Great Moments in Craft Beer: Canadian brewers protest a corporate ‘Oktoberfest’ by throwing ‘Craftoberfest’ next door

Sometimes this life is just so goddamn beautiful, and yes, this is the story that made me write that lead: Banned from pouring beers at a local Oktoberfest because Molson Canadian owns the exclusive rights, Canadian craft brewers came together to throw their own kick-ass party right next door for $50 a head. TWB Cooperative Brewing (thrower of the party), you earn the first ever “Great Moments in Craft Beer” headline tag. From The Record in Kitchener-Warloo, Ontario:

“We feel very strongly that we should have a space to celebrate the harvest, the community and this special time of year,” Szaflarska said in an interview inside the Craftoberfest tent on a parking lot off Ontario Street.

A long-running sponsorship agreement with Molson Canadian gives the giant brewer exclusive rights to beer sales at all KW Oktoberfest events. So, Szaflarska and Shorney rolled up their brew meister aprons, and went about organizing Craftoberfest 2016.

Sold-out crowds came Friday and Saturday nights, checked out the local artwork, listened to the DJ and sampled craft beers from around this region and other parts of Ontario.

Craftoberfest hosted 20 breweries including Block Three, Waterloo Brewing, Innocente, Abe Erb, Descendants, Barncat, Royal City, Elora, Black Swan, Short Finger, KW Craft Beer Club, Wellington, Stonehammer, Four Fathers and KW Craft Cider.

Even Canada’s big name out-of-town breweries, like Great Lakes Brewing, and our pals at Beau’s All Natural. CBB raises its pints to all of you.