Beer’d Brewing Märzen Release Party

Beer’d Brewing Märzen Release Party brings a full day of beer, food, and Oktoberfest-inspired fun to The Velvet Mill in Stonington on Saturday, September 5.

The Labor Day weekend release party runs from noon to 9 p.m. at Beer’d Brewing Co.’s original Stonington taproom at 22 Bayview Avenue. The brewery will introduce its Märzen while adding food from three fellow Velvet Mill businesses and a stein-holding competition to the celebration.

The event gives Beer’d a chance to welcome the approaching Oktoberfest season with a style of beer that has deep roots in German brewing tradition.

Beer’d Releases Its Märzen

The centerpiece of the September 5 party is the release of Beer’d Brewing’s Märzen.

Märzen is a traditional German lager style historically associated with Bavaria and Oktoberfest. The name translates to “March,” a reference to the time of year when the beer was traditionally brewed before the warmer months made lager production more difficult.

The beer would then be stored, or lagered, through the summer. By fall, those remaining Märzen supplies were ready to be consumed, helping create the style’s lasting association with Oktoberfest.

Modern Märzens are generally known for their amber-to-copper color and malt-forward character, with toasted and bread-like flavors balanced by enough hops to keep the beer from becoming overly sweet.

Beer’d has not packed the announcement with tasting notes or technical specifications for its version. Instead, the September 5 party is centered on giving people their first opportunity to try the brewery’s Märzen at the source.

A Different Kind of Beer’d Release

Beer’d Brewing has become particularly well known for hop-forward beers, making a traditional German-inspired lager an interesting change of pace for the Stonington brewery.

Beer’d was founded in 2012 and began brewing at The Velvet Mill, the sprawling former textile complex in Stonington Borough that has since become home to artists, makers, restaurants, food businesses and other independent operations.

The brewery later expanded with The Silo, its production brewery and second taproom in Groton.

The Stonington location, however, remains the original Beer’d.

That makes The Mill an appropriate setting for a release party built around one beer and the community of businesses surrounding the brewery.

Food From Around The Velvet Mill

Beer’d doesn’t operate a conventional restaurant kitchen at its Stonington taproom, but that isn’t much of an obstacle inside The Velvet Mill.

For the Märzen party, Beer’d is bringing in food from Dock 9, Meryl + Masa and Zest Fresh Pastry, all of which are located within the same 22 Bayview Avenue complex.

Dock 9 operates as a restaurant and cocktail bar inside the mill.

Meryl + Masa combines a sourdough bakery with Latin-inspired food, while Zest Fresh Pastry has been a longtime destination inside The Velvet Mill for pastries, baked goods and sweets.

Having all three participate makes the release party as much a Velvet Mill collaboration as a brewery event.

It also fits the unusual nature of the building itself. Visitors can move among studios, shops, restaurants and food businesses without leaving the former mill complex, making Beer’d part of a larger destination rather than an isolated taproom.

Test Your Grip in the Stein-Holding Competition

The party also includes a stein-holding competition, borrowing another tradition closely associated with Oktoberfest celebrations.

The challenge looks deceptively simple.

Competitors hold a filled beer stein straight out in front of them, keeping the arm extended without bending the elbow or lowering the glass. As the seconds turn into minutes, the weight becomes considerably less forgiving.

The last competitor maintaining the required position wins.

Beer’d hasn’t announced additional competition details in its event promotion, so anyone hoping to participate can get the specific rules and signup information at the brewery during the event.

The Velvet Mill Adds to the Day

A Saturday event at Beer’d also comes with something that isn’t technically part of the release party.

The Stonington Village Farmers’ Market takes place at The Velvet Mill every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.

During the warmer months, the market operates outside at the mill and brings together area farmers, food producers and other vendors.

That means September 5 has the potential to turn into a much longer Velvet Mill visit.

The farmers market runs through noon.

Beer’d’s Märzen party begins at noon.

From there, the brewery keeps the celebration going until 9 p.m.

The building itself dates to the late 19th century, when Stonington became an important center for velvet manufacturing. Today, the former industrial property has been repurposed as a mixed-use community of small businesses, artists, food producers and makers.

Beer’d has become one of its best-known tenants.

A September Beer With a Long History

The timing of the release isn’t accidental.

Although Oktoberfest is associated with October by name, Munich’s modern Oktoberfest actually begins in September. The original celebration was held in October 1810, but the festival gradually moved earlier to take advantage of warmer weather and longer days.

Beer changed along with it.

The darker Märzen that became synonymous with Oktoberfest eventually gave way at the official Munich festival to the lighter Festbier commonly served there today.

Outside Germany, however, Märzen remains strongly associated with American Oktoberfest season.

That makes early September prime time for breweries to begin tapping their fall lagers.

At Beer’d, that season begins September 5 in Stonington.

An All-Day Release Party

This isn’t a short ceremonial tapping followed by business as usual.

Beer’d is promoting the Märzen release as an all-day party running from noon until 9 p.m.

There will be the new beer, food from Dock 9, Meryl + Masa and Zest, and the stein-holding competition.

And because it’s happening inside The Velvet Mill on a Saturday, visitors can also make the brewery one part of a larger trip through the complex.

For Beer’d fans, though, the reason for the party is right there in the name.

A new beer is ready.

This time, it’s a Märzen.

Event Details

Event: Beer’d Brewing Märzen Release Party
Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026
Time: Noon–9 p.m.
Venue: Beer’d Brewing Co. – The Mill
Location: The Velvet Mill
Address: 22 Bayview Avenue, Stonington, CT 06378
Featured Release: Beer’d Brewing Märzen
Food: Dock 9, Meryl + Masa and Zest Fresh Pastry
Activity: Stein-holding competition

 

 

Featured image is an artistic representation inspired by the event and may not depict the actual people, location, or activities shown.