Beer | Postcards From Here and There

Three Places for Craft Beer in Berlin

Berlin is a big city. With a population of over 3.5 million there are plenty of bars serving a wide range of beers from all over the world. In that sense this post is only the tip of the iceberg, these are three places I have been and particularly enjoyed and would heartily recommend to anyone who has an interest in great beer.

Muted Horn.

This is a great little bar in the district of Neukölln which is well worth searching out. Serving 22 beers on tap, both local and international, and an even larger selection of bottles there is something for everyone here and its easy to see why it is so popular with craft beer enthusiasts.

There is plenty of seating and even a small area outside. There’s a nice relaxed atmosphere here and you can easily while away an hour or so without much effort. Although they don’t serve food they don’t mind if you bring your own and you can even send out for a delivery.

Muted Horn, Flughafen straße 49.

U8 Boddinstraße is the nearest U-Bahn station a mere couple of minutes walk away.

Monday-Thursday 17.00-0200. Friday 17.00-03.00. Saturday 15.00-03.00. Sunday 15.00-02.00

Beereau.

A small but cosy bar located just off Friedrichstraße in Mitte. It may only be small but it is wonderful place to stop off for an early evening beer. There are a small number of beers on tap and a good selection in the fridges. The place is quite relaxed with a good selection of beer related books.

Beereau, Claire Waldorf Straße 4.

U6 Oranienburger Tor is the nearest U-Bahn station.

Tuesday-Thursday 14.00-22.00, Friday 14.00-00.00, Saturday 14.00-19.00

Mikkelller

The Danish brewery Mikkeller is regarded as one of the best in the world and has bars in several major cities around the world. The bar in Mitte is small with seating arranged into three areas plus tables outside for when the weather permits. The decor has a very Scandinavian feel and creates a relaxed and calming environment, ideal for drinking a beer or two!.

There are twenty four beers available on tap. Most are Mikkeller’s own brews but there are also a number of guest beers. Staff are approachable, helpful and knowledgable so navigating the menu if you are unsure is not a problem. Servings are available in two sizes, 40cl and 80cl.

Mikkeller,Torstraße 102.

U8 Rosenthaler Platz is the nearest U-Bahn station.

Sunday-Thursday 15.00-00.00, Friday-Saturday 15.00=02.00

Northern Monk Leeds

The Northern Monk brewery and taproom is located in Holbeck, south west of the city centre and a short 15 minute walk from Leeds City Station. It is located in an old flax store and mill which makes an interesting change from brewery taps in industrial units and railway arches. The building itself is not only characterful but is grade II listed and is a reminder of this areas significant contribution to the importance and wealth of the city in the nineteenth century.

The original brewery opened in 2014 and is located on the ground floor. It no longer has the capacity of production required so in 2017 a new brewery was opened which now means that they can brew a significant number of different beers between the two sites at the same time. It is possible to tour the flax store brewery with tours conducted at 1.30 and 3.30 each Saturday afternoon. Tours cost £10 and involve a 45 minute tour including three tasting samples. It is probably advisable to book tours in advance via the company website.

The Refectory tap room is located on the first floor and they have created a welcoming space with plenty of seating and adequate table space. At the time of my visit there were 16 keg lines serving a good range of styles of beer. Food is also available and prices seem very reasonable. The second floor consists of the Chapter Hall which is available for private hire/functions. They have also created an outdoor beer garden for those special days when it is possible to drink beer outside. The Refectory and beer garden are open everyday except Monday.

I have long admired the beers of Northern Monk. Their beers are always innovative, superbly well crafted and very drinkable. They don’t ever stand still for very long as they are continually looking for ways to move forward with their brews and packaging. The Patrons Project was founded to explore the possibilities of collaboration to further seek ou creativity and excellence. Each release, there have been 17 so far, consists of 7 beers with specially commissioned artwork. You can catch up and find out more about the collaborations here.

Eternal. Session IPA. 4.4%. Yellow gold in colour with a slight haze and a thin white head. Aromas of lemon, malt, orange and pine. Low-medium bitterness with nice carbonation. Crisp and dry with a touch of bitter orange on the finish.

Faith. Pale Ale. 5.1%. Yellow and hazy with a good white head. Aromas of tropical mango, orange and malt. Low bitterness and gentle carbonation. Palate is tropical with a good dash of orange. Nicely balanced.

Neopolitan. Ice Cream Pale. 6%. Neopolitan ice cream was a staple of Sunday afternoon tea as I grew up. This beer is a collaboration I believe with Little Leeds Beerhouse. It’s light amber, hazy and with a thin white head. Strawberry with a hint of vanilla on the nose just as it should be. Low bitterness, gentle carbonation and a nice texture. This really does taste like Neapolitan ice cream with a lovely light chocolate on the finish.

Doom Stooge. Fruited IPA. 7.2%. Orange/yellow, murky with a very thin off white head and some lacing. Low bitterness, soft carbonation and a slightly creamy texture. Not sure about this one, not unpleasant with a whole range of flavours; red fruits, peach, apricot, plum and a hint of floral.

Seismic Shift. DDH IPA. 8.5%. Part of the Patrons Project series 13 release when in can. Yellow, decidedly murky with thinnish white head. Aromas of mango, pineapple and orange. Low bitterness, nice carbonation and great texture. There is sweetness on the palate, which is dominated by tropical fruit and orange, but it is not overly sweet.

Glory. Triple IPA. 10.5%. Yellow, hazy with a white head. Complex aromas of pineapple, mango, banana and passion fruit. The palate has low bitterness, gentle carbonation and great mouthfeel. Flavours are topical with a hint of orange on the finish.

Collective Arts Can Art

One key feature of the craft beer movement is its creativity and innovation. Brewers are continually experimenting to produce not just a core range of beers but seasonal and one-off brews. Collective Arts Brewing was founded in 2013 by Bob Russell and Matt Johnson in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Collective Arts have taken creativity and innovation a stage further by working with artists and musicians in a collaborative process which results in limited edition works of art being featured on the cans. I have long been struck by the use of the humble can as a canvas for some very original artworks and designs but have only recently come across Collective Arts as their beers have only been available in the UK since last autumn.

They call for artist to submit work every three months and so far they have received over 16000 submissions and have worked with 650 artists and musicians. Their website is well worth a look as it details the art used in the twelve series of beer releases since 2013. There are even plans to give access to a free song or video from featured musicians via a link on the can. Here are some examples currently available in UK bottle shops.