This week’s News & Brews sets up a seasonal face-off.

The team samples a pair of local-made Oktoberfests — Norden Hoch from North High Brewing and Festbier by Columbus Brewing — and compares and contrasts the malty lagers. Which Columbus creation prevailed?

Beyond the beer, we hoist some metaphorical steins to news from Columbus Brewing, which expects to open its taproom Sept. 18.

In more taproom news, we chat about SIP Local, a new brewpub coming to Clintonville and taking the short-lived space of Actual Brewing. It’s an offshoot of Somewhere in Particular Brewing, which opened on the city’s Northwest side last fall.

I also discuss the recent King of Ohio IPA competition, including kudos for Pickerington’s Combustion Brewing and Columbus’ Seventh Son Brewing, both of which fared well in the annual beer contest.

And finally, Mark Somerson makes a shocking revelation about pumpkin beers and an even more stunning statement about Christmas beers.