He wears what any bike delivery person might—Lycra clothing that leaves very little exposed skin, a backpack over his shoulders—and rides a bicycle that looks like it might have cost as much as a decent used car. In his latex-gloved hands, a small bag. Inside that bag, however, you’ll find no burritos or sushi.
Tiago Falcone, who normally spends his days brewing beer for Broaden & Build Brewing Company—where I’ve also worked for the last six months—has temporarily stepped away from the brew kit. The brewery, like so many other small businesses around Copenhagen, is reeling from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. We were forced to abruptly shutter days ago, a move that management is working to ensure is only temporary. But that’s the thing with the current situation—stuff changes daily, if not hourly.
So, like many other small businesses in Copenhagen, Broaden & Build has taken a creative approach to the current situation, where the forecast for what’s to come is as clear as mud. Falcone is an avid cyclist. Much of Copenhagen is reachable by bike. Cans of beer are pretty portable. You can do the math.
After spreading the word on social media channels, and thanks to a sales manager who’s fielding orders via text, email, and phone, Broaden & Build has scrappily gone from a place that welcomes you in for a beer to a business that brings beer to your doorstep. It’s not the same as sitting down with a friend over a pint, but if there’s time, Falcone will happily chat with you for a minute or two about the beer you’re receiving—from a couple meters away, of course. He knows plenty about it. After all, he made it.
