In 1876 the grandfather of Theodor Geisel (a.k.a Dr. Seuss) co-founded one of Springfield’s earliest breweries. The company was named Kalmbach and Geisel, which the locals nicknamed “Comeback and Guzzle,” Now, over one hundred years later, beer lovers can again sample a “Comeback and Guzzle” brewed in honor of the forthcoming Dr. Seuss Museum by Springfield-based White Lion Brewing.
This exclusive introduction will be available for the first time at the Springfield Museums’ annual Oktoberfest event, “The Art of the Brew” on October 6, 2016 from 5 – 8 p.m. The event, which serves as the kick-off of the Museums’ popular Culture & Cocktails series, will also feature samples from over a dozen breweries and 20 homebrewers for one admission price.
To pay homage to the German-style beers that Theodor Geisel’s grandfather created, White Lion brewer Mike Yates chose to make a classic Oktoberfest lager, a small-batch, cold-fermented brew with “Noble” Saaz hops, with an ABV of 5.5%. These Märzen beers originated in Germany, and were brewed in the spring (März is German for “March”) and then warehoused until the annual Oktoberfest celebrations.
Ray Berry founder of White Lion shared, “There was a strong lineage of brewing in Springfield; local breweries were brewing upwards of 100,000 barrels annually. However, Prohibition impacted the sector and the local brewing environment never recovered. We are humbled to be the first craft beer brand to recognize the city of Springfield as its home and introduce the ‘Springfield Series,’ an exclusive series of beer styles in collaboration with the Springfield Museums. There is no better way to introduce the ‘Springfield Series’ than to recognize one of the founding families of brewing: Theodor Geisel & Family. It is time to Comeback & Guzzle.”
In addition to the new beer from White Lion, the Oktoberfest event will feature samples from 20 different home-brewers as well as commercial breweries including Amherst Brewing Co., Artisan Beverage Coop., Berkshire Brewing Company, Iron Duke, Jack’s Abby, Lefty’s Brewing Company, Paper City Brewing Co., the People’s Pint, Samuel Adams, Scantic River Brewery, Swing Oil Beer, and Traveler Beer Company. All tastings are included in the price of admission, which is $5 for members and $15 for nonmembers (attendees must be 21 or over). The event also features live music by General Gist and the Mexican Cadillac, plus passed hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar by Log Rolling Catering. Oktoberfest is sponsored by TD Bank; the media sponsor for the Culture & Cocktails series is The Republican/Masslive.
The Culture & Cocktails series has become a staple of Springfield’s social scene, with a different theme and setting inspired be the Springfield Museums’ extensive collections, special exhibits and holiday celebrations. Other event in the series will include “Gingerbread, Magic & Merriment” (December 8); “Indulgence: An Evening of Wine & Chocolate” (February 2nd); “Festival of Flowers” (April 6); and “It’s Fun to Have Fun” (June 8).
Advance ticket purchases are encouraged, as some events have sold out in the past. For tickets to all Culture & Cocktails events, please visit www.SpringfieldMuseums.org or www.facebook.com/SpringfieldMuseums/, or call 413-263-6800 ext. 379.