Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration. Still, Hizzoner will make his second appearance at a Denver craft brewery in as many weeks when he kicks off Prost Brewing's three-day Oktoberfest celebration this Friday and taps the first keg of the brewery's new Märzen lager, the traditional brew of the annual celebration.
See more - Photos: Mayor Hancock becomes an honorary brewer at Denver Beer Co - Oktoberfest, fall brews and pumpkins highlight this week's beer calendar - Twenty best vaguely German costumes of Oktoberfest Denver 2012
On September 19, Hancock got a crash course on the brewing process and beer ingredients when he dropped by Denver Beer Co to help create a pumpkin beer that will be tapped on October 5 for Denver Beer Fest, an annual nine-day celebration that has taken place for the past three years around the Great American Beer Festival.
In the meantime, though, the mayor is getting his lederhosen on (not literally).
"With fall upon us and October fast approaching, 'tis the season to toast Denver's outstanding beer culture," Hancock wrote to Westword. "Last week I was honored to stand in as brewmaster at Denver Beer Company to create a new pumpkin ale in time for Denver Beer Fest. And I'm pumped to kick off Oktoberfest celebrations on Friday at the city's most recent brewery addition, Prost Brewing Company."
It has been a tradition in Munich, Germany -- the heart of Oktoberfest -- since 1950 for the mayor of that city to tap the first keg of beer at the festival at noon.
In addition to Hancock, Prost expects German chamber of commerce vice president Fred Beisser and boardmember Inge Freirichs to participate.
The party begins Friday at noon with live music from the Rhinelanders, who will play an Alpenhorn, and food from Baker Street pretzels, Uber Sausage, Follow That Cart and Dipstix. The festivities will continue until midnight and then pick up again on Saturday from noon to midnight, and again on Sunday from noon to 8 p.m.
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