Infested with Oktoberfest
I’m a beer drinker, but not much of a social one. I’m not the type who would pay a hundred bucks for a single bottle of beer just to get the privilege of hanging out at social clubs, where most people’s shoes cost more than my entire wardrobe.
I don’t mind finishing off a six-pack by myself if it means being in front of the home entertainment system or slaving away at the PC, busying myself with email, downloading files, or blogging. I like my beer cold, and if company is required, I prefer the comfort afforded by long-known friends.
San Miguel Oktoberfest changed all that.
I discovered to my surprise that Oktoberfest means partying on! No matter how much you’ve consumed (there are limits you know…always drink moderately), how much fun you’ve had, or how many friends you make for one night, there will be another Oktoberfest leg around the corner. And it goes on for a month.
Apart from the beer, the scene removes all your inhibitions in making new friends.
You don’t mind tipping your glass of beer in salute to the next table, or to cheer for someone unknown who’s on the verge of winning an SMB prize. You shun the shyness and commend the Okto Babes as they pour the beer into your waiting mug. You throw caution (and hiya) to the winds and ring up the nerve to ask your favorite star or band to mug for the camera. In a San Miguel Beer state of mind, no one would care.
Taking its cue from the renowned Bavarian brew festival where beer holds center stage, Oktoberfest began in 1810 as a wedding party for King Ludwig I of Bavaria. At the time, the festival attracted 40,000 guests and featured horses as the main attraction. Year after year, the celebration continually evolved until it was the good times and the copious amounts of beer that was retained. With the Pinoy’s love for life as shown by their willingness to bring out the beer barrel at fiestas or any other gathering, it was but natural to devote a fiesta in homage to that amber liquid. Thus, San Miguel Oktoberfest was born, and the local version featured a celebration - Filipino-style. Instead of sausages, lederhosen, oompahs, kellnerinnen waitresses and tankards, we celebrate with sisig and an assortment of inihaws, home-grown pop and rock bands, Filipina beauties, and Pale Pilsen.
So there I was, visiting most of Oktoberfest sites in the guise of work. Being the closed drinker, I was curious why people flock Oktoberfest and willingly be part of a massive crowd. The atmosphere was like a genuine carnival, minus the paid freaks. There were live bands, star dancers, drinking contests, game booths, plenty of food to go around, and more beer than you can imagine. Given all that, I understand if the crowd was hard put on where to focus its attention. How could you when you’re confronted with the savory aroma of meats being slowly roasted, of San Miguel premium items dangling from their hooks and waiting for you to claim them, of glimpses of famous bands and showbiz stars getting ready for their act – all as you sip your beer? It was a feast for all your senses, and each impulse assaults your head-on.
The atmosphere lent a feeling of fiesta all over. The knowledge that all these things are happening all around as you savor your brew in hand gives you the feeling that you don’t have to rush, and that you can enjoy all that Oktoberfest offers all at the same time. Like any other fiestas, guests are warmly welcome at every home, and that was what I felt the whole time.
The crowd, feeling the effects of SMB, was more affable than ordinary. They don’t mind sharing tables with unknowns, and toasts were heard the whole night round. They were cheering their favorite bands enthusiastically, and the bands themselves were very appreciative of the droves that came to see them, with some lead singers going downstage and mixing it up with the front row fans. On a curious sidelight, I also noticed that some folk were happily engaged in trading or selling SMB premium items, and it doesn’t feel like the usual scalper scenario, where one party feels cheated after leaving the table.
And socialize I did, at least for the first few hours at every stop (I visited Megamall twice, Eastwood, and dropped for a short spell at Metrowalk, but took a pass at Blue Wave). It was easy to be friendly, and not because I was wearing a VIP tag, but more because we were all united in the spirit of Oktoberfest. Of course, I didn’t take too much time socializing, as a few friends came over to join the festivities and I had to play semi-official host. I stayed with them until it was deemed time to go home.
There's always next year.
I don’t mind finishing off a six-pack by myself if it means being in front of the home entertainment system or slaving away at the PC, busying myself with email, downloading files, or blogging. I like my beer cold, and if company is required, I prefer the comfort afforded by long-known friends.
San Miguel Oktoberfest changed all that.
I discovered to my surprise that Oktoberfest means partying on! No matter how much you’ve consumed (there are limits you know…always drink moderately), how much fun you’ve had, or how many friends you make for one night, there will be another Oktoberfest leg around the corner. And it goes on for a month.
Apart from the beer, the scene removes all your inhibitions in making new friends.
You don’t mind tipping your glass of beer in salute to the next table, or to cheer for someone unknown who’s on the verge of winning an SMB prize. You shun the shyness and commend the Okto Babes as they pour the beer into your waiting mug. You throw caution (and hiya) to the winds and ring up the nerve to ask your favorite star or band to mug for the camera. In a San Miguel Beer state of mind, no one would care.
Taking its cue from the renowned Bavarian brew festival where beer holds center stage, Oktoberfest began in 1810 as a wedding party for King Ludwig I of Bavaria. At the time, the festival attracted 40,000 guests and featured horses as the main attraction. Year after year, the celebration continually evolved until it was the good times and the copious amounts of beer that was retained. With the Pinoy’s love for life as shown by their willingness to bring out the beer barrel at fiestas or any other gathering, it was but natural to devote a fiesta in homage to that amber liquid. Thus, San Miguel Oktoberfest was born, and the local version featured a celebration - Filipino-style. Instead of sausages, lederhosen, oompahs, kellnerinnen waitresses and tankards, we celebrate with sisig and an assortment of inihaws, home-grown pop and rock bands, Filipina beauties, and Pale Pilsen.
So there I was, visiting most of Oktoberfest sites in the guise of work. Being the closed drinker, I was curious why people flock Oktoberfest and willingly be part of a massive crowd. The atmosphere was like a genuine carnival, minus the paid freaks. There were live bands, star dancers, drinking contests, game booths, plenty of food to go around, and more beer than you can imagine. Given all that, I understand if the crowd was hard put on where to focus its attention. How could you when you’re confronted with the savory aroma of meats being slowly roasted, of San Miguel premium items dangling from their hooks and waiting for you to claim them, of glimpses of famous bands and showbiz stars getting ready for their act – all as you sip your beer? It was a feast for all your senses, and each impulse assaults your head-on.
The atmosphere lent a feeling of fiesta all over. The knowledge that all these things are happening all around as you savor your brew in hand gives you the feeling that you don’t have to rush, and that you can enjoy all that Oktoberfest offers all at the same time. Like any other fiestas, guests are warmly welcome at every home, and that was what I felt the whole time.
The crowd, feeling the effects of SMB, was more affable than ordinary. They don’t mind sharing tables with unknowns, and toasts were heard the whole night round. They were cheering their favorite bands enthusiastically, and the bands themselves were very appreciative of the droves that came to see them, with some lead singers going downstage and mixing it up with the front row fans. On a curious sidelight, I also noticed that some folk were happily engaged in trading or selling SMB premium items, and it doesn’t feel like the usual scalper scenario, where one party feels cheated after leaving the table.
And socialize I did, at least for the first few hours at every stop (I visited Megamall twice, Eastwood, and dropped for a short spell at Metrowalk, but took a pass at Blue Wave). It was easy to be friendly, and not because I was wearing a VIP tag, but more because we were all united in the spirit of Oktoberfest. Of course, I didn’t take too much time socializing, as a few friends came over to join the festivities and I had to play semi-official host. I stayed with them until it was deemed time to go home.
There's always next year.
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