Call it a bar takeover instead of a tap takeover, though it amounts to the same – a variety of beers to delight in, except the drinks represent the tastes of a particular visitor. Its becoming pretty much the trend these days among bar owners, to exchange their likes with each other and do bar takeovers with each other.
This is the “barman’s delight” between Sébastien Albanese, owner of Le Barboteur in Schaerbeek, Brussels, Belgium and Vadim Kamkalov, owner of Protokoll Taproom in Berlin, Germany. Kamkalov, originally from Latvia, took over Le Barboteur last weekend.
Protokoll located in Friedrichshain’s Boxhagener Kiez, opened two years ago and offers 24 taps and an extensive bottle list, featuring German and Russian beers (he is associated with Moscow-based Zagovor Brewery). The taps are adorned with handmade handles featuring twigs, branches, pine cones and other wood from Russia encased in epoxy.
The takeover feature 15 German breweries along with a few Russian ones. In the video above Kamkalov talks about the craft scene in Berlin and how he has introduced a touch of Russian to the flavours he brings to his city.