PHILADELPHIA (CBS)  – It is not even September yet and companies are already gearing up for the annual Oktoberfest celebrations. This year, the Philadelphia-based Evil Genius Beer Company has teamed up with pretzel franchise Auntie Anne's for a brand new, limited edition Oktoberfest-style lager called Is Butter a Carb?

The beer is available as of today in the Philadelphia area. There will be an official party Thursday at Evil Genius in Fishtown.

"The only thing better than 'pretzels and beer,' is 'pretzels in beer,'" Evil Genius Beer Company co-founder Trevor Hayward said. "We really wanted to tie the brands together in a fun way that reminds you of biting into a warm pretzel with every sip."

This is the first time Auntie Anne's iconic pretzels have been used as an ingredient to develop and create a unique beer available for purchase. 

The new beer comes in at 5.5% ABV and has all the makings of a classic Oktoberfest, such as a rich malt backbone balanced by delicate hop character and features a prominent toasty flavor profile that is rounded out with pleasant salinity.