For the Love of Beer is our monthly guide to Madison County’s brewery scene. Missed the August Edition? Check it out here.

Event featuring all Madison County Breweries!

Redstone Arsenal Oktoberfest, September 11-14

Location: Redstone Arsenal Activity Field

Admission Price: $12 – $15 (depending on day)

Once inside, visit the Craft Biergarten tent, featuring all 8 of Huntsville’s local breweries, as well as one from the Shoals! Unlimited sampling tickets can be purchased at the tent for $20, which includes a souvenir sampling cup. 20 oz. pours of your favorite craft beer will also be available for purchase. Learn more about Oktoberfest on Facebook.

Craft Biergarten Hours:

Sept. 11 & 12, 6 – 10 pm

Sept. 13, 3 – 11 pm

Sept. 14, 1 – 5 pm

Below the Radar Brewhouse

Website | Facebook

Location: 220 Holmes Ave. N.E., Huntsville, AL

Tap Room Hours: (BTR is a full restaurant) Monday – Wednesday: 11am-10pm

Thursday: 11 am-11 pm

Friday-Saturday: 11 am-2 am

Sunday: 10 am-10 pm

Phone Number: 256-469-6617

Number of Taps: 32

September Events at Below the Radar:

Clown Shoes Tap Takeover

Tuesday, September 9: 5 pm

Come try a wide variety of beers from this Massachusetts brewery and take part in some free swag giveaways!

Black Warrior Tap Takeover

Tuesday, September 23: 5 pm

Enjoys beers from this new Tuscaloosa brewery and take part in some free swag giveaways!

River Dog Beer Dinner

Sunday September 28

6 courses prepared by Chef Wesley Walters, paired with 6 specialty River Dog beers

Cost: $50 – call and make a reservation (limit to 50 people)

Featuring White Cappin’ Weizen, Oud Bruin Dog Aged on Balton Cherries, Rye Dopplebock, Red IPA, Milk Stout & Praline Ale (beers only available to those participating in the beer dinner).

Blue Pants Brewery

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Location: 500 Lanier Road, Bldg. 1, Ste. A; Madison, AL

Tap Room Hours: Monday -Wednesday: 3-10 pm

Thursday -Saturday: 3 pm-12 am

Sunday: Closed

Phone Number: 256-325-1131

Number of Taps: 10 taps rotating through their various brews.

September Events at Blue Pants Brewery:

We Care Wednesdays

Every Wednesday, during regular taproom hours, Blue Pants partners with different local non-profit organizations to help them raise funds. We donate $1.00 from every pint purchased that day. The Neon Lilly food truck serves food at the taproom and also donates $1.00 from each meal purchased. Check Blue Pants’ social media each week to see which non-profit is benefitting.

Blue Pants Oktoberfest

Saturday, September 20: 3 pm – 11 pm

Kick off Huntsville Craft Beer week at Blue Pants Brewery’s Oktoberfest celebration! They’ll have three different German beers on tap (Oktoberfest, Kolsch, Rauchbier), Rocket City Brass Band providing authentic German music, and a hog roast! Check their Facebook page for updates.

You’ll also get a chance to purchase your own Blue Pants German beer mug!

Cost: FREE

Old Black Bear Brewing Company

Website | Facebook

Taproom: While Old Black Bear does not yet have a taproom, they are in the process of building one in Downtown Historic Madison on Maine Street. It will be located next to Bandito Burrito. They plan to be open by the end of 2014, and their hours will be 11 am-10 pm Monday-Saturday.

September Events featuring Old Black Bear:

The Station Bingo Night

Thursday, September 25, 6 pm

The Station, 8694 Madison Blvd, Madison, AL 35758

Admission Price: FREE

OBB is sponsoring Bingo Night at the Station, anyone can play for cash prizes!

Rocket Republic Brewing Company

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

September Events featuring Rocket Republic:

Pint Night at Logan’s Roadhouse

Thursday, September 4: 5 -7 pm

Logan’s on University

Rocket Republic One Year Anniversary Party

Saturday, September 6: 4 pm, at Huntsville Brewery

This party includes the official launch of seasonal Steampunkin’ Pumpkin Ale.

What’s New from Rocket Republic?

Steampunkin’ Pumpkin Ale (6.3%ABV)

Seasonal Release

Available through Thanksgiving

At some point during September, Mellow Mushroom Providence will be getting a Cask of Banana Peanut Butter AstroNut! Check the Rocket Republic Facebook so you don’t miss this delicious beer!

Salty Nut Brewery

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Location: 4411 Evangel Circle Ste. A, Huntsville, AL

Tap Room Hours: Thursday – Friday: 5 – 9 pm

Saturday: 3 – 8 pm

As the smallest brewery in the state, Salty Nut provides a nice, low key, laid back atmosphere. With TV’s, couches, and plenty of seating. They have 6-8 taps of their brews, depending on the event.

