Theres Only 1 Official GZ Stammtisch and 1 GZ Oktoberfest - ARE YOU READY !

Hello our dear friends hello, it has been while since our last meet and what with the holidays and busy schedules some of us has not had time to catch up, Well here's your chance TONIGHT (Wednesday night) is the official GuangZhou Stammtisch night, held at the American Sportsman's Bar behind the Friendship Store. Be there around 9:00pm ish for a good deal on the German beer as well as others, relax, chat and forget about the weeks stresses and strains.

We Will also be discussing and wanting to know which of you fine gentlemen will be coming to the GZ Oktoberfest as we are going to arrange tickets and a group night, where we can all enjoy much merriment and fill ourselves full on good food.

So I hope to see new and old friends tonight,
With best regards,
The Stammtisch Board.

Stammtisch travel to Shekou

Finally I find a few minutes to write our review about the Stammtisch travel to Shekou as of last week end.
After a two hours bus ride, the crew arrived in the hotel, quickly checked in and was eager to get over the new sea world to the Minghua Ship to the German Löwenburg restaurant, where Christian, the German beer brewer and the rest of the Löwenburg crew was waiting to receive us with fresh brewed German beer and delicious food.

After the first hunger was stilled, we had a tour through the facilities of the restaurant and an introduction to the brewing process. Of course there was a tasting of the fresh beer included, which some of us took rather serious (as you can see).

From then on our path led us to the Terrace bar where we had a great party. Some of us are still in the discussion if we had ordered 4 or 6 bottles of Gin, but fact is (as you can see on the pictures) that we certainly had great fun and the return to the hotel was rather late that night.

As a result, the brunch in the next morning in the Trattoria di Angelo started with a little delay in our schedule but the food, the Grappa and the Lemoncello tasted great and everybody could take the bus home satisfied, with a full belly and looking forward for the next Stammtisch travel.

Suggestions and wishes for our next outing are always welcome, just send them to our email address...

Stammtisch Dress Code

As you know at Stammtisch we have a few rules and dress code is not one of them.... However one eager beer drinker proposed we set a radical dress code for Wednesday nights to distinguish ourselves from 'normal' beer drinkers and make it crystal clear who the real piss-heads are!

Feel free to comment or better still, propose further suggestions (with photos), for a Stammtisch dress code.

Note: Cost of jeans is not subsidised in any way by the Stammtisch Board, however if enough members wish to follow suit we can always look at buying the jeans in bulk and organising a group discount.

Week end tip

Today let’s first of all welcome our first visitor from the Caribbean islands. I am asking myeslf if you guys have a Stammtisch there as well? This one goes out to Castries on St. Lucia. We hope you have a beer while you are reading our blog and once you come to China, don’t miss out on coming to the Stammtisch.
Yesterday we had an interesting discussion about the things that one can do on the week ends in Guangzhou and I promised to post some information about one of our favorite dining out places. So here we go.
The restaurant is called Tairyo and it is a Japanese teppanyaki style restaurant, which means you can have your table around the cooking plate and the cook will prepare the food right in front of your eyes.
The deal in this very special restaurant is that you pay 169 RMB (and if you are going there with the board, we will negotiate that down to 150 RMB because we are frequent visitors of the place) for all you can eat and all you can drink. Yes you read that right – ALL YOU CAN DRINK – and that means beer, sake, wine, short just order whatever you like and as many times as you like. We have been kicked out several times from the place because they wanted to close and we did not want them to close .
Anyway, if your plan is to go there on the weekends, make sure to reserve before you go because it can get quite full in there.
Ok how can you get there? The restaurant is actually just above the Paddy Field, Irish Bar which is just behind the Garden Hotel in the Central Plaza3.rd floor, next to Momo’s Hair salon. Here the address for you:
Tairyo Japanese Restaurant 大渔日本料理店
2/F, Guang Yi Dasha, 34-38 Huale Lu
华乐路34-38号 广怡大厦2楼
8360 1371, 8360 1372
Enjoy the sake and see you there, soon

Our first cutural excursion - Weekend 1.st of June - please contact

Hello all,

This is the announcement of the Stammtisch travel board. We have been trying to organize our first outing this week, but due to the short announcement, there where not enough participants to make it happen. That is why we will postpone our travel to the week end of the 1.st of June. Let us quickly introduce you to our first “cultural” excursion:
- HISTORY
As countless times discussed and requested from you before, we are finally proud and happy to announce our first week end outing. We try to organize our first outing to the "world famous" Loewenburg Brewery in Shekou where the German brewer and Shenzhen's Stammtisch organizer Christian is (not) happy to receive the Guangzhou bunch. It's time to show the SZ Stammtisch how are the real masters of the beer!!! Consider that as a challenge guys!
- WHERE? 
We will travel to Shekou, which is a little city in the south of Shenzhen. There on the New Sea World Place, on the top of the Minghua ship (see photo) there is the Loewenburg Restaurant and Microbrewery. Christian, the German beer brewery of the restaurant, is brewing under the strict eyes of the German purity laws, one of the freshest and best beers, you will be able to find in south China. You can find more information about our excursion goal, the first real German restaurant in the PRD region through the link on the right hand side.

