GT W.
Yelp
At some point or another we have all envisioned the perfect place for beer. Some people may envision a posh, large, modern, high-tech beer emporium with a tap list of 100 beers and a bottle list of 2,000 bottles. Would you imagine a hole-in-the-wall with only 10 taps and only a handful of tables? You should.
Ma Che is the opposite of what one may envision as the world's best craft beer bar. Does it have 50 taps? No. Does it have 2,000 bottles in the cellar? No. Does it have a $5 million keg cooling unit with variable temperatures? No. Does it have a celebrity chef? No. Does it have rare beer sitting all over the shelves for you to ogle at but can't afford? No.
What it does have is character, impeccable service, perfectly poured beers in correct glassware, a lively and personable atmosphere geared towards interacting with strangers. The tap list here is small, but it is well curated. The keg sizes are frequently half kegs, sixtels, and key kegs. This means the keg turnaround is ferociously fast, i.e. the beer is fresh and doesn't sit around.
One recurring static tap is frequently Birrificio Italian Tipopils, a world class session beer. The rotating taps include small breweries Ma Che has personal connections with: mostly Italian, but some American, Danish, Norwegian, British as well. Many beers on tap are made exclusively for Ma Che. The bottle list shared with Bir&Fud is extensive covering retired Belgian lambic to discontinued Italian rarities. There are beers here you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
Ma Che is really a small, close-knit group of friends.. a hidden gem that people have made their home. This place has personality and a connection. It was my beer embassy in Italy. I made so many new friends and tried many exotic beers, some that I didn't even order! They just kept appearing. Ma Che completed a beer journey of a lifetime and I hope to return as soon as I possibly can.
It is to this date, after 650+ craft beer-centric places visited and reviewed, my #1 spot on earth.