Germany has given us many things (killer sausages, the pretzel, Heidi Klum), but few have rivaled our intense love affair with beer and its annual worship, Oktoberfest, which is 200 years old this year. If you missed Toronado's festivities last week, hit up one of these beer-soaked spots for a taste of Oktoberfest in the Bay:

Oktoberfest by the Bay at Pier 48, ground zero for Oktoberfestivities, kicks off this Thursday, September 23rd. It extends through an entire weekend of Spaten beer, food and a whole lotta dancing (there's a 21-piece traditional Bavarian Band and some polka action in the house). Get your dancing energy from schnitzel, brats, roast chicken, streudel, handmade pretzels and black forest cake.

And now, for the beers: there's a lifetime's worth of Spatens, from the well-balanced Premium Lager, the savory amber Oktoberfest brew (the world's first!), the rich, malty Optimator and Munchen Dunkel, and the dry, elegant Pils. Also, a personal favorite, the creamy Franziskaner Hefe Weisse will be flowing freely.

There are tons of deals to be had: You get a free beer and bratwurst with your $25 admission on Thursday, $10 off admission on Friday with the code oktober, and 2-for-1 Sundays with code funday. Get tickets here.

Rosamunde Sausage Grill on Mission Street are saving their Oktoberfestivities for September 24ththrough October 3rd with 10 german beers to pair with their array of sausages. Sip on esoteric brews like premium, dry Konig Pilsener, the caramelized, barley-roasted Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest, the smooth, rich Paulaner Oktoberfest, Kostrizer Black Beer, the dark, aromatic Schneider Aventinus and more.

Gordon Biersch on the Embarcadero is now serving their rich, moderately-hopped bronze Festbier lager (brewed onsite using a 500 year-old recipe in gigantic 1-liter steins) for a $9 price tag. You can't beat that, especially because one will probably suffice. Pair it with eats from their special Oktoberfest menu like Festbier steak tacos (marinated in beer, naturally), or the Festbier Combo, a giant plate of bratwurst, knackwurst, and Hungarian sausages with beer mustards, made-in-house pretzels and garlic fries. Check out the full Oktoberfest menu here.

21st Amendment Brewery is still finalizing their beer and food menu for their own Oktoberfest happenings, which span October 4th through 10th, and we'll let you know when we find out what tasty fare they plan to pair with their light Oktoberfest Pils. Word has it that their servers will be in full-on German costumes. 

Last but certainly not least, Social Kitchen & Brewery are doing it up by hosting a one-night homage to Oktoberfest on October 7th. Their impressive spread includes their own light-bodied, lemony Social Kolsch and crisp, brown, toasty Old Time Alt, plus pours from 21st Amendment and Gordon Biersch. Throw down $25 and you'll get four large beers, German sausages, house-made beer mustard, Obaster German country cheese, salads and more. Yum! They'll also be playing contemporary Dusseldorf music, just in case you want to polka.

Photo via magerleagues on Flickr.com