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A Wonderful Beery Trip to Copenhagen (incl. Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen!)
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- Written by: Trappist
- Category: Beer Festivals
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Hi,
This is the first guest article ever published here on the BBB.
Written by possibly the best beer enthousiast in the entire world, Jason Baxter.
Actually, this is a copy/paste from the BBB forum.
Enjoy Denmark (Copenhagen) and its beery richnesses. You'll be SURPRISED !!!
Hi everyone,
Well that was some weekend, without a doubt our favourite trip (yet) to Copenhagen.
We stayed as before at the Amundsen Hotel, one of our favourite hotels we’ve stayed anywhere (this is up there with LOFT in Bratislava and The Icon in Prague) it’s so perfectly situated, bars like Mikkeller, Warpigs and Formentor are no more than a 10 minute walk away.
View from Hotel room, Warpigs is just 2 minutes further at the top of the road on the right.
Now beer and bars, with bags dropped off and seeing it was 10pm we just had to walk to Warpigs, this is Mikkeller BBQ bar with American brewery Three Floyds, it’s housed in an old abattoir in the old meat packing area.
We entered a packed bar with every interior seat taken, so Linda stood in line for the bar whilst I had a walk to the bar to see if I could plum lucky…but alas no, so walked back to join Linda.
Then luck of luck, just as I got there a couple gestured they were leaving so quickly and with many thank you”s I took their seats.
Moments later Linda returned with our first drinks, mine a Smoldering Holes BBA (a stunning 11.9% Bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout) I also noticed that she also had a stamp on her hand, this it turns out is a stamp that allows you 25% discount on all beer and food (upon showing them your ticket confirmation).
Beers consumed, more ordered. This time two IPA`s only this time I went to the bar and earned my very own stamp, beers ordered were a Warpigs Big Drunk Baby (9% DIPA) and a Warpigs Lazurites (7%IPA)
Just time for one last beer and for me it was Sky Burial (11.3% Barley Wine) and it was whilst in line that I happed to be stood behind Mr Kees Bubberman (of Kees brewery) and my that guy is huge BUT so welcoming, whilst waiting in line we chatted about the festival (which he had beer at) and also his beers that I’d sampled (and very much enjoyed) so nice to take time out and chat to people.
So with beers consumed we happily made the short journey back to our hotel.
DAY 2
After a wonderful continental breakfast (including a super fresh Danish pastry…or two) we had a leisurely walk into the centre of town and decided to give Tivoli Gardens a visit, this is one of Copenhagens biggest tourist attractions and one we’ve very nearly visited on previous visits and so seeing as we were stood outside the mighty gates 10 minutes before opening we thought why not, also they had just decorated the park in a Hallowe’en theme.
*Tivoli Gardens is the place Walt Disney visited and was so in awe that on his return to America he built Disneyland*
After an enjoyable couple of hours Linda suggested that we visit the Torvehallerne market for some food (and maybe more) so a quick 10 minute taxi ride away and we were there, our first port of call was Tapa Del Toro Spanish Tapas bar…tapas and San Miguel promptly ordered.
Bellies beautifully filled a wonder around the market lead us to the Mikkeller and Friends Bottle Shop stand. Here I picked up some special Mikkeller and Fremont beers (again with 25% discount) more stalls were visited before stopping off at Hallernes Smorrebrod.
A taxi back to our hotel for coffee and to drop off shopping we decided to make the short 5 minute walk to the Mikkeller bar on Viktoriagade.
Ten Hand Darkness (13% Imperial Stout aged in Mead barrel) lovely and warming with a spirits edge.
Mikkeller Night King (8% NEIPA) and Stolen Red Berries (4.5% fruited sour)
As it was getting late we decided to give Warpigs another visit, this time for food.
Warpigs famous BBQ including the burnt end beans I just love
Warpigs Death wings, waaaaay too hot for me….Linda said “yeah they’re spicy” 
Well that’s the first two days taken care of, the festival and our last day to follow.
Day of the festival….however, seeing as we had tickets for the final session (4-8pm) we decided to pay a visit to the colourful and picturesque Nyhavn area of town, a much photographed 17th century waterfront and just a 10 minute taxi ride away.
After a good half hour strolling around the multicoloured townhouses we ventured further afield and set upon visiting the Kastellet area near the harbour to see the little mermaid. A leisurely 15 minutes through the beautiful cobbled backstreets (lined with imposing houses) and we were at the entrance…namely St Albans Church.
