The Snowy Road to Brussels

The plan for our journey to Brussels was that we were going to get off the train at Roosendaal to attend the Kerstbierfestival in Essen. After a wonderful time drinking Christmas beers, we would get back on the train to continue our journey to the European capital. I was particularly proud of this plan.

We woke up Saturday morning still believing our plan was doable despite the weather. Before we parted the night before, Ferdinand advised us to get to the train station as early as possible. We took this advice to heart and were at Amsterdam Centraal two hours before the departure of the train we intended to take.

Apparently trains don't like snow...

Chaos reigned at the station. Due to canceled flights and trains, the massive station was jammed with travelers. Not realizing how bad it was, I had put off buying tickets to Brussels until we got to the station. Pulling queuing ticket #294, we were shocked to see that they were only on #190. Luckily, there were computer terminals where we could buy tickets online.

Tickets in hand, we were up on the platform 50 minutes before our train. The previous Brussels train was late. Announcements stated that trains were being canceled and the ones that ran would take longer. The longer the delay, the larger the crowd grew on the platform. About forty five minutes into our wait, I was getting nervous about the plan. I said to Merideth, “once we get on a train, I think we should take it all the way to Brussels and  pass on the Kerstbierfestival…” It was a hard decision, but Merideth agreed.

The train finally arrived. As it was pulling into the station, an announcement was made. There was a track change! Joining hundreds of other travelers, Merideth and I lugged our bags back down the stairs and up the stairs to the new platform and the waiting train. We found two fold down seats in the compartment by the doors and settled in for the journey to Brussels. For almost four hours, we were packed like sardines in the frigid compartment. But we did make it to Brussels.

Festive Brussels...

It was late afternoon when we checked into our hotel and were finally ready to hit the town. We really needed a beer but had some time before the restaurant where we were having dinner opened. My bright idea was to head down to Cafe Delerium.

When I said we needed a beer, I meant a quiet and relaxing beer to help sooth our stressful day of travel. Admittedly, we have only been to Delerium once, but I don’t remember it being a frat party. Literally as Merideth and I walked in, “We Will Rock You” by Queen blasted from the speakers as the numerous revelers screamed the lyrics at the top of their lungs and pounded the table at appropriate moments. We reversed course.

Being close by, we tried Bon Vieux Temps next. Walking down the narrow alley, there was a couple in front of us. They opened the front door of Bon Vieux Temps, looked in, scoffed and walked away. I assumed the issue was overcrowding but as long as the customers weren’t screaming and pounding rock anthems, I was OK with it to get a beer. Opening the door, we were blocked by a wall of cigarette smoke. It was reminiscent of the Irish pubs we visited before the smoking ban. Repeating the actions of the previous couple, Merideth and I scoffed and left.

Well worth the wait...

Giving up on the the idea of a pre-dinner beer, we decided to head over to In t’ Spinnekopke and wait for them to open. Famous for their beer cuisine, we tried to eat there on our day trip from Paris in 2004. Unfortunately, we needed to return to Paris before they opened.

This time, we were the very first customers and were sat at a table at the back of the restaurant. The tiny U-shaped restaurant exuded charm. Complete with tiled floors and red checked table cloths, it looked and felt old, but in a cozy and inviting way. Beer signs adorned the walls in a spartan, dignified fashion.

My favorite Rochefort...

Gazing at our menus, we were confronted with the reality of being in a French speaking country, neither of our favorite language. I think I have said this before but French sounds like to me the teachers on Peanuts, “wah, wuh, wah…” But I am sure I dazzled our waiter as I flawlessly ordered my first beer, “Roash-fore Huh-weet” (‘Rochefort 8’ for those who don’t speak French good like I do). Admittedly, I did almost follow that up with “por favor.”

hmmm.... pork...

But we were mostly at Spinnekopke for the cuisine à la bière, or at least I was. Merideth surprised both myself and the waiter when she only ordered the croquettes. In her defense, she was getting a cold which was killing her appetite. And she really likes croquettes. Since, we were in Brussels, I eyed the moules for a moment. But the 23 Euro price tag and the fact that I have had bad luck with mussels in Europe, shied me away. I ended up having the delightfully tasty pork with a Carolus sauce, possibly my favorite meal of the trip.

