Copenhagen Craft Beer: Fifteen Years In and Still the Best in Scandinavia

Mikkeller started in Copenhagen in 2006 as a home-brewing experiment by a schoolteacher and became one of the most recognised craft beer brands in the world. This is relevant context for understanding what happened to craft beer in Copenhagen: it got serious very early and has been serious for long enough that it has moved past the phase of self-congratulation into something more interesting, which is a functioning part of the city’s food culture.

Mikkeller Bar (mikkeller.com — Viktoriagade 8, Vesterbro) is the Copenhagen home of the brand. Rotating taps, the full range, the design Mikkeller is known for. Worth visiting once.

For the local alternative: Fermentoren (Halmtorvet 29C, Vesterbro) has been in Vesterbro for over a decade and has a tap list that covers Danish and Scandinavian craft without the international premium. The clientele is more local and the atmosphere is less curated.

To Øl Brus (tobrus.dk — Guldbergsgade 29F, Nørrebro) is the Nørrebro option — a large space in a former bus depot, To Øl’s taproom with food. Good for a long evening rather than a quick drink. The general level of beer in Copenhagen is high and has been high long enough that the city takes it for granted, which is the right relationship to have with it.