Skaal, Copenhagen

Recent trips to Copenhagen have usually included a (free) visit to the Davids Samling / The David Collection, Kronprinsessegade 30-32, overlooking the green space of Kongens Have.

As well as the Islamic art which the gallery is renowned for, there is an inner room with paintings by Vilhelm Hammershøi that should not be missed.

On Friday 14 September, I was also able to view 'The Hippie Trail' an exhibition of slides and photos by Torben Huss, who first set off eastwards to Afghanistan from Copenhagen in the 1960s.

Leaving after 3pm, with time to fill before Bicycle Brewing opened at 4pm, left me with a choice between revisiting a favourite - Charlie's Bar (one minute by bike) or a first visit to Skaal Beer & Food, which opened on 21 September 2017 (two minutes by bike).

Feeling adventurous, I decided to visit Skaal, on the corner of a square, near Nørreport station, at Kultorvet 11. The Skaal tables in the square were fairly busy.

However, there were only a few customers inside when I entered the bar on the first floor.

'Good to see you!'

A welcome sign gives a good first impression.

At the top of the stairs a diagram explains the brewing process.

There are 48 draught beers to choose from with details on the screens behind the bar.
I ordered a 25cl glass of k:rlek 12, the 12th edition of Mikkeller's hazy pale ale, brewed with Mosaic hops, costing 42 Dkr (£5).

From my stool at a table in the dim interior of the bar, there was a view towards the tables by the windows which overlook the square.

Another room provides seating away from the main bar with specially commissioned artwork.

There is a mural on the opposite wall and fridges filled with bottles of beer at the far end.
By now it was after 4pm and Skaal was getting busier so I left to retrieve my parked bicycle and pedal to Bicycle Brewing in Østerbro, which would seem tiny in comparison to Skaal!

This visit to Skaal satisfied my curiosity but my current recommendation for a bar in this part of Copenhagen would be to visit Charlie's which is more like a pub, has cheaper prices and even serves cask ale from the UK!

Charlie's Bar, Pilestræde 33, Copenhagen

Skaal Beer & Food, Kultorvet 11, Copenhagen

Bicycle Brewing, Ålborggade 20, Copenhagen 

Bicycle Brewing, Østerbro, Copenhagen

Returning to Ålborggade, Copenhagen, for the first time in almost 50 years, it was a nice surprise to discover newly established Bicycle Bar, facing towards a window from where I had once observed life in this narrow Østerbro street.

On Friday 14 September, 2018, I had set off on a borrowed bicycle from my friends' house in suburban Værløse to catch the S-train directly to Ryparken station. It was the first off-peak fare service (11.10am) costing a 20.80 Dkr debit to my Rejsekort (approx £2.50) for a relaxing journey of 10 stops, taking 20 minutes.

Ryvangen Naturpark

My plan was to first visit the original site of Tuborg brewery, now housing a waterside shopping development, after a ride through Ryvangen Nature Park. A well surfaced cycle path, with low level lighting at intervals, runs alongside a track for pedestrians and joggers, into the park.

Gateway marked: Tuborgs  Bryggerier

Returning to the street at Tuborgvej, I passed the original entrance to the brewery on Strandvej. This is the entrance I would have used in the 1970s for a free tour of the large brewery followed by a beer tasting. Tuborg brewery closed in the 1990s and the beers are now brewed at Carlsberg brewery.

The next stop on my route was to marvel at Tuborgflasken - the giant Tuborg bottle, designed in 1888 as an observation tower. (On Saturday I would find out that Villy Madsen, my brother-in-law, once a crane operator, was involved in a temporary move from its current site, at the junction of Strandvej and Dessaus Blvd to Rådhuspladsen in 1988 for its 100th anniversary.) 

It was 12.30 when I had the good fortune to spot Bicycle Bar, Ålborggade 20, in the Østerbro neighbourhood, north of central Copenhagen. As the bar was closed I decided to return later, after cycling around the new developments of Nordhavn, and into central Copenhagen for a first visit to Skaal.

On my return to Østerbro the A-sign outside X-Pressen at Århusgade 10 caught my eye. The bar is open from 10am until 1am with special beer prices of 17 Dkr or 21 Dkr (approx £2 or £2.50) between 11am and 3pm. 

At all times, 50cl draught lager is available for 30 Dkr (approx £4) or Ale 16 brewed by Refsvindinge brewery (bottled by Vestfyen brewery) for 35 Dkr (approx £4.50).

Ålborggade - looking west

Århusgade is a broad street with a wide pavement. One street to the south, Ålborggade is a one way street (eastwards) with not much room left for pedestrians after bicycles are parked on the pavement. Street lights are strung overhead.

After parking my bicycle on the pavement opposite Bicycle Bar, the home of Bicycle Brewing, it was 16.30 hrs when I walked inside and found the small bar already quite busy but not full. The magnetic beer board uses Scrabble like tiles for details.

