by Jayvee Fernandez

(Left to right foreground): Resorts World Manila (RWM) F&B manager, Mark de Leon; RWM Corporate Communications director, Joee Guilas; Jun Flores of the Philippine Craft Beer Community (PCBC), and PCBC Events organizer Ms. Cherry Genato; together with the the participating local craft beer brewers for RWM’s October Fiesta

Like an old friend, the -BER months are back to welcome us. It’s essentially four months of Christmas peppered with revelry—Oktoberfest, Halloween, semester break for the kids, and of course, we should not forget the build up towards Christmas and the New Year (wow 2020!).

This piece is about the Oktoberfest. It is a month-long celebration of libations, albeit in these modern times, society no longer pours offering for the pagan gods. They pour offerings to other things though. To friends. To family. To success at work. And even to disappointments. Alcohol numbs the pain. But it also elates. Such is its beauty and this is why we celebrate it.

The Philippines is a cultural sponge. It is perhaps a key trait of being an archipelago, divided but united in diversity that we tend to even take in and celebrate what inherently isn’t ours. We celebrate the American Independence Day in July, we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, and then there’s Oktoberfest. Because let’s face it, as a people we love revelry: it’s always drink o’ clock in the Philippines. It took some time, but the local beer scene has been going through a facelift—since last count there are now about 70 local craft brewers around the country.

October Fiesta beer match – Franks Pinoy Hotdogs and local craft beers

In a country that has, by custom, drank foreign beers during Oktoberfest (hello to the Erdingers, Paulaners, and Hoegaardens of the world), it’s about time we let the local craft beer scene shine. Yes, there are about more than 70 breweries each with their own styles and flair:

Crow’s ¡De Puta Madre! Double IPA, made by former Razorback frontman Jose Mari Cuervo is a beer that punches you in the face with hops. For those who like it entry level, Habagat’s Amber ale, which is basically a pale ale that’s brewed using amber malt giving you very balanced caramel and bitter notes. From the Visayas, we have Cebruery’s Big Eye PA Double IPA which is nearly 10 percent ABV but hides all of this behind notes of fruit, with dominant citrus notes. Big Eye sports the Tarsier on the bottle as some of the proceeds of this beer goes to tarsier conservation efforts.

At least 30 craft beer brewers will be featured in October Fiesta including Cebruery, Crows, Pedro, Santiago, Joe’s Brew, and Boondocks

Now here’s the thing: you can try all of these, including 30 other local craft beer brands at Resorts World Manila as they celebrate October Fiesta this Oct. 4 to Oct. 5. These 30 beers will be paired with Pinoy pulutan such as inasal and adobo hotdogs, sisig wraps, and tusok-tusok.

For more details, you can visit rwmanila.com or download their RWM mobile app or check their social media to find more information about these latest offerings.