Atwater Brewery Celebrates its 15th Anniversary with Tashmoo “Bloktoberfest”

Atwater Brewery, Detroit’s hometown craft beer brewery, has joined forces with Tashmoo Biergarten to celebrate its 15th Anniversary, kick-off the 4th Annual Detroit Beer Week, and resurrect its legendary Bloktoberfest street scene.

On Saturday, October 20th, Detroit beer lovers can join the fun rain-or-shine inside and outside Atwater Brewery at 237 Joseph Campau in Detroit’s Historic Rivertown District (noon to 9:00 P.M.). In addition to its many award-winning styles of beer, Atwater will feature its Bloktoberfest, a Marzen style beer similar (but better!) than the famed German Octoberfest beers that have been enjoyed in German Rathskellars for centuries. Blocktoberfest guests can enjoy Detroit-based food vendors and live music throughout the day.

“Over the past 15 years, Atwater has become Detroit’s largest craft brewer,” said Mark Rieth, Atwater owner. “We decided to resurrect our popular Bloktoberfest as a way to celebrate and show our appreciation for our beer loving Atwater customers. Our friends at Tashmoo agreed to take their event on the road to join us.”

As a precursor to the Saturday festivities, on Friday evening, October 19, “Atwater Takes Over the Block” with its brews featured at neighboring Rattlesnake Club and Andrews on the Corner, both locations within a few hundred feet of Atwater Brewery’s historic 1919 warehouse. Both events are part of Detroit Beer Week, which runs from October 18 thru October 29.

Atwater’s Bloktoberfest brew is a traditionally styled “Marzen”. It is clean, with some light almond or walnut notes that come from the Munich malt. Then a touch of darker malt is added to bring in elusive raisin or fig notes. As is traditional in German brewing, the hop is balanced, with the slight, but perceptible flavor and nose of Hersbrucker hops. Atwaters other German brews, including D-Light, Atwater’s Lager, Voodoo Vator, Purple Gang Pilsner, Double Down and a special Dunkel will also be available.

For more information on Bloktoberfest (Saturday, October 20, noon to 9:00 P.M.) and other Beer Week activities, please visit:

• Atwater Brewery (web) or Atwater Facebook
• Tashmoo
• Detroit Beer Week

Did you know?

Marzen is the German word for March. The Marzen was the last brew of the year before the onset of summer, which made brewing impossible. A large quantity would be brewed and stored in Bavarian ice caves to be brought out during the summer. Once summer ended, the remainder would be tapped in bulk to be consumed at an annual festival which celebrated both the harvest and the beginning of the new brewing season. And, thus Octoberfest was born….