In Puducherry, Catamaran Brewing Co’s Oktoberfest 2026 offers beer Olympics and white stout

No kegs will be harmed at Catamaran Brewing Company in Puducherry this Oktoberfest. They will only be tapped gently.. nay.. opened with care to quench the thirst of beer drinkers travelling from near and far to participate in Tamil Nadu’s first micro-brewery’s sixth edition of the festival on October 23 and 24.

Or at least that is what co-founder Durgaprasad ‘Prasad’ Radhakrishnan claims. “Traditionally, in Germany, a ceremony called the ‘tapping of the keg’ takes place. It signals the very beginning of Oktoberfest. Earlier, someone important in the community would swing a thick wooden tap to break open the keg, causing quite the stir and leading to cheers. At Catamaran though, it is much easier. All we need to do is open the tap,” he says.

For years now, Puducherry has been the sole haven for the cursed majority seeking a decent pint in Tamil Nadu. Six years ago, when Catamaran got a license to operate as a micro-brewery, creating its own ales and stouts, Durgaprasad and his co-founder Rangaraju Narayanaswamy became mavericks in the State’s alco-bev space. Back then, Oktoberfest was started as a way to pay tribute to a world-renowned festival that celebrates their very being too. Today, it has evolved significantly.

Prasad says that over 500 people showed up in 2025 taking part in games, and drinking their latest offerings. “There are events in Chennai and Pondi where people participate passively: watching a show, listening to a concert. There are other instances where people want to participate. This is one such,” he says.

This year, expect to find märzen, a dark-looking malt-forward farmer’s ale, a staple at the Munich Oktoberfest. Also ensure that you grab a pint of weizenbock, a strong German wheat beer which is rich and malty. “The latter is an end-of-the-season beer which leaves one with a hearty feeling. These are our special beers on tap. We will invite a significant local guest to inaugurate our Oktoberfest too,” Prasad says.

He adds that visitors should participate in their beer Olympics, where people can play about five traditional beer-based games besides the usual suspects like beer pong and cornhole. “There is a game where one will have to hold a beer mug made of about 4-5kg. The steadiest hand for the longest time wins. We will also be hosting a keg carrying competition,” he says.

Prasad adds that they have been experimenting with Dot, their non-alcoholic Indian Pale Ale (IPA), an attempt at actually recreating the malts and hops absent in other zero ABV beers. “This particular one is full of maltose, often used by athletes who wish to recover from events that stress the body like triathlons, running, or riding,” he says.

He adds that their latest addition, a collaboration with Chennai-based full-stack coffee company Brun Coffee, called the White Stout, is something he is excited for folks to try. “We fatwash the robusta coffee grinds and come up with a clear liquid that is then combined with a wheat beer, which has notes of vanilla and coffee,” he says, adding that it is limited-edition and ideal for a breezy day.

Catamaran Brewing Company’s Oktoberfest is on October 23 and 24 6pm onwards at Mariamman Kovil Street junction, Puducherry. Registration is mandatory on District for ₹250.