- WHEN?
In order to make it possible for most of us to find the right date, we expect your answer via email with the choice of the following dates:
1. Friday the 1.st of May
2. Saturday the 2.nd of May
- HOW?
Simply by replying via mail to us NOT LATER THEN WEDNESDAY THE 30.st OF APRIL. Let us know when would be best for you (if you can do it on both dates, please let us know as well) so we can by the middle of this week move forward and check for bus and hotel rooms.
- HOW MUCH?
We guess right now that we can get the hotel rooms at 160 RMB / night, the bus transfer should be not more then 60 RMB one way and the rest depends on your drinking and other spending behavior…

Looking forward for your reservations and further questions
The travel board

Dreaming Of The Days To Come

Well folk's I can't seem to get my mind of it at the moment, it will soon be Oktoberfest season, and this is my most favorite season of the year, the sun is shinning down upon my cool beer, the air is crisp and fresh with the smell of gorgeous German food, sausages, beer pretzels, lamb and pork, and there’s dancing and singing till the wee hours of the morning, ahhh the glorious days.
So as a little pick me up I wanted to share with all of the Stammtisch some great pictures, these may bring a smile or even a tear, thinking we still have to wait so long for the Angles to deliver the fest to us, but wait don't despair remember we still have the Stammtish meet every 2nd Wednesday, where you can meet some good old chaps, drink some beer and share some stories.

IN THE BAR - Zài Jiǔbā - 在酒吧

It happens to all of us that, once in a while, we end up in a bar . How often have you been in a bar and went completely frustrated because the waitress did not understand your order and brought you the wrong drink?
For all of you, let me past you some helpful mandarin phrases here (yes I lent them out) so you can learn them and use them for your next time in the “Jiǔbā”:

- Can I have a drinks menu please?
Qǐng gěi wǒ jiǔshuǐdān。
请给我酒水单。
- Sure, here it is…………… Are you ready to order?
Hǎode，gěi nín。…………. Xiànzài yào diǎn ma？
好的，给您。………….现在要点吗？
- Yeah, please can I have a pint of Tiger beer.
Duì，wǒ yào yī dà bēi hǔpái píjiǔ。
对，我要一大杯虎牌啤酒。
- Ok, is there anything else you need?
Hǎode，nín hái yào diǎn shénme？
好的，您还要点什么？
- No, but I was wondering if you have a happy hour?
Bùyòng le，dànshì wǒ xiǎng zhīdao nǐmen zhèlǐ yǒuméiyǒu tèjià shíduàn？
不用了，但是我想知道你们这里有没有特价时段？
- Yes its half price on draft beer before 8pm.
Yǒu，wǎnshang bā diǎn yǐqián shēngpí bànjià 。
有，晚上八点以前生啤半价。
- Carlsberg / Tsingtao / Zhujiang / Budweiser / Guinness
Jiāshìbó / Qīngdǎo / Zhūjiāng / Bǎiwēi / Jiànlìshì
嘉士伯 / 青岛 / 珠江 / 百威 / 健力士
- Red wine / White wine / Vodka / Whiskey / Tequila
Hóngjiǔ / Báijiǔ / Fútèjiā / Wēishìjì / Lóngshélán jiǔ
红酒 / 白酒 / 伏特加 / 威士忌 / 龙舌兰酒
- One bottle / glass / can / half a pint / one dozen
Yī píng / bēi / guàn / xiǎo bēi / yīdá
一瓶 / 杯 / 罐 / 小杯 / 一打

With compliments from your board

THIS wednesday in the Sportsman's American Restaurant - 9.5.2007

After the last weeks closure event in the Guangdong Yingbingguan (Pictures are posted below, soon), the Stammtisch Board has been traveling around for you to find a new venue for our bi weekly gatherings. For now, we found a new home, the Sportsman's American Restaurant. It is located behind the Friendship store / World Trade Center, find the access map and the link to their website here. The deal:
Bottled Qingdao (big one) – 15 RMB
Pint of Carlsberg draught – 15 RMB
Bottle of Erdinger (big one) – 30 RMB

See you all there on Wednesday

Alvedazain to the Guangdong Yin Bingguan

Well folks Monday the 3oth June was the last night of the best self brewed beer in Guangzhou, as the Guangdong Yin Bingguan gave the Stammtisch its last beers. Yes I know I am to still in shock of the news that no longer will we get all the beers you can drink for 50RMB.
So as a tribute to the place we have called Stammtischs home for so long, we held a big last night of celebration and to see if at long last our fearless leader "needs no naming" could finish all the beer in the vats. I would like to thank all of those who turned up and made such a memorable night, with over 30 of the Stammtisch crowed in attendance I am sure there wasn't much beer left for the new owners.
Mr Lee Jiun Fa, the master beer brewer, big boss man and all the staff joined us to give one of the best nights here. I am sure there was a lot of sore heads and late sleepers the next day.