This is an open park area and is filled with families, couples (and lots of joggers) many here for one reason….
I’ll have to admit I wasn’t quite sure what to expect size wise, something the next step up from the Manneken Pis maybe? The mermaid however is life size (as life size as a mermaid can be 
)
Whilst walking back to the Nyhavn area we walked past an innocent looking downstairs corner shop so decided to pop in for bottled water and snacks for the festival but ended up buying so much more, it just shows how an innocent looking shop can hold hidden treasures.
Time to head back because it was….FESTIVAL TIME 
Mikkeller had stated that wristbands could be picked up anytime on the day of your session so seeing as it had gone 2pm we decided to visit the festival site and pick them up.
Upon walking through the outside erected tents we found the pick up point and were told we could enter the visitor tents and buy food and beer and wait until the 4pm session (saves us leaving only to return) so with wristbands in place and festival glasses in hand we walked around the food stalls before settling on Johns Hotdog Deli for the most delicious hotdog and a bottle of Mikkeller hot sauce to bring home.
The time was now 3.15PM so best get in line, so just yards away from the barriers we eagerly awaited. Slowly and surely the crowd grew and grew, occasionally people would cut through (these were gold band wearers and brewers) the brewers entering the festival whilst gold band wearers joined their own queue in front of ours - at 3.45pm they were let in (to much cheering) nearly our time.
4pm and the festival opened for its 4th and final session - inside is a large one room building with the brewers and stalls housed in the centre at 4 large islands.
Surrounding the stalls were long tables and benches so finding a seat was never a problem (you could also sit outside)
Time for my first festival beer and seeing as we were close to Fremont I decided to give them a try, they only had the one beer for this session but the line of people eager to try suggested it was something special….and it was.
Fremont #4000 12.7% Barley Wine - everything a Barley Wine should be, sweet (but not overly so) with loads of boiled toffees, raisin, rich malts, bitter almost resinous finish.
Linda’s first was a raspberry and cherry fruited sour - tasted amazing, loads of fresh berries with a tart berry sharpness.
Tastings are only 5cl and mostly from tap but this makes serving quick efficient, so even the longest queues are no problem (also allows you to sample more beers 
)
On with beer No2 and I decided to go lower ABV and try something blonde so again picked a brewery I’d never tried before, this time Crooked Moon from Denmark and their Death by Pineapple (6% Pineapple IPA) my this was pure pineapple juice in a glass…heavenly stuff.
Next beer, and there was one brewery that I was very eager to try and that was Voodoo from Pennsylvania a brewery famous for their ManBearPig beer (a barrel aged Imperial Stout that sells for over $500) so a barrel aged Imperial Stout it had to be.
Voodoo Hot Garbage - Barrel Aged Series (12.4% Imperial Stout aged for 26 months in Cognac barrels) one word….STUNNING.
Whilst enjoying my Voodoo we got chatting to a bloke from Wisconsin, talking about the festival and BEER we both said what beers we were having and he was sampling something I’d never had before, a Mead.
He said it was from Superstition and more than that it was from their Berry White series, a super limited release of berry flavoured Meads with the white part being white chocolate with a different berry being used, the one he was trying was Blue Berry White. He also said just how difficult these “beers” are to come by (even in the States) and that they sell for $80+ a bottle…..I know what my next sample is.
Blue Berry White (13.5% Blueberry and White Chocolate Mead) my this was sweet, but the blueberry sharpness cut through and the white chocolate on the finish was mind blowing.
Now I love Nirvana, so a beer based around their groundbreaking album Nevermind was my next obvious choice.
Mikerphone Smells Like Birthday Suit Spirit (14.8% Imperial Stout aged for 13 months in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels) bourbon, whiskey, cocoa, leather, tobacco….total Nirvana.
Many more beers were consumed but I’ll post just a couple more, mine was from Great Notion - Sasquatch Tracks (11.2% Almond, Chocolate, Vanilla and Marshmallow Imperial Stout) this was just divine, easily one of the best smelling (and tasting) beers of our whole trip. One last from Linda and we couldn’t leave without trying a Belgian Tripel - from Sweden Eskilstuna Tripel (8% Belgian Tripel) absolutely bang on Tripel, full of that yeasty, spicy, citrus we know and love.
