In the spirit of Oktoberfest

October is the most anticipated month for beer drinkers around the world as this means Oktoberfest, the biggest beer festival that has found its way in almost every country worldwide.

As far as I can remember, the very first Oktoberfest party that I joined in was in 2002 in Timog Ave., Quezon City. It was a party with a bang; literally, as some drunk (an expected risk in every beer party) decided to add some fireworks in the festivity by pulling the trigger of the gun he was carrying.

But, what most may not know is that this beer festival started without the beer. In October 12, 1810, Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) invited the whole of Bavaria to a party in the City of Munich, Germany. This was his way of expressing his happiness for his marriage to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen. The party had nothing to do with beer at all; rather it was an agricultural fair with an elaborate horse race.

In 1818, however, beer and food stalls were introduced and from then on it miraculously transformed into what would become the biggest beer-drinking festival in the world.

This year, San Miguel Beer is hosting the grandest and longest beer festival in the world.

The celebration kicked off last September 5 with simultaneous concerts and parties in Metro Manila, Lapu-Lapu City, Iloilo, Davao, Olongapo and Sta. Rosa City. Sustaining parties will be held for 120 days in key cities all over the country.

In Cebu, the next grand party won’t be until December 26 in One Mango Avenue along General Maxilom St. But who would want to wait until then? Here is a rundown of excellent watering holes in the city where you can have a great beer party in keeping with the month’s celebration.

Cabanas Resto Bars Juana Osmeña St., Cebu City

Twelve hole-in-the-wall bars occupy a small strip at the back of what was then Philosophy. The bars have the same prices for beer (P200 for six bottles of 500ml local beer) but what would differ are the add-ons like kropek, sisig, or spicy chicken wings for sumsuman. Some bars give them for free in order to beat the competitors. So before you decide which bar to dawdle in better consider the freebies.

Pier One

2/F The Walk, Asiatown IT Park

Draft beer is sold here by the barrel or tower (P392)! But if draft beer is too light for you, you can try their two plus one promo for all local beers (P98), or better yet, why limit with beer when they have an impressive collection of spirits and liquors!

Pier One is essentially a Filipino restaurant, the reason why their menu is laden with great tasting entrees like the Lamb Kaldereta (P350). But if you are only there for the drinking, well, you can have the cheaper peanuts (P49.50) or sisig (P110) as sumsuman.

Turtle’s Nest

124 Gorordo Ave., Lahug

If you feel like you need to recharge your creative juices with a bottle of Red Horse Beer, Turtle’s Nest may just be the place for you. Considered as an artist’s haven, the place is laden with art installations and thousands of books, some of which may be rare ones. Beer here is charged reasonably at P175 for five bottles of local beer. And they have an impressive menu with fancy names, but mind you the taste is not a question as they do stir up quite a dish.

YO.U Restobar

One Mango Ave., Gen. Maxilom St.

They just renovated the place and set up a photo wall. Hmmm, I wonder what would be placed there, but since they opened in One Mango Avenue they have been attracting quite an impressive number of guests. They used to serve lunch but now they are open at 6, and until 9 p.m. five local beers can be had for P220. Onwards it’s priced at P50 per bottle, except for Red Horse Beer which retains the promo price.

In addition to beer, they have an impressive list of cocktails and mocktails (without the spirits, but spiritually flavorsome still), as well as great tasting food. Live bands play all week. Sundays to Tuesdays are acoustic nights, while show bands take center stage on Wednesdays to Saturdays.