Shacktoberfest, An Alternative to Oktoberfest

I do not have a bucket list- I actually hate the term and idea of them. However, there are some places, events and experiences that I'd love to do.

One of the top events I'd love to attend is Oktoberfest. I've been to Munich, got to experience the local beer scene and really enjoyed the city. I rarely return to a city or country I've already visited but for Oktoberfest I'd go back to Munich in a heartbeat.

This year I had a break from work coinciding with Oktoberfest. I found out about it pretty much last minute. I considered trying to get to Germany for Oktoberfest but there were a couple of problems with this plan- Kim was not off from work and flights were very expensive or not available with miles. After weighing my options, I gave up on the idea of going this year and figured that I would eventually get there.

Oktoberfest is a Munich event celebrated all around the world. There were various events going on in the New York area but they didn't seem to fit our schedule. Then I read about a fun, little event at one of my favorite burger places- Shake Shack. 
(Check out my post about the Shake Shack Grand Opening in Brooklyn HERE)

Shake Shack is currently holding an event called Shacktoberfest (October 12- 21) but
it's not a big tent, drink a ton of beer kind of thing. They are offering a special German- inspired menu! This sounded like the perfect event for Kim and I to check out with Lucas this past weekend . 

We decided to head over to the original Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. When we arrived the line wasn't as long as usual but still a decent wait. A member of the Shack staff walked down the line offering those waiting, the menu to check out. He also mentioned that if we wanted one of the limited Shacktoberfest beer steins, one of us should head over to the "B" line and get it before ordering our food. (The"B" line at Shake Shack is for drinks, shakes & souvenirs)

Waiting to order

Shacktoberfest menu

While looking over the special menu there were a bunch of things that I wanted to try. Kim was going with her usual 'Shroom Burger.
From the special Shacktoberfest Menu I ordered a few items. (not all for me!)

1. The Cheddar Brat Burger- "A burger topped with a flat-top griddled cheddar bratwurst, crispy ShackMeister ale marinated shallots and Shack Sauce."
2. Currywurst- "Our spin on the Oktoberfest classic. Served on a toasted potato roll and topped with crispy ShackMeister ale marinated shallots and curry ketchup".
3. German Chocolate Pecan Concrete- "Chocolate frozen custard blended with coconut- pecan caramel and chocolate truffle cookie dough".

Cheddar Brat Burger

The Cheddar Brat Burger was good but I'd stick with a ShackBurger. The cheddar bratwurst placed on the burger was very good but I would've preferred to eat the burger and brat separately. I think that I've had better cooked burgers from Shake Shack in the past.

Currywurst

Kim shared the Currywurst with me and we both loved it! When I initially tasted the spicy ketchup, I didn't care for it. When I took a bite of the whole thing, I was really impressed. It was so good that I am thinking of heading to the Shake Shack in Brooklyn before the event is over to get it one more time!

German Chocolate Pecan Concrete

Kim and I were trying to be good and not order a concrete but the German Chocolate Pecan Concrete sounded too good not to try. We shared a half size so we wouldn't feel as guilty. 
The concrete did not disappoint. The flavors were amazing and it really did taste like German chocolate cake.

If you happen to be near a Shake Shack, I'd definitely recommend stopping by and trying out some of the items from the Shacktoberfest menu. Overall the food was very good and the beer wasn't a bad deal either. A twenty-five ounce Brooklyn Brewery Oktoberfest beer in a really nice stein (that you get to keep) for $10 is a very sweet deal!