Oktoberfest
Friday - October 11
Put your lederhosen on and come out to Von Jakob, the only German inspired winery/brewery in Southern Illinois, to celebrate our annual
Oktoberfest Festival. The festival will feature an authentic German menu with foods like pork schnitzel, brats with sauerkraut, pretzels with dipping sauce and much more. Also, enjoy a great selection of our German inspired craft beers such as our German Pilsner, Dunkel Bock Beer and of course our Oktoberfest Lager. What's Oktoberfest without authentic German music?! We are excited to have The Polka Connection play for our Oktoberfest guests starting at 6:00pm. We hope to see you there. Prost!
Time: 6:00-9:30 pm
Live Music: The Polka Connection
Cover: $5, includes a souvenir beer mug
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Comedy Night
Friday - November 15
Join us for an evening of jokes and laughter as we present our first ever stand-up Comedy Night. The show begins at 8:00pm (doors open at 5:00pm) and is hosted by comedian Carmen Morales, also appearing Chris Smith and starring Emil "The Fryman" out of St. Louis. The Fryman is a 20 year veteran of the stage and has performed in over 40 states and more than 250 cities and towns all over the country. The Fryman can be heard regularly on SiriusXM satellite radio and has also done three military comedy tours overseas for our troops. Come in early and enjoy some dinner and drinks before the show. Show: Starts at 8:00pm Dinner: Available from 5:00-7:30pm Starring: Emil "The Fryman," and also appearing Chris Smith Tickets: $10 (general admission), Limited Seating Available |
Weekend Music Series
October 5
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October 6
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October 11
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October 12
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October 13
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October 19
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October 20
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October 26
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October 27
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Live music every weekend, 3:30 to 6:30pm, unless noted.
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Grape Harvest
The picking season has arrived and for the most part our annual harvest is looking bountiful. At Von Jakob we grow 5 grapes varietals: Chambourcin, Cabernet Sauvignon, Vidal Blanc, Chardonnay and Traminette. Our chambourcin and vidal blanc grape production is at its highest level in years. This can be mainly attributed to moderate temperatures and a sufficient amount of rain throughout much of the growing season. The traminette and chardonnay unfortunately were negatively effected by a late rain followed by a number of days of extreme humidity causing what is known as powdery mildew. The powdery mildew coats the leaves with a white powdery substance which inhibits photosynthesis and consequently ruins the grapes. This occurred on almost 75% of our chardonnay and traminette. Not to worry though because we have already attained a replacement crop for the traminnette from a local grape grower. Lastly, our cabernet had a very nice year producing about 75% of potential production. This loss is mainly attributed to animals feeding on them as the grapes ripen. The good news is that there will be plenty of estate grown Von Jakob wines for the coming year! |
Apple Harvest
Apple picking season is upon us! With over 5 acres of apple orchards, we will be picking our Jonathan apples in the coming weeks. The apple crop this year is shaping up to be a good one. We are extremely excited about the high quality and production of apples this season since this means that we will be able to produce more of our Johnny Apple Wine and Streakin' Johnny Hard Apple Cider. It couldn't have come at a more opportune time as we are going to be distributing our Double Gold winning Hard Cider in the Southern Illinois area starting in September! So look for both Southern Illinois grown and produced products in retail stores near you. |
Streakin' Johnny wins Hard Cider of the Year!
Less than a year after its initial release, Von Jakob's Streakin' Johnny Hard Apple Cider is already racking up awards. Von Jakob's newest product received a trophy for the Fruit Wine of the Year, along with a Double Gold Medal and Best-of-Class Honors, at the Indy International Wine Competition held in late July. With over 2300 entries from 40 states and 15 countries, Indy International is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the United States. Fifty prestigious judges, ranging from wine writers, wine producers, enologists, chefs, retailers and consumers, came together to judge this year's competition. Earlier in July, Streakin' Johnny earned Best-of-Class Honors and a Silver Medal in the Illinois State Fair Wine Competition. |
Wedding Season
September and October have become prime time for weddings. This can likely be attributed to the milder temperatures and beautiful colors that accompany the late summer and early fall. One thing is for certain we have been busy during this wedding season. With five consecutive weddings and five more on the books for the month of October, we are in the thick of it. More than likely we can attribute our busy wedding season to a few things. We've got over 15 years of experience hosting weddings and have hosted more than 300 during this time. Additionally, there can be so much stress involved in wedding planning, but our expert wedding coordinator is there to guide you every step of the way and alleviate the pressure that goes along with wedding planning. We also have seasoned in-house chefs who can prepare items currently available on our robust menu, in addition to almost anything else you have in mind. At Von Jakob we pride ourselves on going above and beyond to ensure your wedding is an event to remember. |
Von Jakob uses Fresh Local Ingredients
For years we've been using the freshest ingredients from our very own onsite vegetable and herb gardens. Our vegetable garden, seen in the picture here, produces tomatoes cucumbers, squash, peppers and more. Our herb garden produces fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, mint, oregano; all of which is used in our food items. We take pride in growing our very own vegetables and herbs and feel like the quality of these ingredients is what truly sets our food apart from others. |
Employee Spotlight Sarah Switzer, Event Coordinator
Sarah graduated from Southern Illinois University in 2012 with a degree in Human Nutrition & Dietetics as well as Hospitality & Tourism Administration. She began working part-time as a Tasting Room Associate at Von Jakob shortly before graduating. After only working a few months in the Tasting Room, Von Jakob was looking for a new Event Coordinator and Sarah was the perfect fit. As our Event Coordinator, Sarah plans everything from small, casual luncheons to large, extravagant weddings.
"I'm so lucky that I have the opportunity to work with some amazing people and help them create memories that will last a lifetime. Although it's a lot of hard work, it's a very rewarding and enjoyable job to have." - Sarah
Sarah's Von Jakob Favorites Wine: Chambourcin Beer: Pale Ale Lunch Menu: Veggie Panini Dinner Menu: Pork Chop with Caramelized Apples |
10% OFF Wine Orders & Free Appetizer at Kristofer's
(Coupons Below)
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Address:
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230 Hwy 127
Alto Pass, IL 62905
618-893-4600
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Hours:
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Mon-Thu: | 10:00 - 5:00pm | Fri-Sun: | 10:00 - 7:00pm |
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Open Friday & Saturday
230 Hwy 127
Alto Pass, IL 62905
For Reservations Call 618-893-4600 or
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