A vast selection of taps at Mikkeller Bangkok — Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis
For years, the beer scene in Bangkok has been dominated by Singh and Chang, beers that, while they might go down easy on a hot afternoon or with a grilled chicken and som tam meal, aren't exactly palate knockouts.
Then along came Beervana, a couple of Americans who brought in a craft beer distributorship, and all of a sudden, artisanal beer started making the rounds.
These days, one can find bottles of craft beer just about everywhere, but the arrival of Mikkeller Bangkok adds a whole new dimension to the scene.
With 30 taps and countless specialized bottle selections from around the world, Mikkeller has burst onto the Bangkok craft beer scene with a vengeance, and it has to be high on any craft beer lover's list. The array of great boutique beers here is staggering, and the laid-back tap house is a fine spot for sampling some sumptuous suds.
Guests enjoy fine craft beer at Mikkeller Bangkok — Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis
The pub is located in an almost hidden niche, down a small dead end alleyway off of Ekkamai. Housed in a large Thai home, with a spacious leafy garden to boot, it's a thoroughly relaxing spot, but you wonder if the owners were out of their minds to locate here, about as hidden from human traffic as possible.
Mike MacDonald, one of the faces behind Mikkeller, laughs and says that they thought about this, but that in the end, they wanted Mikkeller to be a destination, not just a spot that people noticed while passing by.
As MacDonald says, Mikkeller is about the rare and hard-to-find beer, not something distributed everywhere, and something worth a special trek out to get.
Chairman MacDonald, presiding over one fine collection at Mikkeller Bangkok! — Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis
Mikkeller has its origins in Denmark as a gypsy brewer, meaning that it didn't operate its own brewery, but rather collaborated with others to create experimental and avant-garde brews.
While the company puts out a huge variety of beers, it has a tough time keeping up with the demand for it, as Mikkeller has gained a reputation amongst aficionados as being one of the most innovative and cutting-edge brewers in the world.
Relaxing garden at Mikkeller Bangkok — Photo courtesy of Dave Stamboulis
In addition to its Danish base, Mikkeller has since opened up a bar in San Francisco and now here in Bangkok, meaning beer geeks won't mind seeking out a hideaway location to sample the outstanding craft suds.
Sample a bit of Vanilla Shake Imperial Stout, and you'll be hard pressed to think that you're drinking beer, as it tastes far more like a fine coffee with Belgian chocolate.
The taps here are in constant rotation, meaning there's almost always something new to try, even if one is a regular here. There's also a bottle shop out back, with a massive selection to choose from.