September Events at Salty Nut:

Vertical House Records Party

Saturday, August 30: 6 pm

Cost: FREE

Live music by ThunderKrotch, beginning at 8:00pm. Vertical House will be playing vinyls all night and there will be a special “Vertical House Ale” (black IPA) on tap

Food Truck: ON-ON Tacos

**Taproom will open at noon, for opening season of football**

Chef Bill from Back Alley Bistro

Saturday, September 6: 4 pm (until food is gone)

Cost: $12 (includes meat,a white cheddar pasta salad, a roasted new potato salad (vinegar based) and a field pea and sweet corn sucottash, along with a cheddar chive muffin)

Chef Bill is cooking a 100lb whole hog on site!

What’s New from Salty Nut?

Squatch DIPA (10.0%ABV)

A bold double IPA with a strong malt balance and a smooth hop profile. It will be released within the next week!

Das NutFest Oktoberfest Ale (5.5%ABV)

Oktoberfest Style beer, currently available

Vertical House Ale (7.2%ABV)

A black iIPA with a smooth citrus profile, dry hopped for pleasant aroma, with some roasted notes, currently available

Honey Amber Ale (5.2%ABV)

This amber ale is dry-hopped with real orange blossom honey, has a nice malt backbone, with citrus hops and sweet citrus honey, currently available

All of these beers are available in limited quantity, ONLY in the Salty Nut taproom, so get them while you can!

Straight to Ale

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Location: 3200 Leeman Ferry Road, Huntsville, AL

Taproom Hours: Everyday, 3 – 10 pm

Phone Number: 256-489-0820

Straight to Ale’s taproom pours out of 10 taps and has food trucks on site most nights. The outdoor biergarten is open each day for your enjoyment and will play host to many events this summer and fall. The Biergarten even includes 2 disc golf baskets to entertain our disc golf fans while they sip on their favorite Straight to Ale brew.

Straight to Ale offers tours of their brewery each Saturday at 2pm. To sign up for a tour, visit their website. The Taproom will be closed for a private event on September 13 and there will be no tour!

September Events at Straight to Ale:

BBQ Brews & Blue

Thursday, September 4: 6 -10 pm

Event features live music in the biergarten by Codger & Sons, lawn games, a BBQ dinner by Ted’s BBQ, and a raffle for some amazing outdoor items like a Green Egg and Yeti Cooler!

Tickets: $25, includes souvenir beer mug and dinner (purchase tickets) – all proceeds fund Junior League of Huntsville community programs.

Live Music by Dave Anderson, Ken Waters, and Phil Weaver

Friday, September 5: 7:00-10:00 pm

Rock guitarist Dave Anderson (Atlanta Rhythm Section, Black Jacket Symphony), jazz trumpeter Ken Watters, and classical guitarist Phil Weaver will perform a very special and unique show including solos, duos, and trios. The music will include Samba, Tango, rock, improvisation, and originals with works by Brasilian composer Celso Machado, Astor Piazzola’s famous Libertango, and Mason William’s Classical Gas.

Cost: $12 (tickets can be purchased at Straight to Ale or The Fret Shop)

Food Truck: I Love Bacon

Music Has a Meaning

Saturday, September 6 -10 pm

Live music from The Rocketeers Drum & Bugle Corps, Tres Locos, NEB, Alan Little and Kevn Kinney!

Cost: $10 (purchase tickets)

Food Truck: I Love Bacon

What’s New from Straight to Ale?

Olde Towne Pumpkin Ale (5%ABV)

This ale is brewed with pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice and is a tribute to Alabama’s first manufacturing brewery since Prohibition. This beer will be available wherever fine craft beers are sold, on draft and in limited bombers. Olde Towne Pumpkin is currently available and will most likely be in stores for a month or two, depending on demand.

The Brew Stooges

Facebook | LinkedIn

Location: 109 Maple Ave, Huntsville, AL

Taproom Hours: 5 to 9pm Thursday, Friday, & Saturday

Phone Number: 256-759-7457

The Brew Stooges taproom is a laid back environment, right in the middle of the brewery action. They offer 9 taps of their delicious brews, all with witty names like “Knucklehead Porter” and “Double Wrong Rye”. Their brewery/taproom space opens into the quaint biergarten, making it an ideal location for a summer/fall event!

Yellowhammer Brewing

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Location: 2406 Clinton Ave West, Huntsville, AL

Taproom Hours: Friday 4:30-9 pm, Saturday 2-9 pm

The Yellowhammer taproom has 9 taps, flowing with their unique beers, as well as a beautiful, shady Biergarten, providing a perfect hang out on hot summer afternoons. The biergarten has tons of seating and includes corn hole and “Viking Chess” a unique yard game, fun for all ages.

Our Valley Events Beer Guide can be found here.

All eight Madison County breweries were contacted, so a lack of information indicates a lack of response and not a bias on the part of the blogger or Our Valley Events. To ensure your brewery’s inclusion in next month’s blog, email leslie@straighttoale.com.