MANILA, Philippines?In Heaven, there is no beer.

That?s why last Friday, more than 15,000 people flocked to San Miguel Avenue in Mandaluyong City to celebrate the country?s famous brew with the annual Oktoberfest and at the same time set two Guinness world records.

Barricaded with a long line of steel sheets, the whole length of San Miguel Avenue, from the intersections of Lourdes to Julia Vargas Streets, was transformed into a 603.5-meter-long beer bar complete with four concert stages.

This beer bar has toppled the Guinness record for the longest bar (220 meters) held by Taiwan.

First mission accomplished, food and beverage conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) commenced the celebration. Draft beer started to flow?a full month before October?to kick off the prolonged version of the German festival. While the original German beer fest usually lasts 16 days, SMC has mounted a 120-day Oktoberfest.

After the kickoff on Friday, Oktoberfest will be held in different venues in Metro Manila, Cebu and other major cities.

Affie Carpio, San Miguel Beer Pale Pilsen brand manager, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that SMC?s goal for this year?s celebration was to stage the longest and biggest Oktoberfest.

After contacting the Guinness Book of Records and confirming the current records on beer, Carpio said SMC management thought breaking two world records was doable for the grand Sept. 5 celebration.

Kickoff

Aside from having the longest beer bar, last Friday?s Oktoberfest kickoff hoped to bag the world record for gathering the most number of people for a beer toast.

Las Vegas currently holds the Guinness world record for pooling 13,000 guests to raise a glass of beer.

Carpio said Friday?s event had gathered at least 15,000 beer toasters, but a third-party agency has yet to confirm the final count.

Dubbed as ?Siento Bente,? the 120-day beer fest was tailor-made for barkadas (close friends) who get together with a pitcher of beer. This illustrates SMC?s tag line ?samahang walang katulad (friendship that?s one of a kind),? Carpio said.
Largest beer-toasting

?We wanted to communicate that San Miguel is the beer that brings people together. This is the biggest and grandest fiesta ng barkada. This is perfect for us Filipinos,? he added.

Friday?s big event stopped traffic in the Ortigas business center all the way to Edsa, forcing vehicles to take alternate routes.

Starting at 4 p.m. young professionals in the Ortigas area as well as music fans started trooping to the steel-gated venue, with many opting to walk to avoid the heavy traffic.

Between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., the bands started playing to large crowds. Music wafted through the streets and attracted even more people to the concert party.

SMC president Ramon Ang along with Mandaluyong Mayor Benhur Abalos led the beer toasting at 9:30 p.m. as a ceremonial opening of the Oktoberfest.

Gatecrashers

While everyone was invited to be part of history that night, a good number of young people sat on the sidewalk and listened to the concert outside the venue.

Tickets for the event, featuring the alternative rock band Third Eye Blind and 40 other local bands, were sold at P120 apiece, inclusive of two San Miguel Pale Pilsens.

Tight security

Quite a few came hoping to be part of the historic beer-toasting, only to find out that they weren?t getting in for free.

As the hour neared for the foreign act Third Eye Blind to perform, crowds started to get rowdy, jumping into areas designated for the media and sponsors.

People outside the venue also started to force their way in, using hammers to pry open the steel sheets that cordoned off the party area.

Carpio said security for the event was tight and protected the safety of the concert attendees.