The World's Coolest Brewery Has Become Even Cooler
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46 The Stories Ale tales HOP IDOL THE WORLD’S COOLEST BREWERY HAS BECOME EVEN COOLER WITH THE HELP OF, ER, RICK ASTLEY. MALCOLM JACK VISITS COPENHAGEN FOR THE UNLIKELIEST MASH-UP OF 2018 PHOTOGRAPHS ULF SVANE man walks into a bar. The bar weeks straight with Never Gonna Give You Up. is in the Mikkeller offices in Like Jason Donovan and Sonia, he was part of the Copenhagen: the HQ of Stock, Aitken & Waterman hit factory that what’s widely regarded as the defined the cheesy pop sound of 80s. Unlike A coolest brewery in the world. Jason Donovan and Sonia, he’s still a big success. The man is the biggest-selling His album 50, released on his 50th birthday, went British recording artist of platinum in the UK. Then there’s ‘rickrolling’, the 1987. It sounds like a joke. It’s actually one of the internet phenomenon whereby surfers are duped most exciting things to happen to beer this year. into clicking onto a YouTube link for the Never “Hi,” says Rick Astley, who’s 52 and looking Gonna Give You Up video, meaning Astley has well. He’s here for a chat with Mikkel Borg made a habit of cropping up where you least Bjergsø, Mikkeller’s CEO, about their upcoming expect him. collaboration on a brand-new bar influenced by The Mikkeller microbrewery was founded by Astley’s pop career. And to have a beer, of course. Bjergsø, then a high school teacher, and Kristian I’m surprised. Not just because it’s an unlikely Klarup Keller, a journalist, in 2006 with the combination, but also because: who knew Astley ambition of killing off boring beer. Now it sells had such cool-factor? “Careful now,” cautions the craft concoctions tasting of cognac, bitter Mancunian singer, sipping his trendy-as-they- orange, coffee, fudge, mango, caramel, truffles come craft beer. “You might be surprised.” and just about anything else you can imagine in Let’s backtrack a bit. Around 31 years in fact, 40 countries across the world, as well as at its to when Rick Astley took his quiff and unique three bars in Copenhagen. The latest Mikkeller dance moves to the top of the UK charts for five opening, War Pigs, is a beer and barbecue joint > EJ202_046_STORIES_BeerAstley lg.indd 46 11/09/2018 13:41 BEER BY DESIGN Rick Astley enjoys a drink in Mikkeller’s head office in Copenhagen EJ202_046_STORIES_BeerAstley lg.indd 47 11/09/2018 13:41 48 The Stories Ale tales in a converted meatpacking warehouse near the then.’ I narrowed it down to the ones that I liked. I BREWS BROTHERS city’s red-light district that’s just about the wanted something that was super-drinkable.” Mikkeller Brewery founder and CEO Mikkel hippest place to be in northern Europe. Luckily, the pop star’s minimal beer Borg Bjergsø and pop We’re at a quieter Mikkeller bar because knowledge was never an issue for Bjergsø. “We singer Rick Astley I want to hear the answer to the big question: how want the person who never drank anything but on earth did this come about? Carlsberg to have the same service as the guy “I heard that Rick lived in Amager, which is who tasted 50,000 different beers and rated all of an island in Copenhagen,” says Bjergsø, who’s them,” he says of Mikkeller’s inclusive ethos, slender, tattooed and in that special kind of which shows none of the snobbery and machismo Scandinavian rude health. “When I heard that, that can sometimes sour the craft-brew world. I said, ‘If Rick Astley lives in Denmark, I want to The pair travelled to Belgium’s De Proef brew a beer with him.’” As a kid, Bjergsø had Brouwerij together to make a beer called fastidiously collected every Astley release and Northern Hop in Astley’s honour. Mikkeller is a covered his bedroom walls with posters of his so-called ‘cuckoo’ brewer and makes all of its idol. The rumour that he lived nearby proved to beers at other brewers’ facilities. Northern Hop, be untrue (he actually lives in south-west a sessionable red lager, proved such a hit that > London). However, he is married to a Dane and his daughter lives in Copenhagen.“I’ve been coming here for something like 30 years now,” “My fear was that says Astley. “My fear was that I didn’t know anything about beer,” the singer continues, “other than I didn’t know anything drinking it. I thought, ‘Am I supposed to tell him the ingredients I like?’ Because I’ve got no clue. about beer, other But you were really great about it,” he gestures to Bjergsø, “just saying, ‘I’ll send you some beer than drinking it” EJ202_046_STORIES_BeerAstley lg.indd 48 11/09/2018 13:41 The Stories Ale tales 51 SIP YOUNG THINGS Rick Astley’s first single (below) was released in 1987 and topped the charts in 25 countries; Mikkeller’s harbourside bar in Copenhagen (right) bottles are already hard to come by, “I don’t think there is and led swiftly onto the next challenge: any world more parallel to the brewery’s first bar in the UK. The the music world than spot in – where else – east London opens this month, the craft-beer one” and has decor influenced by Astley’s 80s music videos. style Spontandoubleraspberry or the easy- This isn’t the first time Mikkeller’s dabbled in drinking Northern Hop. Fans of the Danish craft music, having created beers for indie record beer scene might worry that this new London bar labels such as Domino, and bands including The will mean fewer people make the pilgrimage, but National. “I don’t think there is any world that is Astley, for one, is committed to the city. more parallel to the music world than the “I count myself as being halv Dansk – half- craft-beer one,” Bjergsø says. “Beer drinkers tend Danish,” he says. You could say, he’s never going to get the same personal relationship with their to give it up. favourite brewers as people do with musicians. Rick Astley’s new album is Beautiful Life; he’s on They would get upset if I suddenly changed my tour until 17 November, rickastley.co.uk. Mikkeller style of brewing.” Astley nods. “They’re devoted Bar London opens 19 October. mikkeller.dk to it,” he says, and points at Bjergsø. “I think they view you as an artist and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.” DESTINATION COPENHAGEN It’s true that Mikkeller’s presence in Stay three nights B&B at the four-star Tivoli Hotel Copenhagen has turned it into a mecca for beer in Copenhagen, departing London Gatwick on 24 buffs, and anyone who’s interested in just how November, from £265pp*. easyJet.com/holidays good hops can taste should visit for a glass of the easyJet flies to Copenhagen from 14 destinations *HOLIDAYS AVAILABLE ON ALL LANGUAGE WEBSITES. SEE P145 FOR T&CS cult Beer Geek imperial stout, the sour, Belgian- EJ202_046_STORIES_BeerAstley lg.indd 51 11/09/2018 13:42.