Thankfully, we arrived early enough that we were spared the lengthy line ups I’d heard so much about so far during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Once inside, it was pretty clear that Holland Heineken House is as slick an operation as Molson Hockey House, which I was fortunate to experience the other day.

From the wide open entry, to the professional cloak room, the popular apparel and demo area to the Heineken smart cards and that amazing mashed potato with sauerkraut and bacon ensemble they were serving (whatever it was called). All very impressive, and all added to the overall “Holland Heineken House” experience.

The Dutch fans that were milling around were all very friendly and seemed genuinely excited that there was a big Canadian gold medal chance race coming up that wasn’t going to feature any orange clad athletes. Then, when the big race came along, there was a real electricity in the place. It was a close one, and my buddy Chris had to put in that little bit extra, support-wise, to get the Canadian team over the line against the USA:

We had a really fun afternoon at the Holland Heineken House and I’m happy to finally have this great venue ticked off on my Olympics to-do list. Check it out if you get the chance, and make sure you grab a serving of that mashed potato stuff – amazing!

Essentially a large tent, painted up to appear like a Bavarian beer hall, the German House is down on Vancouver’s waterfront, wedged in between Waterfront Station and the Steamwork’s Brewery. It reminded me a hell of a lot of my visit to the Oktoberfest in Munich almost 9 years ago with long rows of communal tables and benches; rowdy bands playing funny but entertaining music; lager, and lots of it, flowing freely; and of course plenty of new friends to share some great laughs and good times with.

After lining up for roughly 30 minutes to get in, somehow we managed to score a vacant few spots at one of the tables smack bang in the middle of rabble where we instantly made some new friends left and right including a young German/Canadian girl named Maria (we nicknamed her Heidi – not sure if she liked that or not) and her Dad who absolutely looked the part (see pic below).

There’s been plenty of discussion in the streets as to which of the large tents (Irish House & German House) is the better option for an evening out. I’ve now done both pretty comprehensively, and can say without hesitation that you should throw on your lederhosen, twist your hair into plaits and rock on down to the German House. You won’t regret it!

View the ad in 1080p HD full screen if you get the chance – it’s AWESOME!!

The series of ads, released over a few years are stella – especially the first couple.

Hahn Premium Light – The Spa

Hahn Premium Light – The Pool

Hahn Premium Light – Venice

1. David Boon – “Champion International Cricketer and Human Keg”

Here’s a test. Ask a sports fan “why is David Boon famous?” The odds are more people will tell you about his drinking than his batting. His average was OK -about 40- but he got a half-century even before he got to England in 1989, when he sank 50 cans during the flight. This was the all time record when it was normal for the Australian team to roll off the aircraft in a near paralytic state. On one occasion Rod Marsh needed a wheelchair.

2. Bob Hawke – “Former Australian Prime Minister and Certified Larrikin”

Australia is known for it’s beer drinking, and its most famous drinking record was set by the legendary ex-Australian Prime Minister Robert (Bob) Hawke in 1955. He drank 2.5 pints of beer in 11 seconds at University College, Oxford.