenceville’s Church Brew Works, they tapped their ceremonial keg on Sept. 8, but the beer and the German menu (including bratwurst-potato-sauerkraut pierogies) and traditional music continue through Oct. 3 (churchbrew.com).

Other places have their own takes on this tasty seasonal celebration that started in Munich in 1810. After last year’s local celebrations, volunteers poured more than 10,000 bottles of Penn Oktoberfest into a vat at Wigle Whiskey. The Strip District distiller turned it into an Oktoberfest whiskey called O’Zapft (German for “it’s tapped”), which it is releasing from 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday at its Barrelhouse and Whiskey Garden on the North Side. Admission is $15 and includes an O’Zapft cocktail and sampling, Oktoberfest beer and German chocolate cake. They’ll mark the new whiskey there again from 3:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, in the Strip. More at wiglewhiskey.com.

You’ll find Oktoberfest beer and food at many places around town, including Osteria 2350 in the Strip District, which on Sept. 28 is doing a $75 five-course beer dinner titled “Porktoberfest” (osteria2350pittsburgh.com).

On Sept. 25, Lawrenceville’s Hop Farm Brewing Co. will hold its Hoptoberfest, a beer-and-food-pairing festival to benefit Camp Chihopi, for children who have had transplants at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC. Details at hopfarmbrewingco.com/events.htm.

Its neighbor, Roundabout Brewery, will close off 49th Street on Oct. 9 to hold its celebration of smoked fare, Smoketoberfest (roundaboutbeer.com).