A beer for the battle

Breweries typically celebrate Oktoberfest with German-style beers, but Zythum Brewing is borrowing a recipe from one of that nation’s neighbors instead.

The Fairfield brewery is releasing a big Belgian dubbel dubbed Bellator  (7.5 percent alcohol by volume, 30 International Bitterness Units) as part of its festivities Saturday from 2 to 10 p.m. The name translates to “warrior” in Latin, which is the brewery’s adopted tongue (“zythum” is the Latin word for beer).

It even uses Warrior hops, though malt is the star of the style. “There’s more sugar than hops, I can tell you that,” said owner/brewer Shawn Carney.

The beer (picture above, in its infancy) has been conditioning since July 3, when Shawn’s wife and co-owner, Deb Carney, brewed it on the birthday of her oldest son, Mike Notrica, as a sort of long-distance gift.

Notrica, who served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, survived five IED explosions and a mortar attack on a mess station. His injuries have left him 85 percent disabled.

With the help of the national Wounded Warrior Project , he’s finishing his degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., in preparation for a job with Under Armour athletic apparel. The Carneys will make a donation to the project based on Bellator sales.

Saturday’s activities also will include live music by Carey Brazil, the Toby’s BBQ food truck (with German sausages) and an opportunity to see Shawn in lederhosen, and Deb in a dirndl. Wear yours, too, and you might win a prize.

Republic Oktoberfest

Up north, Republic Brewing is observing Oktoberfest today and Saturday with not just one German-inspired beer, but five: a light, crisp Kolsch; Bavarian Weizen; ruby-red Em’s Festivale; Falling Bockwards bock; and a Marzen-style Golden Lily.

There also are a pair of radlers – a traditional German combination of beer and lemonade – using the Weizen and the brewery’s Brush Fit Brown.

Music, games, giveaways and a catered sausage and sauerkraut dinner (reservations required) round out the festivities.