TOPS at SPAR Bierfest: Eat, Drink & Oompah!

JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – TOPS at SPAR Bierfest is back! And this year it is bringing loyal Bierfestarians more of everything that they have come to know and love, about South Africa’s biggest, annual, national, Oktoberfest festival of fun, food, Frauleins and of course – ‘biers’!

The big news is that Bierfest will be taking place over two weekends of fun at Montecasino this year, October 17 to October 19 and October 24 to October 26.

The annual TOPS at SPAR Bierfest, in association with DRYVER, Good Fellas, JIGUJA, Jagermeister, Associated Printing and Tsogo Sun is more than just an excuse to get together in a 4000-seater Brauhaus over a weekend at Montecasino, with your nearest and dearest to imbibe quality, specially crafted Bavarian beers!

It’s also a feast of fine Bavarian cuisine, an opportunity to dress up in lederhosen, pigtails and dirndls, and dancing to the ridiculously infectious oompah beats and letting loose while singing Heidi at the top of your lungs.

Attendees at the TOPS at SPAR Bierfest will once again be partaking in a 204-year old tradition that began in Munich, Germany. History has it that when Bavarian Crown Prince Ludwig married Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810, he invited the entire city of Munich to what eventually became the world’s biggest after-party.

From the moment one enters the Brauhaus, the senses are assailed by a rich mixture of traditional Bavarian oompah music (played live by a seven-piece band throughout the day), beautifully coloured décor, the aroma of Bavarian cuisine and of course – our freshly brewed Biers – made but once a year for the occassion. Founding partner South African Breweries have once more called upon their Master Brewers to craft three special, limited edition Bavarian-styled biers just for Bierfest. The ever-popular Royal Bavaria Oktoberfest Bier, the traditional Krystal Weiss Protea Edelweiss and the speciality dark ale – the King Ludwig Munich Dunkel. Master Brewers will be located onsite for tasting and bier education at Bierfest’s Braumeister Ecke (a.k.a Brewmasters’ Corner).

Frauleins in traditional attire will greet you with smiles as you are escorted to your table and thereafter ensuring that your Bierfest experience is nothing short of magical.

More than just a beer festival, Bierfest places great care and consideration in its meal choices for hungry Bierfestarians! Once again, the Bierfest menu caters to all tastes, from the succulent eisbeins to healthy vegetarian options and delectable platters.

A smorgasbord of traditional Oktoberfest challenges will be on offer to test your strength and skill. A new feature is the “snuff kanon!” This device with its medieval origins does exactly what its name suggest – it is a cannon that shoots snuff.

Says Mark Robinson, TOPS at SPAR Group Liquor Manager and headline sponsor, “TOPS at SPAR is immensely proud to once again be headline sponsor at the TOPS at SPAR Bierfest. This festival is synonymous with the values of TOPS at SPAR, and visitors can expect to be captivated by the experience from the minute they walk in the venue. TOPS at SPAR are heavily invested in the education of responsible drinking and will be promoting this at the festival.”

The ARA #DrinkSmart Program presented by Redline, Bierfest’s responsible consumption program, offers visitors a number of alternative transport options. Spearheaded by TOPS at SPAR’s groundbreaking mobile phone app DRYVER, with support from Good Fellas, Uber, Redline Breathalysers and JIGUJA detox drink, #DrinkSmart provides Bierfest patrons with a range of safe and affordable choices to drink responsibly and get home safely. Rehydration stations and a Designated Driver Rewards Programme, Good Fellas memberships and preferred rates with SACABS and UBER has seen Bierfest’s #DrinkSmart initiative be officially endorsed by the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (the ARA). Visit www.bierfest.co.za/noregrets for more info.

From the moment you are seated until the moment your tired legs take you home, Bierfest is the one event you will attend this year that will have you longing to be back next year too! Value for money, and every moment an entertainment extravaganza, Bierfest will rock you!

Ticketing Information

Bierfest offers revellers four different ticket options, specially designed to suit everybody’s budget and requirements:

* Ze Braumeister! R906.30 per person. Includes: premium traditional Bavarian Meal, dedicated Fraulein to your table, complimentary premium bar (limited), complimentary can of JIGUJA Detox Drink, VIP reserved seating, premium costume accessories, complimentary 1L Bierfest stein (1 per person), parking, Glamcam photo.

* Ze Brauhaus! Only R450.30 per person. Includes: traditional Bavarian meal, complimentary bar (limited), complimentary can of JIGUJA Detox Drink, costume accessories, Glamcam photo.

* Über Bier Hall Ticket: Only R195 per person includes 1 x 500ml bier, a can of JIGUJA, a dress-up item and more.

* Standard Bier Hall Ticket: only R125 per person includes entrance to the event, along with a complimentary bier tasting.

Individuals, who purchase a table of 12 or more, will stand a chance to win a trip for two to the 2015 Munich Oktoberfest, courtesy of HRG Rennies Travel.

All tickets can be booked through the Bierfest website www.bierfest.co.za or through Bierfest’s Facebook page; SABierfest.

The event is not open to anyone under the age of 18. For more details and bookings, go to www.bierfest.co.za