Carlsberg Beer Festival

Carlsberg seems to have a monopoly on the beer market here in Copenhagen.  Every bar, pub, restaurant, and cafe I’ve been to offers Carlsberg or Tuborg.  And guess what. . . Carlsberg bought Tuborg out a few years ago so, yep it totally seems like a monopoly.  In an attempt to try other Danish and Scandinavian beers I went with a few friends to the Carlsberg Beer Festival – desperately hoping the name of the festival didn’t mean they were serving that beer exclusively.  

Much to my pleasant surprise, this year’s festival marked the first European Beer Festival as opposed the the Danish Beer Festival that has run the prior 10 years.  Jackpot.  Beers from all across Europe.  Is there a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon?  

After waiting in a massive queue we finally make our grand entrance into the festival.  The six of us have been equipped with tokens, a tasting glass, and a directory book to guide our tour through Europe’s beers.  My first stop is a Danish microbrewery named Aarhus Bryghus.  I try the Rød Ale which is their Red Ale made with a bit of cowberries.  I thought the Aarhus representative who handed me the beer said cranberries.  But upon consulting the directory I see it is actually cowberry and even though I haven’t a clue what that is. . . I enjoy the beer and savor the taste.  

The second beer I try is from the British Pavilion.  I ask someone from the brewery to help me select a beer.  He picks out a stout.  The British fellow who helped me select my beer asks me how I like it.  I reply that the beer is good and thank him for his help.  He holds his hand out.  I stare at the gentlemen’s hand for a moment and then shake it and thank him again for his help.  This is not what he is looking for. . . crap.  Beer two and I’ve forgotten the drill already – they give you a beer, you give them a token.  I shuffle through my bag and sheeplishly hand him a token.  My friends are dying of laughter.  I’m a moron.  From here we wander around the display hall to consider all of our choices.  We decide to go for a range of beers from different countries.  We try beers from Belguim, Germany, Sweden, Italy, and even the Czech Republic (Staropramen – it was one of my favorites).  We even try a warm beer from Germany.  The choices are endless.  

After a few hours of wandering, tasting, talking about what we like and don’t like, we decide to call it a day.  On the way home we find a shop that has falafel for the equivalent of $3.  Seriously, days don’t really get better than this.  European beer festival was a huge success.