(CONTRIBUTED)

MADISON – Blue Pants Brewery will honor Germany’s Oktoberfest tradition with its first annual Sausage Fest on Aug. 23.

At 4 p.m., the festival will feature 15 cook teams competing for the crown of best sausage preparation in North Alabama. Judges, along with a people’s choice vote, will determine the winners, owner Allison Spratley said.

To-date, 13 teams have registered. While they last, applications are available at the Blue Pants taproom.

Guests can buy a People’ Choice ticket for $15, available at bluepantsbrew.com or the tap room and “eat their fill of unlimited food samples and two craft beer sample pints. Each tickets includes five votes,” Spratley said.

“With your ticket, come sample all of the cook teams’ offerings, listen to live music and enjoy the great local beer that Blue Pants has to offer, including the German style Oktoberfest and Rauchbiers,” Spratley said.

Event sponsor Earth Fare will donate more than 300 pounds of unseasoned ground pork shoulder. “Cook teams will season the meat and stuff the sausages themselves, insuring teams start with high-quality meat,” Spratley said. “But every entry will taste different, based on each team’s recipe.”

On their way to Sausage Fest, parents can take their children next door to KidVenture, which is offering discounts for children’s play.

Judging will start at 3 p.m. Judges will include local politicians, celebrities and Blue Pants Mug Club members, who are regulars who have bought a stainless steel mug for their orders.

After the People’s Choice competition, an eating contest and awards ceremony will follow. Throughout the evening, entertainment by .45 Surprise will feature their ‘powergrass,’ the band’s blend of bluegrass and outlaw country.

“We’ll award first, second and third prize for the judges’ competition and People’s Choice,” Spratley said. “Winning teams will receive cash prizes, and the first-place teams will receive a trophy.”

The team with the overall highest score will receive the Grand Champion award, trophy and cash prize.

For more information, visit bluepantsbrew.com.