Oktoberfest Northwest: Where nailing, bagging, and beer drinking meet!

The annual tradition of Oktoberfest found its way, once again, to the Puyallup Fairgrounds.  Along with the schnitzel and the lederhosen, came the best two drinking games ever: Hammerschlagen and Cornhole.  Nothing combines better with drinking beer like throwing and striking, right?

Hammerschlagen is traced back all the way to the early 1800s in Germany.  The game itself was played at the very first Oktoberfest.  Who would have thought that over 200 years later yours truly would be Champion of the Wood? (Oh you know my Mom is proud of that statement!).  Basically the game is played with a stump of wood, a stein full of beer, some nails, and an affinity for using the opposite end of a hammer.  The goal is to get the nail all the way into the wood with the fewest strikes possible.  It is not required to hold your beer while playing.  However, you quickly realize that your opponent's lack of smooth striking could result in unnecessary spillage of said beer.  Therefore, holding your beer, or drinking it quickly, instantly becomes a necessity.  The player that drives the nail in first, wins.

In contrast, Cornhole is a partner game (keep laughing my euphemistic friends).  Some of you might know this as a "bean bag toss" which, let's be honest, just isn't as fun to say.  Two sets of partners stand across from each other and aim to get their bags in the hole.  Points are awarded by getting the bag in the hole (three points) or getting the bag on the board (one point).  The goal is to be the first team to get to 21 points.  Just like Hammerschlagen, drinking isn't required.  But I, to this day, have yet to meet an avid Cornholer that was led to the sport with anything other than beer.  While my champion status didn't carry over into the arena of Cornhole, I did pick up some useful terminology: 
Dirty bag: a bag that is on the board but hanging off enough to touch the floor.
Shucker:  a bag that landed on the board and by doing so, knocked off the opponent's bag.
Hooker: a bag that makes its way around a blocker (a bag blocking the hole) to get in the hole for the point.  

Needless to say, if I could increase the numbers of hookers and shuckers I toss, I would be able to get around the blockers and avoid a dirty bag.  So fellow beer drinkers, don't let Oktoberfest season pass you by.  Get on your lederhosen and bone up on your Cornhole and Hammerschlagen game.  Your own set of euphemisms are just around the corner!