I ordered one of the three draught beers - 4.9% ABV Handlebar IPA (50 Dkr / £6+) which was not especially bitter and very much to my taste. The other choices were 4.8% ABV Fixie Organic Lager and 4.1% ABV Short John Porter. Appropriately all the beers have bicycle themed names. 

When brewer / barman Alex had a quiet moment, I introduced myself and gave him a copy of West Berkshire CAMRA's Ullage magazine. Alex explained that he and his wife Kristina had use of this space for brewing since 2016 but they had only opened it as a tasting room to the public since around July 2018. 

It was interesting to hear Alex explain that because they could not find bar mats or coasters to suit the brand, they had screenprinted their own circular cork mats.

The small bar is tastefully decorated with wheels, 

coloured glass shutters, 

bottles and succulent plants.
The archway into the Bottle Room reveals a tall fridge where 75cl bottles are stored.

The brewing area is in the room behind the bar behind a glass partition with a nice illustration of the brewing process on the wall behind the brewing vessels. The 200 liter brewing capacity stainless steel kit was supplied by Ss brewtech from the USA.

Also in this back room is a colourful display of 1970s era American beer cans including Rolling Rock and Colt 45.
I would have liked to stay longer and try another beer but it was time to head back to Ryparken station for the S-train back to Værløse where my friends' cats would surely be getting impatient for their evening meal!

Bicycle Brewing
Brewery & Tasting Room
Ålborggade 20
Copenhagen 

Thursday  16:00 - 22:00
Friday       16.00 - 22.00
Saturday   16.00 - 22.00

No cash

Facebook: @bikebrewing
 

Dispensary, Copenhagen

A highlight of a May 2018 visit to Copenhagen was spending a few hours on a Sunday evening at Dispensary, listening to live jazz from the Karin Linn Quartet and drinking the house lager - Beverly Pils Cop brewed locally by Dry & Bitter.

The 39th Copenhagen Marathon had been run earlier on Sunday 13 May while I relaxed at my friends' house in Værløse. The temperature reached 24° C compared to an average 16°C for this date.

Nørrebro station - elevated section of 'F' line

Using my Rejsekort to check in at Værløse station and check out at Nørrebro station after changing from an 'A' line to a 'F' line service at Ryparken station costs 20.80 Dkr, with the off-peak discount applied (approx £2.50), for a journey of approximately 10 miles.

A 7 minute walk along the busy pavement of Nørrebrogade leads to the junction with Ægirsgade where Kösem (Turkish) cafe and restaurant is situated. Dispensary is next door at Nørrebrogade 184 and must take its name from Stjerne Apothek, a previous occupier of the premises whose name still appears above the frontage, in letters of stone.

Just inside the entrance are barrels with blackboards, one lists snacks and the other lists events.

A large blackboard above lists the beers available from the 30 taps which are ranged just underneath the surface of the high wooden bar.
There are comfortable leather seated stools at the bar and from here there was time to choose a beer appropriate for 6pm on a hot day.
I wasn't looking for a beer from the UK so that ruled out the several Beavertown, Left Handed Giant and Fierce options. Some of the (Swedish) Brewski beers were tempting but it was a combination of local brewery (Dry & Bitter) and cheapest price (50 Dkr) that made the Beverly Pils Cop, from tap 1, a good choice. In a Facebook post, Dispensary Whisk(e)y and Beer recommends Port Askaig 8 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky to pair with their house beer!

The left side of the bar has an extensive range of whiskys and whiskeys. A tracked ladder can be moved along to reach the whiskys on the highest shelves. Tasting notes for whiskys and beers are available from clipboards on the bar.

The Karin Linn Quartet had limited space, on the other side of the entrance area from the barrels and blackboard. Kasper Priess Hollesen (guitar), Jon Henriksson (double bass) and Malte Svale Holme Hansen (drums) started off the set with a jazz instrumental. These talented young musicians were then joined by Karin Linn with 'her impressive voice, which is unique in the contemporary Jazz-scape of Copenhagen', As the set progressed, the musicians also took it in turns to show their skills with solo passages. There was a break in the set and with a second 'pint' and the best seat in the bar there was no reason for me to leave until they finally left the 'stage' around 8pm.

Before leaving the bar, a visit to the downstairs toilets revealed that there is a second spacious but rather dark room downstairs with more seating and some games machines.

Returning to the ground floor, the wall of the rear area is interestingly decorated with top, base and staves from a deconstructed whisky barrel.

Before heading back to Nørrebro station there was a convenient stop to be made at
Kösem (Turkish) cafe next door.

It was a lovely evening and I was able to find a bench, with a view of practising skateboarders, at nearby Superkilen park where my takeaway meal could be eaten.

A visit to Dispensary Whisk(e)y and Beer when in Copenhagen is recommended. Check their facebook page for details of free events at the bar.

Facebook: DispensaryKBH