Sip and savor at breweries, wineries in Kendall County

Stein hoisting contests carry plenty of weight at craft brewery Oktoberfest celebrations this time of year.

It’s no different at Werk Force Brewing Co., 14903 S. Center St., Plainfield, except brewery brass add their own wrinkle: Stein spotting.

Werk Force creates a new stein each fall, with the latest edition to debut at Werktoberfest from Sept. 19-22. As the festival hails 10 years, staff know many patrons are simultaneously eager to add to their collections while holding on to the past for a $5 fill.

“It’s fun because we pride ourselves a lot on community and our loyal customer base,” said Amanda Wright, Werk Force co-owner and co-founder with her husband, Brandon. “They’re excited, too, to show they’re alumni, that they’ve been coming this long, and kind of show off that glass.”

Day trippers figure to enjoy watching for other fall drink and event specials at breweries and wineries across Kendall County.

Roll out the barrel:  Beginning on Black Wednesday, Nov. 27, and continuing the three days after Thanksgiving, Werk Force will introduce four new variants in its Sleepy Bear barrel-aged series.

Wright said the brewery’s barrel-aged program “has been creating some momentum for us” over the past five to six years. In June, Werk Force’s Brambleberry Cheesecake Sleepy Bear earned a gold medal in the Wood/Barrel-Aged Fruit Beer division at the U.S. Open Beer Championships in Oxford, Ohio.

But barrel-aging isn’t just for beer drinkers. The brain trust at Gilted Edge Winery, 9396 Plattville Road, Newark, has developed a bourbon barrel-aged wine to be released Oct. 19 for a limited time and in limited quantities.

“It generally caters to those that are more traditionally a beer drinker or usually aren’t into wine, essentially,” said Gilted Edge co-owner Laura Loos. “We get a lot of guys that like that wine because it’s got that bourbon note from the barrel and things like that.”

More fall wines:  Fox Valley Winery, 59 Main St., Oswego, offers an Apple and Cranberry wine. The downtown attraction also features an array of wine slushies.

Look for similar fall wine selections with a twist at Gilted Edge Winery. The winery’s Cozy Autumn is a cinnamon-spiced apple wine, while the Cranberry Kiss is a spirited approach for a late fall release. Granny’s Apple Pie and Mulled Wine weekends – highlighted by a warmed, spiced take on sauvignon blanc and zinfandel that only is served on-site – are set to launch in October.

“Just some unique things that we try to take the traditional way of thinking in the wine industry and kind of elevate it and provide something that somebody else doesn’t offer today,” Loos said.

Now that’s collaboration: Fox Republic Brewing, 101 W. Hydraulic Ave., Yorkville, is set to release a smoked pumpkin porter in late September.

Pumpkin anything often is polarizing come fall, while craft enthusiasts typically find smoked beers to be the same year-round.

To Fox Republic brewmaster and general manager Ken McMullen, however, this small batch brings an agreeable taste.

“With most smoked beers, the grain is smoked and you get a lot more smoke character from that,” he said. “With smoking the pumpkins, it keeps it more subtle and more in the background. It just makes for a delicious beer without overwhelming smoke.”

Southbank Original Barbecue, a Fox Republic neighbor, will smoke the pumpkins donated by a nearby pumpkin patch.

“We’ve got three businesses kind of partnering on that batch,” McMullen said, “which is fun.”

Fox Republic has several fall events planned, including a Hispanic Heritage Month-themed celebration from 1-6 p.m. Oct. 6.