So there you have it, our first visit to MBCC and what a visit. So many special beers sampled at a perfectly executed beer festival…loads of room to walk around, plenty of seating, friendly people attending who were happy to sit down and chat beer, warm and welcoming brewers.
We’re both still in awe and delighted that the festival lived up to our high expectations, a festival we will no doubt be revisiting.
Our final day …
Okay everyone, it’s our 4th and final day in Copenhagen…
Seeing as this was our final full day we chose to take a walk to the Frederiksberg part of town, a residential area full of quaint town houses, local shops, and indeed locals.
It was whilst walking along the Main Street that we stumbled across a nice looking bar, a German themed establishment called The Berlin Bar - so thought why not.
Upon entering you are greeted with many advertising plaques, colourfully decorated with German beers and slogans on all walls and ceiling of the long one room bar.
Just inside the door is an area filled with tall bar stools, these were occupied by locals who smiled and said hello. A young barmaid asked if we’d like a seat so chose a table at the rear of the bar.
A nice bottle list containing around 60 beers plus beers from tap, we chose our first two bottles plus some Bierwurst to nibble on.
Riegele Speziator Dunkel - rich and biscuity with loads of dark breads malts and for Linda Schneider Weisse Tap 07 - loads of banana and clove spicing.
We decided upon one more each before making our move so chose two stunners…
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and Weihenstephaner Vitus, two iconic German heavyweights.
The young girl behind the bar was most chatty and whilst Linda was on the phone to the kids we talked about different styles of beer and how she is still learning but very much enjoying tasting new beers. It just shows how a mutual love of beer can start friendly conversations 
Having very much enjoyed our past hour at the Berlin Bar Linda decided we visit somewhere special.
BRUS is the home of To Øl beer, a modern yet stylish Danish style bar that houses a bar, brewery, barrel ageing facilty, restaurant and shop.
First two beers fresh from tap - Himbeere (5.1% raspberry sour) and 11th Anniversary (11% West Coast IPA) Linda’s raspberry sour was just as described, full of tart juicy raspberries and my 11th Anniversary also delivered on the pine needle, bitter hopiness.
I just had to have a wonder around the shop, it’s filled with many fridges crammed with cans and bottles, also a merchandise section where you can buy t-shirts, glasses, bags etc and shelves filled with even more beer.
The guy behind the counter also came from Manchester so we had a great chat, he also explained that they were still brewing but because the bar had been closeded due to Covid they had a large backup of cans so certain one were half price, also if I bought 6 I would get a further 10% discount…cans and a t-shirt rightfully purchased
Time to order some more beer and some food.
Impossible Reason - 11.3% Imperial Stout brewed with chocolate, vanilla and habanero chilli…Just as described, liquid chocolate with a sweet note and a warming burn on the finish.
Food and we had to order BRUS’s famous fermented fries, yes the fries are fermented for 9 days then doubled fried and coated in Lovage powder and black pepper mayo and a side of Korean chicken wings….absolutely delicious.
Time for one last beer each so I had to go for the “special one” on the menu - Brewtrance, a colab with Omnipollo, it’s a 12.9% Bourbon barrel aged Double Oat Milk Stout with marshmallow, coconut, vanilla and salted caramel….I don’t have to explain just how good it was.
Linda picked a #7 DIPA - 8% Hazy DIPA…..that was super hazy and super tasty, so good I bought a can to bring home.
Time to head back to our hotel and do some packing, we have an early flight in the morning.
Precious bottles and cans (and glasses) carefully packed we headed out ...I’m sure we can squeeze one last bar in before calling it a day, there could be only one.
It was amazing now the festival was over just how less packed it was, no queue at the bar or food counter, yes it was busy but it wasn’t rammed.
BBQ beef rib, pulled pork and those ever delicious burnt end beans 
Linda also surprised me yet again, sneaking off to the bar and returning with a bagful of barrel aged Warpigs beers, she really is special.
It was whilst looking at these beers that we noticed sitting on the next table were the guys from the brewery that had collaborated on one of the bottles, the guys were from Seven Island brewery from Greece, they saw me looking at the bottle and invited us over.
What a nice group of people, we sat and talked for a good 30 minutes. Before leaving they started following me on Instagram and also signed our bottle, truly the perfect ending to our trip to Copenhagen.
So there you have it, 4 wonderful days in Copenhagen. Without any shadow of a doubt the best trip yet, it will live on in our memories forever.
So one last pic….beer haul 
Cheers to you all…well Jubel
Jay.
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