Kriek sorbet in the foreground, Maredsous sorbet in the background

It was time for dessert. Merideth and I scanned the dessert menu focusing on anything that said ‘chocolat.’ Suddenly, Merideth saw the beer sorbets, Kriek and Maredsous were on the menu that night. I ordered the Kriek sorbet while Merideth ordered the Maredsous. When they arrived, we swapped one scoop. The Maredsous was really good, the sweet maltiness made a nice dessert. But the Kriek sorbet was absolute heaven especially when paired with the Oud Beersel Oude Kriek.

Over dinner, we made our second big decision of the day. The plan for the following day had been to visit a brewery or two in our continued quest to reach 600 by the end of the year. However, we decided to put that goal on the back burner and take the train back out to Essen for the Kerstbierfestival.

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A Snowy Dutch Beer Tour

We awoke on our last day in Amsterdam to see the city covered in a nice blanket of snow. Living on the snow-free central California coast, we would normally be very excited for the opportunity to play in the fluffy white stuff, but on this morning, we were a bit worried. We were headed outside of Amsterdam to visit a couple of breweries and the weather was wreaking a bit of havoc with the trains.

Snowy Bodegraven

We met Ferdinand at Amsterdam’s Central Station for the journey to Bodegraven, the home of Brouwerij De Molen (the Mill). The trains were a bit crazy and we had to use an alternate route. Luckily, we had Ferdinand with us and we made it to Bodegraven without too many delays. Pulling into the station, our excitement level rose as we could see the windmill a short distance away on the other side of the village.

Bodegraven was a winter wonderland as we walked through the town to get to the brewery. Kids played in the streets, throwing snowballs at each other. Meanwhile mothers out shopping towed their wee-ones and groceries on tiny sleds. We walked in the front door of the restaurant within a few minutes of leaving the train station.

All breweries should have windmills to make them easier to find...

In our time at De Molen, besides the occasional customer stocking up in the bottle shop, we were literally the only three people in the restaurant. A few staff were setting up for a 70 person beer dinner that evening in the main room, so they sat us in the the front room with a view of the main street leading to the brewery. In the cozy, warm room, we settled in for a leisurely lunch and beers.

Merideth enjoying Piek & Ballen

I was excited beyond belief to be at De Molen. One of my high-anticipation breweries of the trip, I didn’t leave disappointed. There were six beers to try. Beginning with Vuur & Vlam, a brew that I had already fallen in love with. We moved on to two different Double IPAs and then a smoked beer, Zak & As (Sackcloth & Ashes).

Despite most of the beers being out of her comfort zone, Merideth did enjoy the first double IPAs and the fifth brew, the winter seasonal Piek & Ballen (‘piek’ is a Christmas tree topper and ‘ballen’ refers to ball ornaments). The final beer was the Bourbon barrel aged Bommen & Granaten (Bombs & Grenades). Already a massive Barleywine at 15% ABV, the barrel-aging gave it quite the kick.

Cycling in the snow, a Dutch past time

The afternoon’s entertainment was provided by our by perfect view of the main road as it curved in front of the brewery. We watched with much amusement as bikes, scooters, motorcycles, cars and trucks tried to negotiate the snowy bend in the road. Some entered the curve with utmost confidence, while others looked like they would be better off if they closed their eyes. We stopped laughing after a car locked up it’s wheels and slowly slid into a street sign and sandwich board outside the window. No one was hurt, the car and signs weren’t even damaged. But we quickly imagined what would happen if that was a large truck.

Despite completely enjoying ourselves at De Molen, we had to head back to Amsterdam at some point. We settled our bill, departed our toasty sanctuary and headed back out into the snow for the walk back to train station.

Haarlem was quite beautiful on a winter night

Ferdinand had lined up one more brewery visit on the way back to Amsterdam. Getting off the train in the Haarlem, a city 20km from the Dutch capital, it was a 15 minute walk from the train station, which seemed long as we negotiated the icy streets to Jopen. We walked into a bustling brewpub with a number of large groups enjoying a few beers on a Friday night. Clearly, Jopen was the new, hip place to hang out in Haarlem.

The view from the balcony...

Housed in a converted church, Jopen was one of the most impressive brewpubs we have ever seen. Shiny metal, stainless and copper, was everywhere. The main level housed the brewery, bar and main dining area. The copper clad brew kit sat in front of high church windows that dominated the room. A balcony level overlooks all the action below. Merideth’s favorite feature were the tapestries on the underside of the balcony, most likely there as a sound dampener.