Sorry if you can't see your self on these photo's after all the beers and not being a professional photographer I was a little shaky.

Do Not Dispare

All is not lost and this is by no means the end of the Guangzhou Stammtisch, we are currently deep in search and negotiations with new possible locations, details of which will be sent to you soon.

‘Fearless Leader' Caption Competition

During the search through the photos of the evening I came upon this beauty, and as such we will hold the 1st Caption Competition, email me your captions to rik_vallis (at) gmx (dot) co (dot) uk. The winner will get a money can't buy prize and publication of there caption.

An era ends

An era goes to its end. Totally unexpected, the management of the Guangdong Guesthouse approached us yesterday to tell us the shocking news. The Guesthouse will close its doors. The official version is the pretext of renovation. After asking back a few uneasy question, they finally told us that the place has been sold and the future of it is uncertain. Very certain, after our estimation, is that the 50RMB all you can drink deal discontinued its existence.
With this, an era finishes. The place, in which the Stammtisch was born and existed over a year, will close down (forever?). But closing down the Guangdong Guesthouse, does not mean closing down the Stammtisch. We will go on, celebrating good beer in Guangzhou. In the near future we will send you update information on where the next Stammtisch will be held.
As the Guangdong Guesthouse will close on the 1.5.2007, we shall rock the place one last time on the 30.4.2007. Nobody is excused as on 1.5.2007, there is an official holiday. Pass the word on, bring as many friends as you can. The goal is to finally empty the beer tanks. Bring your dog, Goldfish and girlfriends as well (yes this time women are allowed) and lets all meet in the Guangdong Guesthouse for one last time. Lee Jiun Fa, a.k.a. the resident beer brew master and the whole staff is looking forward to receive us all and serve us Guangzhou’s freshest beer.
Over this sad news, we should not forget a very important fact. With a 100% vote, Rik Vallis made it to the board of the Stammtisch. We welcome Rik and we are looking forward to see his great ideas for more activities in, on and around the Stammtisch realized and to work closely together with him in the future.

T shirts priting

As the Oktoberfest 2007 is approaching, we would like to get your opinion about the 2007 T shirts. Last year we had the 2006 Stammtisch T shirts printed and inaugurated at the 2006 Oktoberfest.
As we hope that the German Chamber will continue the started cooperation with us and give us not only cheap tickets but also premium tables for this years Oktoberfest, we would like to get your ideas, opinions for this years edition of the Stammtisch T shirt. Send us your comments, ideas and let us know if and how many T shirts you would like to have. The targeted deadline for the production of the shirts is the Oktoberfest 2007. Dates and more information about this event will follow soon, so stay tuned…

Schedule changement

Many of you have been asking us to make the Stammtisch again more frequently. On the last Stammtisch, 11. April 2007, we had a vote on it and decided to give it a try and make the Stammtisch bi-weekly. So from now on we can meet every second week.
If this “experiment” proves to be a failure because nobody will be coming, we can reschedule and make it monthly again.
But anyhow we are looking forward to your comments about it and take any further decisions on the schedule from there.

See you all on Friday at the Whiskey Society night in Senses

What is the Stammtisch, where is the Stammtisch, why is the Stammtisch, who is.... FAQ around our beer drinking table

Tuesday, February 13, 2007:
Many people ask us again and again: what is the Stammtisch about? Let us try and explain quickly what it is all about.

- What is it: Following a German tradition, the hard working man in Guangzhou will meet up once a month to gather, network, talk about philosophy, theology and enjoy a damn tasty beer together.
- Time: eight till late
- Dress code: Yes you should come dressed
- Price: 50 RMB
- What you get: All you can drink of the best self brewed beer in Guangzhou
- When: Every second Wednesday in a month (e.g. the next Stammtisch is on the Wednesday, 14 of February 2007, then Wednesday, 14 of March 2007

How to get there: It is in the Guangzhou Guest House, Near the China Hotel in Guangzhou. A link to the hotel in the links section and please find an access map in the picture section

See you all at the Stammtisch

The Board