Portland’s beer scene is completely saturated, and that’s putting it mildly. The Rose City’s density of breweries verges on ridiculousness, with multiple neighborhoods boasting three, four, or even five brewpubs within a stone’s throw. So it’s an understandable temptation for out-of-town beer makers to jump into the Rose City’s highly competitive market and see if they can run with the big dogs.
Mikkeller is the latest carpetbagger to try its hand with Portland drinkers. The nomadic brewery, with roots in Denmark, is shipping up beer from San Diego—one of several brewing locations the company has around the globe—and serving them at a pop-up in the former Burnside Brewing space. The temporary pub opened to eager crowds during Portland Beer Week in June and will remain through the end of 2019, with the possibility of launching a permanent brewing facility.