All bright and shiny...

On a recommendation of a friend, I began with Koyt, which turned out to be a Gruit. Not a huge Gruit-head, I could at least appreciate it as a well-crafted brew. Merideth began with the Gerstebier, a 4% ABV Blonde. Once I finished the Gruit, I returned to a beer I had the previous evening at Arendsnest, Jopen Hoppen. Their flagship brew, I just liked saying the name… Yo-pin Ho-pin. With a  light body and a nice hop bite, the Hoppen packs a punch at 6.8% ABV.

I hope there is beer in those...

Counting Jopen on the List was critical in achieving our goal of reaching 600 breweries by the end of the year. At this point of the trip with only a few breweries left on our target list, we had very little wiggle room. But there was one problem. The Jopen brewpub was brand new, being only open for a month. Until the in-house brewery was operational, the Jopen brews were still being brewed under contract. To count on the List, we need to try beer brewed on premise; even if it was just a sample out of the fermenter.

Late in our stay, we were joined by one of the brewers, Roel Wagemans. We unfortunately learned that they were still working out the kinks in the brewery and that the first batch was still still a week or two away. We’ll just have to make another trip to Haarlem on our next visit to Amsterdam.

[As a complete aside, Roel spent four years in Australia so he spoke English with an Aussie accent. An Aussie accent on a Aussie is strange enough… I kept having to shake my head to make sure I wasn’t having flashbacks from last December…]

Ferdinand had one more stop for us in Haarlem. We stopped at his friend’s, Atze and Willemijn, flat for dinner and  a few beers. The home-cooked meal and the hospitality were greatly appreciated. But I think we were a little preoccupied by thoughts of getting to Brussels the following day.

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Love the ‘Dam

It was with a bit of relief when our SAS flight from Copenhagen touched down in Amsterdam. We got out of Denmark just before a big storm hit and I don’t think we could have afforded (literally) to be stuck there for another day or two.

Our second visit to Amsterdam

We were also very excited to be in the Dutch capital. Our previous visit in December 2008, we were in the city less than 24 hours. There for a Flogging Molly show, we hurriedly squeezed in our beer stuff, two breweries and two beer bars, into the short amount of time we had before the show. This trip, we were looking forward to a leisurely two plus days to explore.

A few feet from our hotel...

Leisurely means having our hotel a few doors down from the legendary In de Wildeman Bier Café. After checking into our room late afternoon, we walked out our hotel door and into the bar without bothering to bundle up. Our plan was for a few beers, maybe  a game of scrabble and then leave to get some dinner.

In de Wildeman was packed. Castle Rock Brewery, brewer of the Champion Beer of Britain at this year’s Great British Beer Festival, had three beers on cask. The numerous patrons were holding imperial pint glasses instead of fancy Belgian beer-branded stemware. We squeezed a space at the bar and ordered our first beers. I went with Castle Rock’s Black Gold while Merideth ordered La Trappe (Koningshoeven) Witte.

The happy beer travelers at In de Wildeman

As they often do, our well-laid plans soon went awry. After a round or two of Christmas beers, we were able to secure a large table. We were quickly joined by five or six locals who became curious by our frequent videotaping. A conversation started and we soon learned they worked for an alcohol distributorship and were on their monthly (maybe quarterly) outing on the town. They have a game where each beer had to be higher than the previous in ABV. We semi joined the game. If you break the rules, the others choose the punishment. We tried to make the punishment that the offender had to buy us a beer. I’m not sure that worked, though.

For the next four hours, we had a great time with our new Dutch friends. Luckily, the game included a short dinner break. I did somewhat cheat following a 10% ABV Gouden Carolus X-mas with Castle Rock’s 3.8% ABV Harvest Pale. But it was the Champion Beer of Britain so I had to have a pint.

The yeasty bits of Orval served in a apéritif glass

Our Dutch hosts introduced us to Gerookte Osseworst, a raw beef sausage. We’re not beef eaters, but we found it hard to turn down this local delicacy when offered. This version was slightly smoked (gerookte). It was quite good, tasting like a soft salami.

Also a first for us at In de Wildeman was the way in which Orval and other sedimented beers were served. They poured the beer clear in its serving glass and then emptied the yeasty bottom into a apéritif glass.

