Beer festivals – why go?

Last weekend I attended yet another beer festival. This was a new Danish festival called Beers Behind Bars in what used to be a prison. This wasn’t my first festival this year and I’m not going every time something is possible. The reason for that is that – at least in Denmark – half of all the festivals are not very interesting. Many of the festivals are what I have chosen to call beginners beer festivals. By that I mean that the beers are mostly what many a beer geek would call dull or just extremely middle of the road regarded to taste.

By far the best beer festival I have attended is Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen (MBCC). MBCC is known as one of the worlds best beer festivals and that’s fully deserved. MBCC is like a super car among mopeds in my opinion. All the best breweries and many of the best beers in the world are present at the MBCC. If you have the opportunity to go in May 2020 be sure to do so, but beware because once you’ve been there you’ll want to come back again and again. One thing is sure: I’ll be there again in May 2020.

MBCC is not the only beer festival worth visiting in Denmark. Just about a week after MBCC the Danish beer enthusiasts (Danske Ølentusiaster, DØE) are hosting their festival in Copenhagen. The level of beer is not as impressive as MBCC, but what is…? Many tasty – mostly Danish – beers are served and in my opninion it’s worth a visit.

A new Danish beer festival is emerging this November. Rowdy Hops in Aarhus is gathering 25 great breweries for two sessions of three hours. You pay a small fee to enter and then you pay for every taster. Based on what they have published so far I think this is going to be a super great beer festival – and it’s quite close to my home.

Do you find a beer festival with decent beers near where you live be sure to go and support it. Beer festivals can only get better if more people show up and drink the best beers of the show. If the beers are dull or downright tasteless don’t hesitate to tell. The brewers might want to hear and do their best to come back with something better in the future.

See you!