Beijing Boyce

Nothing says Oktoberfest like spending six hours in a steamy jam-packed arena while teetering on a flimsy chair and screaming ” Zicke, zacke, zicke, zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi!” until it collapses and sends your body, weighted by a gut full of sausage, sauerkraut, and beer, spilling to the ground as you accidentally slosh a full pint of Red Baron on the Liebling you chatted up all night. But let me put the sweet memories of college youth aside for a moment and talk about the spirit of Oktoberfest here in our fair city.

That massive German beer pub Drei Kronen 1308, just up the street from Hooters, will finally hold its official opening, this Friday from 6 PM. I realize I have already plugged this place and its four floors, its rooftop garden, and its 100,000+ liters of monthly beer-making capacity, but I happen to pass it every day and am awed both by its scale and design and by the task management has of regularly filling it with paying customers. One good move: introducing a two-for-one happy hour, from 5 to 7 PM, thus providing relief on those RMB58 pints.

In any case, given the massive burnished metal sign being erected at DK 1308 today, the planned suit of armor, and the handful of Bavarian flags, you can’t miss the place.

Meanwhile, all three branches of Kro’s Nest are celebrating “Krotoberfest” (I guess the other two choices were OktoberNest and KrotoberNest). The place does have beer, apparently is getting some sausage, and will hopefully have a Oktoberfest-inspired pie: bratwurst, sauerkraut, the German versions of Munster and Emmentaler… it could work. Or maybe some Bierkase, a cheese that includes the word beer.

Finally, according to City Weekend, the granddaddy of Beijing’s German brew pub scene, Paulaner in the Kempinski Hotel, will make Oktoberest daily, October 10 to 26, from 6-11 PM. Expect music to fit the mood, the “Munich Showgirls, Das Kleeblatt“, and - one hopes - an appearance by David Hasselhoff. Call  6465-3388, x5732 to reserve a table.

If anyone knows of other Oktoberfest events, please provide me the details at beijingboyce@yahoo.com or leave them in the comments section, and I’ll write an update post.