Our new friends finally called it a night and that was our signal that maybe we should pack it in too. After a short stroll through the red light district, we returned to our hotel room to rest up for our first full day in Amsterdam.

The following morning was cold, damp, rainy and a bit miserable. The worst weather for beer travelers who like to rely on their feet as the primary mode of transportation. All we could hope was that the rain would finally turn to snow. The beer stops on our day’s itinerary didn’t open until later in the afternoon, so we played regular tourists for the early part of the day.

The rainy view from the Amsterdam library

We learned about the  Amsterdam library from one of our new Dutch friends the previous night. He told us that there was a cafe on the top level with a good view of the city. Boy was he right! Even with the low hanging clouds, the panoramic views over the whole city were spectacular. And the cafe’s food court was excellent and pretty inexpensive. Well, everything seemed inexpensive after Copenhagen.

After a visit to the highly recommended Resistance Museum, we were ready to begin our beer portion of the day.

De Prael's Willike, a Triple

Brouwerij de Prael’s beer bar was located on the edge of the red light district around the corner from the the brewery and bottle shop (thanks to the bottle shop employee for showing us where it was). Pushing 3pm, Merideth and I needed that first beer to ward of the chills from walking in the rain all day. I began with the Willike, their Belgian-style Triple while Merideth first beer was the Heintje.

It was nice to finally to be back indoors, sitting down relaxing with a beer. As we sipped our second beers, Merideth had an Agent Kujan moment from the Usual Suspects when he is piecing together the tale Verbal Kint had weaved.

The main decor of De Prael's bar

Decorating a good portion of the bar were albums, really cheesy looking albums. Merideth’s brilliant and correct observation was that the beer names were the same as the names on the album covers; Heinjte, André, Corry, Johnny, Nelis, Willy, Mary… De Prael’s beers were all named after Amsterdam pop stars.

Feeling quite proud of ourselves, we left De Prael and walked Amsterdam’s now snowy streets back towards our hotel. After a quick pit stop in our hotel room and a quick beer at In de Wildeman, we were off for our evenings entertainment.

The copper shines at Arendsnest

Café ‘t Arendsnest was a five minute walk from our base. The home of Dutch beer was pretty much how I remembered it, endless gleaming, shiny copper. But this time it was nicely decorated for the holidays. We met our Dutch friend and fellow Flogging Molly fan Ferdinand who was going to be our guide for the evening and following day. They had just opened so it was easy to find a seat at the end of the bar.

De Molen's Black Damnation

Over a few rounds at Arendsnest, we caught up with Ferdinand who we hadn’t seen since Wolfie’s birthday party in July 2009. Even though we were visiting the brewery the following day, I opted for De Molen’s Vuur & Vlam (Fire & Flame), a beer I had the previous night at In de Wildeman (it’s that good). Merideth went with the SNAB Pale Ale, an American-style Pale Ale from a Dutch brewing collective. My last beer was De Molen’s Black Damnation, a blend of their Hel & Verdoemenis (Hell & Damnation) and De Struise’s Black Albert. A powerful brew at 13%, it reminded me a lot of Black Albert, having never tried Hel & Verdoemenis.

Westlveteren 8 at Gollem's Proeflokaal

We finished our first full day in Amsterdam at Cafe Gollem #3, also known at Gollem’s Proeflokaal. Thankfully, we had Ferdinand there to guide us on the 20 minute walk from Arendsnest. The not-so-huge bar was packed with a younger set out on a Thursday night. To our delight, we did manage to get a seat at the bar.

My eyes widened like a kid in candy store when I saw, amongst their well-stocked Trappist bottle list, they had Westlveteren 8 and 12. Ignoring the 12 Euro price tag, I eagerly ordered the 8 (They must be prized even in Amsterdam because the bartender hands you the bottle cap). Merideth started with the Kasteel on draft.

Merideth enjoying her fondue at Gollem's Proeflokaal

Since we really hadn’t eaten since our first stop at the library, we needed some food. Merideth ordered fondue which was good despite oddly coming with celery. Ferdinand explained that celery is a good cheese scooping food item. Feeling a bit douchey, I went for a beer-food pairing moment. To go with my Westvleteren 8, I ordered Vlaamese stoverij, a Flemish beef stew. Again, not a beef eater, I felt of my meal choices, this was a menu item for my beer.

