Siegfried & Roy tap first keg at Vegas Oktoberfest

Cheers, Nov-Dec, 2005

Las Vegas illusionists Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn, better known as Siegfried and Roy, heralded the Oktoberfest season last September at the Hofbrauhaus Las Vegas, where they tapped the first keg of Hofbrau Oktoberfestbier. The German natives officially opened the festival at the Bavarianstyle eatery and beer hall on September 17, the same day that the Munich beer festival Oktoberfest began in the Bavarian capital.

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Following a traditional parade through the Hofbrauhaus' beer hall, the honorary Burgermeisters (or mayors) for the evening followed a nearly 200-year festival custom by tapping the first 50-gallon keg. "Last year, Siegfried tapped a keg during the festival, but not during our opening ceremonies. Since he is a regular, coming in every month or so and bringing 10 or 15 friends with him, we asked him to do the opening tapping this year," says Stefan Gastager, president of the restaurant. "And we were so happy to see Roy here as well, walking through the main beer hall with everyone cheering, and then tapping with Siegfried."

The restaurant is a reproduction of the Hofbrauhaus Munchen, replicating the Oktoberfest experience of the original, albeit on a smaller scale. Festival beer is served with Bavarian pretzels, about 10 to 12 inches long, with the accompanying sweet German mustard, radishes and Bavarian cheese. "The pretzels come in to us from Germany by ship, in frozen containers. The journey takes six to eight weeks. Our beer also comes in by ship in 50-gallon kegs," says Gastager. Dishes served at the restaurant included roasted pork shank, roasted chicken, and weiner schnitzel.