Key-key punks out at Oktoberfest

Big Sexy, Key-key and I had just finished eating after an hourlong tasting tour at Oktoberfest when Key-key punked out.

Key-key and Big Sexy are my best friends who come down from Maryland each year for Oktoberfest. I left the two them in the Creative Loafing’s Beer’lympic Village so I could go take pictures of the thousands of people sipping beers, playing chess or tossing bean bags.

My phone vibrated.

I opened it to see a picture of Key-key sleeping on the concrete floor. I returned to where I’d left the two to find Key-key was asleep and Big Sexy was sending pictures of her to our friends in Maryland. Oktoberfest partiers took pictures of Key-key as well. I know we’re mean, but she’s a lightweight and we had to clown her. That’s what friends are for.

This year, Oktoberfest had a new home, at Metrolina Expo. Despite being so far from uptown, it was easily accessible. We took a cab to Buckhead Saloon and rode the Loaf’s shuttle to Metrolina Expo. My roomie picked us up at Buckhead after the festival.

I prefer being outside, but since Memorial Stadium had so many restrictions on food and Oktoberfest outgrew NoDa, Metrolina Expo was good a choice. There were plenty of food vendors and bathrooms. The buildings provided shade, and the bay doors created an airy feel. The best part was whenever someone dropped a glass, everyone who heard it shatter yelled, “OOOHHH!”

The only drawback: There wasn’t as much room to move between beer vendors and lines, and the Johnny Cash cover band seemed to play forever.

My favorite beer was La Fin Du Monde, a Belgian ale. My favorite name was R.J. Rockers’ Fish Paralyzer. It tasted pretty good, too.