After a Boon Gueuze nightcap, Ferdinand led us back to our hotel. On the way, he showed us the original, now ‘temporarily’ closed, Café Gollem. We also passed the bottle shop landmarks Cracked Kettle and Bier Konig. Unfortunately, both closed were for the day (so much for bringing back some Westy).

The taps at Beer Temple

Curiosity even had us checking out Beer Temple, Arendsnest’s sister and the American beer bar in Amsterdam. Despite there being a ton of American beers we don’t get in California, we wisely surmised we’d had enough beer for the day. After marveling the beer list and snapping a few photos, we continued our journey back to our hotel. Tomorrow we’d do it all again.

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We Blame Mikkeller Bar

Needless to say, the morning after our night at the Mikkeller Bar in Copenhagen was probably the roughest of the whole trip. The day before, we had great plans for our second day, doing all the touristy things available to visitors of Copenhagen. Unfortunately, we got a late start. We blame the Mikkeller Bar.

The Carlsberg elephants

We did manage to figure out the trains and even survived the short ride out to visit the Jacobsen Brewhouse at the Carlsberg Visitor’s Center. When we got off the train, a large building with ‘Carlsberg’ on it was readily visible and just a few blocks away. “Cool! That was easy,” we thought. Well, the Carlsberg compound is a large place and while we were close to the visitor’s center as the crow flies, to get there we had to go all the way around. Other people seemed to be having an equally challenging time finding it. We did see the humongous elephants along the way, though, which I admit was pretty cool.

The Jacobsen line of brews...

After a frustrating 45 minutes, we finally found it. (We discovered later that by approaching the complex from Valby Langgade by bus, signs clearly mark the 5-minute walk to the center.) The Jacobsen Brewhouse is a line of beers that Carlsberg says are an “expression of our ambitious plans for the development and marketing of uncompromising specialty beers and serves as a living embodiment of Carlsberg’s cultural history.” The brewhouse is located in the heart of the visitor’s center.

Jacobsen's Saaz Blonde

Seeing that we got a late start and it took so long for us to find the place, we only had time to try one beer, the Saaz Blonde. Chris thought the beer was on the sweet side, more like a Belgian Blonde. I found it reasonably acceptable. We added Jacobsen to The List and headed back out. (In hind sight, we should have added Carlsberg as well because it’s brewed on the premises on a separate system. However, we didn’t have a Carlsberg while there, so we can’t count it on The List now.)

The scenery on our walk...

We decided that a long walk from the Carlsberg Visitor’s Center/Jacobsen Brewhouse to the next brewery, Nørrebro, would clear the cobwebs out of our  Mikkeller Bar head. So, an hour later, we arrived there ready for more beer and a spot of lunch. Chris had decided before we left that he would try herring, a Danish delicacy. At Nørrebro he had his chance – and took it.

Nørrebro's IKEA-like decor

Nørrebro is set-up on two floors with a keller-like drinking space and brewery downstairs and a dining room upstairs. The dining room is furnished in classic Danish furniture that Chris thought looked like an Ikea catalog. We were lucky enough to be seated at a table with a clear view down into the brewery. Though the only action happening down there was cleaning.

Among the beers we tried were the Çeske Böhmer, a Czech Pilsner, and a high alcohol (imperial?) porter conditioned in Cabernet barrels. To go with his trio of herring, Chris drank the Bombay Pale Ale, an IPA.

Chris' yummy herring lunch...

For his herring adventure, Chris tried the first style on his plate, which was in some sort of white, creamy sauce. Taking a small bite, he made a face and remarked that it was “very fishy” and “a weird texture.” He moved on to the second style, red herring served with capers. He managed more or less with that one until he took too big of a bite. He very nearly threw up on the table and thereafter lost the stomach to try the third style, which was pan fried. I gotta hand it to him, he gave it a go. He’s definitely braver than me! The decent-length walk back to the hotel, helped Chris regain his composure and feel better.

After a short break at the hotel, Chris and I ventured to our next brewery. We took this visit with a grain of salt because all the reviews clearly stated that Færgekroen Bryghus (located inside Tivoli) was not worth visiting. However, we like to try places for ourselves rather than completely depend on the reviews of others. Plus, we’re what Evan Rail calls “completists.” We must make every effort to get to every brewery in the area. It was unfathomable to pass on a brewery so near our hotel just because of poor reviews.

Smiling Merideth is quite the professional...

