Danish craft beer and homebrew beat Danish pastry

June 15, 9:06 AMBeer ExaminerCharlie Papazian

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Tasting beers in Copenhagen. All photos by Charlie Papazian

In all my time in Denmark never once did I encounter a Danish pastry that approached the quality of the beers made by Danish craft brewers.  My experience at the Danish Copenhagen Beer Festival was a compressed digest of what was spectacularly happening in the Danish beer scene.  Here’s a whirlwind summary of a few more encounters.

During our first hours in Copenhagen we roamed the streets in search of beer finds.  Stopping in at the Brewpub at Vestergade 29 we sample:

• Vesta Weisse  - fruity/banana / smoky. Malt predominates and hops glisten. No clove, which makes it more pleasant for me
• Amarillo Red Ale – Best beer so far – a shot of hop flavor with backbone of caramel malt; great balance; hop bite is pleasant and smooth; Amarillo not overdone
• William Wallace Scottish Ale – On the bitter side for a Scottishale, but nice subtle smooth smoke; hop accented
• Cole Porter – smooth with black malt bite of acidity, astringency and hints of cocoa
• Atlantic IPA – Our favorite with dinner.  A wonderful hop and malt aroma; fruity, floral; mild bitterness but signature hop character; goes down in a flash. Quenching and refreshing.

At the Copenhagen Beer Festival

I learn Wintercoat Brewery offers ESB at 6.1%, Oatmeal stout at 5.4%, India Gold at 6.3%, Bushwhacker American Ale at 5.8%, Cockney Imperial Stout  at 8%, More Please  session beer at 4% and Double Hop at 8.2%.

Bøgedal in Vejle, claims to be the “only” all gravity Scandanavian brewery.  That means gravity moves all the beer – no pumps.  They boast that they don’t brew to styles such as IPA, bock barley wine, monastery brew.  It’s all about local beers and local flavor.

Brouwerij de Molen, a Dutch Brewer offers me a powerful sample of Black Damnation 13% 

Mikkel Borg Bjergsø is the owner and brewer of Mikkeller Brewing Company.  He doesn’t have a brewery.  Mikkel collaborates with breweries in Denmark, Scotland (BrewDog), Belgium (DeStreuse) the United States (Stone Brewing and Port/Lost Abbey) and other parts of the world.  His beers are knock-your-socks-off terrific.  I went back for the refreshing version of his American hopped IPA

Midtfyns Bryghus is a small brewery with an American brewmaster brewing spectacular beers.  We walk away with a bottle of Chili Tripel for savoring at home.

Cornwall brewery St. Austell Brewery established in 1851 is handpumping well kept real ale.  I’m blown away by the surprisingly American hopped Proper Job at 4.5%.  They proclaim “powerfully hopped” with Chinook, Willamette and Cascade all American grown hops.  One of the best real ales I’ve had in quite some time.

Danish homebrewers were at the festival in full force.  As volunteers, brewers and competitors.  The Danish National Homebrew Competition was judged and winners announced.  I encountered one happy couple who won a gold for their Imperial Stout brewed with coffee, cocoa and my original “Cry Havoc” yeast now offered by White Labs.  

It was a short three days and four nights in Copenhagen.  The beer scene is vibrant and if your desire is to get pleasantly saturated with the culture and flavors of Danish beer culture, the Copenhagen Beer Festival is your best introduction, held every year in or about mid-May.

Also see

Denmark brewers excel – beer drinkers celebrate

Carlsberg brews beer using hops with history

A taste of Scandinavian beer and brewing