WEEK 128---MORE than just a "BEER FESTIVAL"

Less than a month to go---by 5th May, the city of Copenhagen will see thousands of geeks descending from different corners of the world--all for one common reason--the Mikkeller Beer Week, which is kinda like the extended version of the 2 days beer festival--Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen or MBCC2018. 

下个月5号开始，哥本哈根将引来一批又一批从世界各地飞来积聚的啤迷们。

无他，大家都只冲着一件事情，毋庸置疑的Craft Beer界年度盛事，哥本哈根啤酒庆典（Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen简称MBCC2018）而去，除了11-12号两天四个场次的“啤酒节“，从5号开始到13号，这城市好多跟啤酒庆典关联的不同酒吧餐厅将出现各种“占领啤酒泵”，“品酒会”，“美食啤酒配搭”，“瓶子首卖会”等或限量或小型活动等着啤迷参与。

到底是什么样的啤酒庆典每年能吸引那么多不同国家城市啤迷不远千里也要去？不如来看看除了11-12号两天啤酒庆典之外（已知大约一百家不同酿坊参与），今年啤酒周有什么活动阵容等着：-

For the uninitiated, while #MBCC2018 is happening on 11&12 May, the beer celebration is more than just a 2 days fest, in fact it has become a week long(or slightly longer) celebration, this year, from 5th to 13th of May--this city will become the best place to be around for awesome beers/mead/hard cider(plus some food too).

The beer week activities has been announced by the organizer, you can check details of what's coming here:-

mikkeller beer week 2018

Looking at the activities--there's tap takeover--there's smaller tasting session--there's food related pairing dinner--and new releases....there's so much going on--sometimes it could kinda felt like work/or trying to catch on certain schedules :)

Personally speaking, some of these activities would be high on the list of "things to do" during the week:-

 

Tap Takeover

After what Hill farmstead did in 2016 with 29 beers on tap + no less than 14 different bottles on site at Warpigs brewpub---the bar has certainly been raised for a tap takeover during MBW.

This year there will be 2 different tap takeover--both highly anticipated breweries famous/infamous for their black magics on black color brews---on the 9th and 10th, BOTTLE LOGIC and then CYCLE will be showcasing what they've got during tap takeover of their own at Warpigs.

These two will draw in the geeks--so expects to Q-UP early.

占领啤酒泵活动(Tap Takeover)

字面上意思就是把一家酒吧占为己用，啤酒泵上的都是同一酿坊同一品牌的不同类别风格啤酒，可以是一次过上十多款，也可以把所有二三十个啤酒泵都占用。

可以在哥本哈根啤酒周做这样“霸道”活动的酿坊当然不会是等闲之辈，继近年一直被评酒网站票选为世界最佳酿坊的Hillfarmstead前年在Warpigs酿吧做了一次让啤迷疯狂的占领啤酒泵活动後(29款“鲜啤”+14款瓶子），今年会有Cycle和Bottle Logic 这两家以不同风味黑啤为人关注的美国酿坊将在9号10号两天举办各自的占领活动。

Cycle酿坊，在2015年当啤酒庆典还在旧体育馆举行并还是简称为CBC时就已出现在芸芸众多参与酿坊中，当时的“单车”酿坊还没有近年那么备受追捧，也还没登上所谓的世界十强酿坊榜单，不过，过去两三年来，这家酿坊的一些黑啤作品是很多啤迷追逐的瓶子，同样的，另一家近年也受热捧的美国酿坊Bottle Logic算是新贵，因为一款黑啤Fundamental Observation (FO) 而大热，这两家的首次海外“占领啤酒泵”活动可以预见将引来大批啤迷排队捧场。

Tasting Session

If you love sweet & sours---then these two sessions on different days will be perfect.

First up on the 9th is Superstition meadery having a session at Baghaven--**if you are not familiar with mead--the most important thing to remember is that mead is NOT ONLY ABOUT SWEETNESS--it's a lot more complex and tasty than one can imagine it to be.

If you are a sucker for sour beer--particularly Lambic then you won't want to miss out on the session by Bokkereyder at Koelschip on the 10th.

品酒会(Tasting Event)

这是比较小型活动，可以是因为当天可供品尝细味的酒比较小量有限，也可以是酿酒师想在比较小活动空间中跟啤迷有近距离互动/导饮。

今年啤酒周活动中就有一酸一甜(当然不是单一调调那种）品酒会等着，说的是比利时天然发酵果酸啤酒新贵Bokkereyder作坊和顶级美国蜜酒作坊Superstition，这两家也会在9号10号两天不同时间段举办各自活动，可以一次过品味多款或限量或庆典特酿完全不同风味表现顶级佳酿是啤迷非常乐见之事。

*if you're a fan---Jester King is also doing their rounds at both Baghaven and Koelschip on the 9th & 10th.

Food & Pairing activities

As shown in the link above, there will be many restaurants related to the Mikkeller brand doing their rounds of various food related activities--but the most interesting one has got to be Chef Dan Bark of Upstairs@Mikkeller Bangkok popping up at Hyggestund doing a 2 evenings dinner--fresh from winning a 1 star Michelin in Bangkok--it will be interesting to see if Chef Dan serve his entire Bangkok menu or would do a twist on certain dishes/create MBW new dishes...

**for the uninitiated---the Bangkok menu is a 10 course dinner( with 2 desserts)--pairing is only with craft beer/mead or hard cider--NO WINE is served.

美食啤酒搭配(Food & Pairing)

哥本哈根啤酒庆典一直以来都跟食物搭上关系，两天“啤酒节“场内一直有精挑细选合作摊位提供食物，这些年来“米记“品牌也伸向餐饮业拓展，除了原有丹麦开边三文治餐厅，跟美国酿坊Three Floyds合作的酿吧其实也是美式烤肉店，然后还有拉面店，墨西哥玉米饼店，美式早餐店等等。

这次啤酒周，米记旗下所有餐厅都有不同活动，其中最让人瞩目的是将近期得到米其林一星的曼谷米吧楼上餐厅主厨Dan Bark特地请过来做只有8号9号两天的美食啤酒配搭晚餐，不免让人好奇这次身在“客场”厨房的Chef Dan是会将曼谷菜单照搬过去还是说就地取材做些更改或提供新菜色？

Of course there are many other activities not mentioned here--you can check the link above and take your pick. As for those who are familiar with Copenhagen craft beer scene--then perhaps it's even more "challenging" for the week as there's also other non-MBW related bars to visit.

对住在亚洲啤迷朋友来说，当然不是每个人都认同或有时间精力为了一个啤酒周飞那么远去哥本哈根，也或许会有人问说即将在今年九月首次在亚洲亮相的啤酒庆典会不会有哥本哈根版本的啤酒“天堂”周，虽说目前主办单位还没公布东京版本详情，看起来东京版本很可能只有两天“啤酒节”重点活动。无论如何，要是没去哥本哈根体验原版，九月东京版仍将是亚洲前所未见高水平啤酒庆典，是了解什么叫Craft Beer文化的好时机，值得去。

To say that week in particular is the best time to visit Copenhagen for varieties of awesome brew is no exaggeration whatsoever--though the city itself is not lacking in selections of awesome craft beer/mead/hard cider on any other days--this time of the year--the MBW in May will be like beer heaven on earth--if you are willing to fly in from far and wide.