So we paid our entrance fee to Tivoli and wandered through the theme restaurants, candy kiosks, and trinket shops to find Færgekroen on the far side of the park. The restaurant is located by the side of a lake and the deck where we sat (covered and heated for the winter) offered a nice view of the sparkling Christmas lights. We ate a quick bite and tried their Blonde. The place was full and the service good. Færgekroen was added to The List and we left for one last visit to the Mikkeller Bar.

Thankfully a quiet evening at the Mikkeller Bar

Except for a going away party in the corner, the Mikkeller Bar was not as busy as the night before, which bode well for us to actually make a short night of it. Jannik had hoped to get a Mikkeller beer on that had been conditioned in Cognac barrels. Unfortunately, the bartender relayed a message from Jannik apologizing that he was unable to access the warehouse to get it. I thought it was incredibly hospitable that Jannik made the effort and even remembered to get the message to us.

Our second go at the Mikkeller Bar was actually as short a visit as we intended it to be. We had tried most of the beers the night before, so we tried a few others and called it a night. Next stop: Amsterdam.

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The Lengths We’ll Go…

Sometimes even I’m surprised at the lengths we’ll go to get a brewery added to The List. But with a goal of hitting brewery #600 well within sight, every effort to make additions had to be made on this trip. Our excursion further north to Denmark was one of those extra efforts.

Chilly Copenhagen

People have suggested to us for a while that we try Danish beer, so Chris decided to tag it onto this year’s European Christmas vacation. But come on, who goes to Denmark in December? It’s colder than a witch’s you know what, it gets dark early and it’s guaranteed to clean out your wallet. So again, who goes to Denmark in December? Well, we do.

We arrived in Copenhagen in the afternoon and the sky was still bright and sunny. The cold, around 20º F, was also there ready to turn our cheeks rosy and our extremities numb. Luckily, we were prepared for that.

Our hotel was conveniently located near the Rådhuspladsen, close to both the central train station and several of the breweries on our itinerary. We wasted no time dropping off our bags before heading back out to add another brewery to The List.

The Black Santa Christmas Stout at Apollo

Around the corner next to Tivoli, Copenhagen’s famous amusement park, was Bryggeriet Apollo. It was our first outing in Denmark and our first go at the Danish language. We were a little nervous, but they spoke English, which made it a lot easier to order. (Did you know that there is no word for ‘please’ in Danish?) Seated in the front atrium near the shiny copper kettles, we started with the Pilsner. Initially, it seemed to be their only beer. However, we soon discovered that they also had a Christmas beer (Jule bryg) and an IPA, as well as Black Santa Christmas Stout. With its roasted toffee flavor, the stout was the standout for us. We ended our lunch with a tasty  traditional Danish dessert, rice pudding with warm cherry sauce. We left feeling more confident about our ability to get around the language issue.

The happy beer travelers at Vesterbro Bryghus

Undaunted by the dipping temperature, we bundled up to walk across the street to Vesterbro Bryghus. This place was not as readily spotted as Apollo had been, but we did find it. (Look for the brewery signs on the window of the pub Strecker.) The tall, young blond behind the bar served us samples of their Blonde, Amber, and a Jule Bryg. She also tried to give us the Tuborg Christmas beer, but we politely declined the holiday macro-brew. She was very friendly and we enjoyed ourselves as she spoke of the rivalry between the Swedes and Danes, something akin to the good natured antagonizing between Americans and Canadians. We weren’t charged for the sampler set, but we did pay $22 for our two half liters of the Amber. Chris didn’t mind, he had spent time with a real live Danish girl.

By this time, the sky was dusky and a few snow flurries grazed our faces, but the beer was starting to kick in, so we felt fairly warm inside. We ventured further away from our hotel to the other side of the Rådhuspladsen.

Over there we found Brewpub København. Chris joked about sitting outside. The courtyard was spacious and quite nice looking, but that would not have safeguarded me against the nippy air, so sitting out there was out of the question. Chris followed me down the stairs into the warm and inviting pub.

The taster set at Brewpub København

Brewpub København offered a wide selection of beers, including Red Christmas (a smoky tasting ESB), Brewster (a pale ale), and The Brewfather (a 5.6% Czech lager). Several of the menu items were made with beer and I was especially intrigued by the traditional Danish open sandwich with scrambled “hopped” eggs. The bartender confirmed that Amarillo hops were somehow incorporated into the eggs. However, he warned me that the hop flavor was barely noticeable. He was right, but I enjoyed my egg sandwich, none the less. Chris’ favorite at Brewpub was the Cole Porter. While this beer is sometimes served on cask, he drank a half liter from the taps.

