Mikkeller & Rick Astley open brewpub in London

The craft brewery and pop legend team up once again to open a brewpub in Exmouth Market, London. The new craft beer paradise is already set to open its doors as a pop-up bar this coming Saturday.

Just one year after the spectacular opening of Mikkeller's first London location, Mikkeller Bar London in Shoreditch, Mikkeller and Rick Astley are now embarking on a new adventure – namely, the opening of a brewpub in Exmouth Market in Clerkenwell. The two-floor brewpub will contain a bar and restaurant, as well as a brewery that can produce 7.5 hectoliters of beer at a time. The in-house brewery will supply the bar with completely fresh beer and infuse the 264 square meters of the premises with the comforting aroma of malt and hops.

“London is a fantastic city with a great brewing scene and many new, young breweries, and we are really looking forward to becoming a part of it”, says Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, founder and owner of Mikkeller.

Bjergsø and Astley met each other a few years ago when they collaborated to brew the beer 'Astley's Northern Hop Lager,' and the idea to open a bar together in London grew out of their friendship. The Mikkeller bar in Shoreditch, which have just celebrated its first birthday, was an instant success. It felt natural to take the partnership to the next level and open another location in the bustling capital.

“I'm really excited for the opening of the new Mikkeller Bar in Exmouth Market. It's a great space and it's so cool that there will be brewing on-site, too. Mikkel and his crew only do things the right way, and I love being a small part of that and working on fantastic beers and the London bars together. I believe people want quality, and that's what you get from Mikkeller,” says Astley.

A Brewers' Workspace

Bjergsø and Astley have chosen to open the doors to the new location on October 26 as a pop-up bar where beer lovers can choose between beer from 20 taps as well as an extensive bottle menu. In March, a grand opening will be held when the brewery and restaurant are ready, with fresh beer flowing directly from the brewery tanks. The restaurant's menu will be inspired by some of Mikkeller's Copenhagen restaurants.

The brewpub is designed by Danish design agency Femmes Régionales, Mikkeller's regular design partner. Femmes Régionales has also designed the bar in Shoreditch, Mikkeller's brewpub Warpigs in Copenhagen's meatpacking district, and others. Their design for the Exmouth Market location is based on the working title 'Mikkeller Brewers' Workspace' and aims to create an informal, relaxed atmosphere.

“Spaces where things are crafted are ideal environments for good conversation and memorable moments. In these types of spaces, it's okay to talk loudly, it's okay to ask deep questions, it's okay to stand and sit where you like – and it's okay for you to be yourself. And this is exactly the aim of our concept,” explains Caroline Engelgaar, Creative Director at Femmes Régionales.

The Mikkeller brewpub is therefore based around the simple notion that it is a space where beer and food are crafted and enjoyed. It's a space where loud laughter seems like more of the norm than hushed small talk. The space embraces a raw, industrial feel while simultaneously surprising guests with quirky details, cozy design elements, and a strong sense of the Mikkeller DNA. This is achieved through the use of high-quality materials mixed with a sublime design execution.

“This is not a restaurant with a brewery, it is a brewery with a restaurant,” emphasizes Engelgaar.

The opening of the pop-up on October 26 coincides with the launch of Rick Astley's new album ‘Best Of Me’, which will be released on October 29. For the occasion, Bjergsø and Astley have also collaborated on the third Astley beer, 'Astley's Amber Ale.'

The brewpub will be Mikkeller's first in Europe besides Warpigs in Copenhagen, which Mikkeller owns together with American brewery Three Floyds. Additionally, Mikkeller has a brewpub at Citifield in New York.

EVENT INFORMATION

October 26 - 2019
Pop-up opening at Exmouth Market, with free beer for the first guests and a special tap list. The Bar will be open for a couple of months, until Christmas.
Link to the event can be found here

March 2020
Grand opening of Mikkeller Brewpub London, Exmouth Market.