Host a Backyard Beer-Garden Bash

Southern-Style Oktoberfest

Don't forget to have some outstanding brews on hand that you can pair with each course for a festive touch.

The Menu
Starters:
Plum-Glazed Sausage Board

Main Course:
Dry-Brined Beer-Can Chicken
Tart Apple-and-Cabbage Toss
Warm Lentil-and-Potato Salad

Dessert:
Black Forest Pound Cake

Plum-Glazed Sausage

Offer Bratwurst, Bockwurst, and weisswurst with fresh chicken or spicy pork sausage.

• Recipe: Plum-Glazed Sausage

Dry-Brined Beer-Can Chicken

Grilling is a delicious way to "roast" a whole bird, especially when beer is involved. Use a milder brew if you wish, but skip hoppy IPAs.

• Recipe: Dry-Brined Beer-Can Chicken

Tart Apple-and-Cabbage Toss

Sauerkraut meets coleslaw in this vinegar-based salad, while the paper-thin apple slices and finely shredded cabbage add rich autumn color.

• Recipe: Tart Apple-and-Cabbage Toss

Warm Lentil-and-Potato Salad

French green lentils add flavorful texture. They remain firm after cooking, while traditional brown lentils turn soft. The dressing of bacon vinaigrette, fresh parsley leaves, celery, and shallots pairs well with a robust pale ale.

• Recipe: Warm Lentil-and-Potato Salad

Black Forest Pound Cake

This decadent dessert is an easy, one-pan twist on the traditional layered cake. Prepare the cake and cherry sauce in advance. Make the whipped cream topping and shaved chocolate the day you serve it.

• Recipe: Black Forest Pound Cake

Noch ein Bier, bitte! (Another Beer, Please!)

Try one of these standout Southern brews with each course for a festive touch.

Appetizer: Start with an Oktoberfest- or Märzen-style beer, each a delicious complement to the sausage board.

• Bob's '47 Oktoberfest, Boulevard Brewing Co. (Missouri)
• Clawhammer Oktoberfest, Highland Brewing Company (North Carolina)

Main Course: Feast with a pale ale or IPA. The robust flavor will hold its own with the smoky chicken and bold side dishes.

• 60 Minute IPA, Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales (Delaware)
• IPA, Good People Brewing Company (Alabama)

Dessert: Settle down with a stout or porter. Both styles will stand up to the rich chocolate cake and fruit.

• Sue imperial porter, Yazoo Brewing Company (Tennessee)
• Happy Ending imperial stout, SweetWater Brewing Company (Georgia)