This weekend, the Oktoberfest celebrations at Birmingham’s best Bavarian bar began, with an epic keg-tapping party. We were lucky enough to be invited and thought we’d document our visit for anyone else who is looking to join in on Oktoberfest celebrations this year.
A Bavarian Bonanza
The evening began with a fantastic performance from the wonderful Head Rush Brass Band, who played a series of bangers, from German classics to American and British belters. This was already enough to have the patrons dancing (oftentimes on their tables and chairs) and was only the very beginning of the party.
Decked out in lederhosen and dirndl alike, our hosts then took to the stage to warm up the crowd, and to announce that the keg tapping was about to begin. The first keg was tapped by Heart Radio DJs Gemma Hill and Ed James, who did a brilliant job. The celebrity guests offered out free beer to all who gathered at the front of the stage, which was warmly received and set the tone for an evening of drinking, celebrations and comradery.
The evening’s entertainment was far from finished, as up next was a hilarious weiner eating contest. With support from the crowd and encouragement from the hosts, three brave and competitive chaps took to the stage, ladened with delicious weinerwursts.
The general conclusion was that they were so delicious, they were difficult to finish quickly, but nonetheless a victor was crowned. Head over to our Instagram page to see some of our snaps from the event! The champion won some fantastic prizes, and certainly inspired the rest of the bar to order from the truly Bavarian menu. From a Bavarian feast to a currywurst, or a jalapeno popper pretzel, there was much to choose from to soak up the variety of beers on the menu.
Beverages Galore!
We sampled a range of Oktoberfest biers during our visit, starting off with a Hofbräu Oktoberfest (6.3%), the strongest bier on the event menu. Golden in colour, with a rich bitterness and hoppy, dry finish, this was the perfect beer to start off the evening with – it simply wouldn’t be Oktoberfest without this one!
Up next was the delicious Spaten Oktoberfest, the ultimate bier festival classic. First brewed in 1872, the Spaten Oktoberfest was the first to be brewed especially for the world-famous bier festival. At 5.9%, it has a delightful underlying sweetness, and its gorgeous amber colour and medium-bodied consistency, the Spaten Oktoberfest is a wonderful bier to mark the occasion.
If bier isn’t your thing, do not be dissuaded – though these revels are intended to celebrate a traditional bier festival, there are a whole host of wonderful concoctions on the menu. We sampled a range of impressive cocktails, and there were several honourable mentions.
Up first, the Limoncello Mojito. With Havana Blanc rum, Luxardo limoncello, gomme, lemon juice and soda, this was a refreshing twist on the classic mojito. We also sampled from the Spritz menu, trying both the Cherry + Yuzu Spritz and the Pina Colada Spritz. With Moose sour cherry, Absolut raspberry vodka, Ginjo Yuzu-shu, cherry gomme, lemon juice and Three Cents cherry soda, the Cherry and Yuzu Spritz is deliciously fruity.
The Pina Colada Spritz is a tangy delight, with Kalani coconut, Taka Maka coconut rum, Agnes Arbor pineapple, coconut gomme, lime juice, and Franklin and Sons pineapple and almond soda. Albert’s Schloss spares no expense on their cocktail ingredients, and it certainly shows in the final product.
A Pink Grapefruit Punch, a Bloody Marry, a Black Cherry Kaiser and a Pornstar Martini were also on the agenda, with fruity drinks making for a delightful alternative for those who weren’t quite up for the pints.
‘Delightfully Twisted’
The Pineapple Old Fashioned was definitely a favourite of the evening, inspiring several repeat orders amongst our party! This one comes with Two Swallows pineapple rum, Giffard Caribbean pineapple liqueur, Plantation pineapple rum, pineapple gomme, lime and bitters. It’s a whole lot of rum, but a whole lot of fun!
The Pineapple Old Fashioned is a part of the ‘Delightfully Twisted’ menu, alongside some of our other favourites: The Cucumber Collins and the Flat White Martini! A creamy twist on a well-loved classic, the Flat White Martini is a sweet treat that is not to be missed. The Cucumber Collins, with Hendricks gin, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, cucumber gomme, Franklin and Sons cucumber and elderflower tonic, is a refreshing summer beverage that works exceedingly well in the transition to Autumn.
We soon migrated upstairs to sample our final few drinks, with pints of Pilsner Urquell and Erdinger to round off the bier festival in traditional fashion. Live music played all night, and we were serenaded by an exceedingly talented solo artist, who played a variety of modern and throwback classics to keep the party atmosphere going.
The whole bar was kitted out for the occasion, and along with the costumed staff, the atmosphere was certainly one of Bavarian revels.
We had the best night at Albert’s Schloss, celebrating Oktoberfest in style. The staff are always wonderful, and this event was no exception. The Albert’s Schloss crew are very knowledgeable, friendly and happy to help. With such a great team, brilliant drinks offers and some absolutely fabulous entertainment, this is the best venue in the second city for your Oktoberfest revels.
Missed out on this weekend? Fear not. The party doesn’t stop here, as Albert’s Schloss have a whole series of plans over the coming weeks to get you in the Bavarian spirit. With plenty more weiner-eating contests, bier tasting and spectacular performances on the agenda, there is plenty to keep you entertained. Check out our last article for more information on what to expect.
The bar was absolutely packed during our visit, so if you want to secure a table, it is definitely worth booking in advance. Head to the Albert’s Schloss website to reserve your place now.
Prost!
