The Coolest Cheese-And-Beer Themed Oktoberfest In Town

Oktoberfest with its beers and spaetzle, lebkuchen and pretzels is merry and fun, but here’s a spectacular new way to celebrate this year: the Oktober Cheese Fest, a delicious party over specialty cheeses, wines and craft beers slated on October 4, Wednesday at Enderun Colleges. 

Organized by the Cheese Club of the Philippines, this will be an evening of fun socializing over an exclusive selection of specialty cheeses flown in from the UK just for the occasion, pared with featured wines and craft beers. The two-hour event begins at 6:30 p.m.

Discerning cheese lovers (or the simply curious) will enjoy the experience of discovering hard-to-find cheeses that are not available in local stores—a rare pleasure that can be arranged only by the Cheese Club of the Philippines. You can probably tell from its name that this is a group of cheese aficionados. The Club organizes monthly thematic sessions with featured cheeses flown in from all over the world, carefully curated by cheese master Ron Davis. The cheeses would be paired with a selection of wines, chosen by wine master Eric Kahn. In hibernation during the pandemic, the Club reopened on its 41st anniversary just last September. 

The Club was started in 1982 by JJ Calero, a pillar of the local advertising industry. He wanted to enjoy cheeses from all over the world with friends, especially ones that were not available in the Philippines. They contacted embassies and airlines to see what cheeses could be brought in. The first club sessions featured small, off-the-shelf cheeses from all over the world, the ones that flight attendants could find and bring in. 

From this small beginning, the Club grew so that today its members include some of the most discerning palates in town, and the cheese sessions are superbly-curated collections that include everything from farmhouse unpasteurized cheeses, small batch cheeses, and many local cheeses. The Club partners with importers to source hard-to-find cheeses so it can feature unique, rare cheeses that you will never find on store shelves locally. 

Eric Kahn, who selects the wines to fit the thematic cheeses every session, calls the Club “one of Manila’s best-kept secrets,” explaining that this is one of the few times the Cheese Club has been featured in media in over 12 years. “You would only know of the club if you were invited to join one of the sessions,” he said. 

With many of its members expats, captains of industry, and social celebrities, privacy was a premium. 

But, Kahn says, times have changed, especially after the pandemic. “We knew that coming out of the pandemic, we needed to transform to fit with the times.” And lucky you, they're currently open for new members.

If you're looking to try new cheeses every month, then this club is for you. The membership base is a small community, so you'll probably get to meet the regulars after a few sessions and everyone is approachable. And you already know that you have one interest in common: a love for CHEESE. 

Members get discounted rates for the monthly sessions and of course first dibbs for the event. For more information, visit the Cheese Club of the Philippines's official Facebook page or email secretariat@cheeseclubphilippines.com

Lead photo: Unsplash