Big Chickens, Bratwurst and Germans

It is of course Oktober and the biggest beer festival has kicked off for three great weekends at the Deutsches Haus. For those of you too young to remember, the Haus originally started off on Galvez Street in a two story brick building surrounded by a walled courtyard. Along came the University Medical Complex and the Haus became homeless and was exiled to the likes of the suburbs. Now they are back and although the new Haus is not open until November, Bayou St. John was ready for them this year with a big Oktoberfest under newly lit parking lots.

We decided to join the Haus as members which allows you free entrance into the festival as well as multiple reasons to drink throughout the year because we of course needed more reasons to drink in NOLA. Besides drinking beer, people, and dog watching is our favorite thing to do here because many(dogs and people) dress up in traditional German gear. Of course the food is authentic, great tasting, and quite filling, and pricing is reasonable enough so you can have many helpings. Beer is a plenty and comes at a reduced refill price if you buy one of the souvenir 90 year anniversary mugs and glassware. Music is pretty much a hoot as some of your favorite songs are converted into beer drinking German songs. As the night progresses and darkness sets in, courage comes out in festival goers and widespread dancing covers the area in front of the stage. I am pretty certain imbibing large quantities of beer leads to the thought process that anyone can properly dance to traditional German songs and instantly become experts. Rethinking that theory is only a suggestion. Of course the Haus knows that everyone does not drink beer, so a full spirits bar and wine selection is also available. St. James Cheese company is there as well providing a nice balance to all the alcohol flavors.

With one more weekend to go, grab your favorite Lederhosen from that bottom drawer where your housekeeper will never find it and get your German groove on. Prost!