Mikkeller: Danish Craft Beer and Mighty Quinns BBQ

December 14, 2018 Taipei Expat

Hailing from Copenhagen, Mikkeller is an internationally acclaimed microbrewery with locations across Europe, Asia, and North America. Taipei is a perfect fit for their innovative, cutting-edge style. After opening a beautiful bar in Datong district a few years ago, they’ve recently expanded with a smaller bar next to Zhongshan MRT.

Their wide selection of unique craft beers, attractive interior design, and partnership with Mighty Quinn’s BBQ make them worth checking out.

Mikkeller Taipei

Taipei’s first and largest Mikkeller location lies in the Dadaocheng neighbourhood near Tamsui River. It’s a bit out of the way, as it’s not exactly close to any MRT stations (about an 8-minute walk from Beimen and 13 minutes from Zhongshan), but crowds were still trickling in on a Thursday evening in December.

The interior is designed in Scandinavian style while retaining elements of the historic building it lives in. We visited near Christmas, so there were plenty of holiday decorations as well (check out the Santa hats on the beer taps below).

There are 24 beers on tap that range widely in flavour, price, and ABV. They hail from multiple breweries and change on a regular basis, but you can check on Mikkeller’s website to see what’s currently on offer. You can also taste the beers when you go. We recommend doing this, as there are many unique flavours (like sour winter melon and oatmeal stout brewed with coffee) that you might want to test before you decide.

After tasting a few different beers with mixed success, we ended up going for a pint of the Red and White (a specialty holiday ale brewed with spices, NT$340) and a RedRose Amber Ale (supplied by Baird, a Japanese brewery, for NT$280). We were very satisfied with both of these choices.

We took our drinks up to the second floor, where there’s plenty of seating and a small outdoor area. After getting comfortable, we decided to order food.

This “Taiwanese Burger” doesn’t look like much, but it was actually quite good with the beer. The steamed bun is packed with braised pork belly, sauerkraut, peanut powder, and coriander. It was simple but did the trick for only NT$100.

The cinnamon roll was the winner of the evening. It was warm, fluffy, and soaked in a boozy caramel sauce with a dollop of meringue for NT$160. Delicious!

They’re also queer allies! It’s always a nice touch to see businesses flying the rainbow flag. “Come as you are — all are welcome.”

The food selection was a bit limited at this first location, so we headed to the next one, only a short bike ride away, to have more beer and some meat.

Mikkeler Nanxi

The second and much smaller location is right next to Zhongshan station, on the outside of the Eslite mall. There’s no seating — only some small tables to stand at while drinking on the sidewalk.

They have only half as many taps, but 12 is still enough to throw in some unconventional flavours like apricot and plum (extremely sour and sweet, respectively). Obviously, these also rotate on a regular basis; you can check out what’s currently on tap here, and taste them for yourself in person.

One of the big appeals of this location is their partnership with Mighty Quinn’s BBQ, who provides the food menu. You can order at the bar and they’ll bring it out to your standing-table in a recyclable container.

The brisket (NT$210) and pulled pork (NT$180) were each served on a brioche bun with sides of coleslaw and pickled onions. They were both delicious — the meat was tender and juicy, and the sides paired well.

We liked the casual atmosphere at the second location — it’s the perfect spot to swing by after work for a beer and a chat on the sidewalk.

What’s the vibe?

The Dadaocheng (Mikkeller Taipei) location has 24 taps and a gorgeous upstairs seating area with Scandinavian design and a mellow vibe. The Zhongshan (Mikkeller Nanxi) location is much smaller, with only 12 taps and no seating — it’s a casual spot to swing by for a beer and chat with friends at the standing tables on the sidewalk. The first location serves Taiwanese snacks and dessert, while the second location has partnered with Mighty Quinn’s to serve slow-smoked American BBQ.

Worth it?

Yes! Each location has lots to offer, in terms of atmosphere, beer selection, and food options. We loved everything we ordered.

Would you go back?

Absolutely. The Zhongshan location is especially convenient for grabbing a quick beer after a long day.

Visited: December 2018

Mikkeller Taipei

Chinese Name: 米凱樂啤酒吧

Hours:
Sun & Mon: 4pm - 12am
Tues: Closed
Wed & Thurs: 4pm - 12am
Fri & Sat: 4pm - 1am

Phone: 02 2558 6978

English Address: No. 241, Nanjing West Road, Datong District, Taipei City, 103

Chinese Address: 大同區南京西路241號

Mikkeller Nanxi