At Sofitel’s 75th Oktoberfest, ze Germans want you to beer it up

Imagine: beer as far as the eye can see—well, beer and an array of sausages and the other requisites of a proper Oktoberfest: from sauerkraut to schnitzel, bratwurst to kartoffelknödel (potato dumplings). This is the feast awaiting party-goers at the German Oktoberfest at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, set for two days of beer-soaked mayhem on October 18 and 19 at the hotel’s newly renovated Harbor Garden Tent.

At the press launch last September 17, the German Club and the German embassy in Manila, as well as Sofitel’s officers announced that the event will be the 75th anniversary of the festival in the Club’s local history.    

“Undoubtedly one of the biggest events in Manila,” nodded Adam Laker, Sofitel Philippine Plaza’s General Manager. “Through the years, we have seen how Oktoberfest has helped promote camaraderie among the Filipinos and Germans.”

The Oktoberfest has been held since 1810 in Bavaria, a celebration that’s become an important part of that culture despite—or perhaps because of—the massive number of people with hangovers post-festival. It’s the world's largest fair on German soil, held annually in Munich for 16 days, traditionally from late September to the first weekend of October with around an average of six million people in attendance. No doubt, it keeps the German beer industry working hard year-round.  

At Sofitel’s Oktoberfest preparations, the authenticity of Bavarian atmosphere is paramount, especially to any expat Krauts who might be in attendance. On the festival days themselves there will also be modernized folk music by the Bavarian Sound Express band, flown in all the way from Munich, and local retro band The Bloomfields, who will be playing on October 19.

I got handed beer by serving girls in traditional dirndl dresses; a fluffy-sleeved dress topped by a peasant blouse that comes in various cuts which, depending on the inclination of the wearer, can go from conservatively-buttoned or plungingly bosom-revealing.

A German seated next to me explained some trivia about the dirndl. Apparently, since the drunken patrons of Oktoberfests tended to hit on the serving women after a few pints (the equivalent of Bavarian style beer goggles), the placement of a knot on a dirndl dress eventually came to indicate if the said server was available or not, like a shorthand for Bavarian courtship signals. If the knot was on the left side, this meant she was single (and consequently a sign she was ready to mingle), if it was on the right she was spoken for, and if it was in front it meant she was a virgin.

Said German departed before I could ask about his previous Oktoberfest adventures or get his name. Still, this cultural tidbit is a good caveat to remember for women planning to go to Sofitel and costume up in a dirndl.

“This year’s anniversary of the German Club’s Oktoberfest will be a milestone not only for the German Club,” said Oktoberfest Chairman Michael Scheile. “But also for the Club’s objectives of promoting the Philippines as [a] valuable destination for investment to German businesses.”

Being a major part of German culture, for many years, beer was brewed only in strict adherence to what was called the “Reinheitsgebot law,” a purity edict that permitted only water, hops, and malt as beer ingredients. This developed many interesting kinds of brewing, and locale-centric brews.

The Germans say that when in Berlin ask for a Berliner Weisse, when in Cologne ask for a Kolsch, or when in Bamberg try downing a famous Rauchbier.

There are also three kinds of German beers that are usually available at Oktoberfests worldwide, depending on the location. These include:

• Wheat beers. Examples of this are Weizenbock, Roggenbier (a fairly dark beer made with rye), the famous Berliner Weisse (pale and very sour), Leipziger Gose, Hefeweizen, and Kristallweizen.
• Pale beers. Examples include Kolsch (can only be legally brewed in the Koln region), Helles, Pilsener, Export (a pale lager that’s full and malty), and the Cloister beers (or Kloster Bier) a term for a lager that was produced in a monastery or convent – yeah, even the monks and nuns were big on drinking.
• Dark beers. Examples include Altbier, Schwarzbier (a dark lager with a full, roasty, chocolatey flavor), Dunkles, Dunkler Bock, and Rauchbier (the use of smoked malt gives it a smoky taste).

There’s also an unofficial fourth kind of German beer dubbed “unfiltered beer” because they’ve been conditioned or processed in a cask, just like ales. Kellerbier, they're called—brewer’s slang or "cellar beer."

I mostly stuffed myself with the various samples of German cuisine available, including two kinds of Obatzda (a Bavarian cheese delicacy), five kinds of sausages  (Cheese Krainer, Bratwurst Ring, Hungarian, Weisswurst, Bouillon Sausages), and the excellent ham with beer sauce. Hey, if I can’t down the beer, I can at least ladle it onto my meat.

Whether it’s by Bavarian ham or beer, ze Germans are coming and they want you to sing, dance, and drink up. — VC, GMA News


The 75th Oktoberfest of the German Club Manila at the Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila is set on October 18 and 19 at Sofitel’s Harbor Garden Tent. Log on to the hotel website for prices and reservations.