We continued with a short walk to Charlie’s Bar on Pilestræde. The walk probably would have been a bit quicker if it wasn’t for the hordes of holiday shoppers. It reminded us of Grafton Street in Dublin during the holidays with little space to move around and many an “Excuse me” being uttered. Charlie’s is not a brewpub or a place to necessarily try Danish beers. But, if you’re looking for a great beer selection, including properly served real ale, then this is your place.

Real Ale and a cozy atmosphere at Charlie's Bar

We stepped through the narrow front door, which was none too easy in my big winter coat. The tightly packed tables were closely spaced and tricky to navigate without hitting someone in the head. No one seemed to mind, though, as we made our way to the only available spot at the corner of the bar. The pub was nicely decorated with wonderfully smelling pine garlands draping across the ceiling. (Upon a second visit, I realized they were fake and probably just sprayed with Pine-Sol to give that fresh pine forest fragrance.) The ceiling and walls were covered from top to bottom in handpump clips, beer signs, and other breweriana.

Give me warmth...

The Englishman behind the bar served real ale from 6 different handpumps, plus a variety of lagers, ales, and ciders. Chris and I settled in to get warmed up with our beers, a Westmalle Dubbel and Schneider Aventinus. Charlie’s doesn’t serve food, but welcome you to bring in your own. They do have board games available, though, for a 50 Danish Kroner deposit, as well as free WiFi with beer purchase (ask for the password). Be sure to hit the toilets, as right next to them is the windowed cellar where the casks are clearly visible.

Charlie’s was a quick stop because we had another, much anticipated place to go: the Mikkeller Bar. Back across the Rådhuspladsen we went, passing the beautiful, enormous (and real) Christmas tree, our hotel, Vesterbro, Apollo and Tivoli.

A tiny neighborhood establishment

Turning left down Viktoriagade off Vesterbrogade (a major street), it looked like a quiet residential neighborhood. However, looking down at cellar level, we saw several establishments conducting their business and one of them was the Mikkeller Bar. There is no awning or major sign at the Mikkeller Bar, but the lettering on the door and a view of tap handles confirms you’ve found it.

The place was fairly full when we arrived, so we first chose a small nook tucked toward the back. We were looking to be a bit more social than that, though, so we changed our minds and made our way back through the front room to a side room. The sparsely decorated pub, with its white walls and a gray cement floor, reminded me of a modern art museum. Candles and bare light bulbs hanging from the ceiling created a calming, if not slightly spooky, soft lighting.

The start of a long night at Mikkeller

Chris ordered us some beers and we established ourselves at a table. In the meantime, a few employees opened the cellar door that was only 60 ft away. Chris took the opportunity to look inside and discretely take some photos. Seeing Chris’ obvious interest in beer, the establishment’s manager, Jannik, invited him to step inside to get a better view.

Mikkeller's beer cellar was full of the usual suspects

Two large shelves that ran the length of the room held hundreds of bottles. Several vintages of Mikkeller’s own Santa’s Little helper, various brews from Port, Ale Smith, and Cantillion to name a few. Chris’ beer geekiness started an incredible evening of beer, snacks, and good conversation with both staff and regulars. I even got to hold their empty bottle of BrewDog’s the End of History. I will say that holding a bottle-stuffed, tuxedo wearing stoat was every bit as gross as I thought it would be.

yummmmmm....

We spent a few hours there and drank what seemed like an endless stream of beer (served  in 25cl glasses). Plus we ate several orders of cheese, sausage, and nuts. In the end, I was shocked to find that the bill was about the same as it had been for lunch. The Mikkeller bar was the best bargain and entertainment we found in Copenhagen.

The Mikkeller Bar seemed to put things into perspective for me. It was warm and inviting with great beer and friendly people. It didn’t matter that it was dark out (okay, it was nighttime by then), as  that actually made the candle-lit atmosphere even more appealing. Plus, with the beer, food, and hours of fun we had, it felt like a darn good bargain. Maybe we hadn’t really made any sort of sacrifice at all. Maybe Denmark in December wasn’t the longest length we’ve gone, but it was pretty close.

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