The beer market in Denmark is dominated by the brands Carlsberg and Tuborg. Since Tuborg was acquired by Carlsberg in 1970, Carlsberg has held a near-monopoly. A number of regional breweries, however, managed to survive, and most of them merged into Royal Unibrew in 2005. As of 2020, Ratebeer lists over 300 active breweries in Denmark, most of which are microbreweries. [1]
The Danish market is dominated by pale lager, with more than 95% of total sales. However, stout and other dark beers are increasing in popularity, a trend driven by the market growth of mid-priced beers. The local microbreweries are strong innovators and produce a wide variety of beer styles, including strong IPAs and stouts. [1]
Danish beer production was 723 million litres in 2001, and increased to 870 million litres by 2005.
Imported beer accounted for only 8% of total volume sales in 2006. This indicates that beer sales in Denmark are dominated by domestic brands; however, imports increased by 14% in 2006 to reach 36.3 million litres. Germany is the most important source market for imports.
Danish beer exports was 296.1 million litres in 2006. Germany continues to be the most important export market for Danish beer. The German market accounted for 30% of exports in 2006.
Based on data from the Danish Beer Association (Bryggeriforeningen), beer consumption for 2005 was 539 million litres. [2]
Danish industrialist J. C. Jacobsen revolutionized the world of brewing when his brewery, Carlsberg, bred a pure strain of lager yeast, Saccharomyces carlsbergensis. This enabled the breweries to achieve a large and consistent output, and lager has been the most popular style of beer in Denmark since Carlsberg started selling it in 1847. [3] Smaller breweries in Denmark suffered greatly under the Carlsberg market dominance, especially during the middle of the 20th century, and this led to a large reduction in available beer quality and styles. In recent years the interest in higher quality beer has risen sharply, and the Danish beer landscape is now dotted with several small breweries and brewpubs, producing a wide range of beers.
An all malt pale lager with more colour and taste. The classic type is named after the Tuborg or the Carlsberg.
Guld (Gold) is a name commonly applied to pale lagers with a strength around 5.7% abv. Examples include: Tuborg Guld (5.8%), Carlsberg Sort Guld (5.8%), Harboe Premium Gold (5.9%), Svaneke Mørk Guld (5.7%) and Wiibroe Guld Export (5.7%) usually referred to as Wiibroe Flag due to the many small Danish flags on the label.
Hvidtøl (White-beer) is a traditional Danish beer. It is usually under 2% abv, and quite malty and sweet. It was once the most common beer in Denmark but sales have declined so that it is mainly only bought at Christmas when it is served with risengrød. [4] The beer was originally termed "white" as it was made from kilned malt, which was developed in the late 18th century in contrast to the malts dried over fires which produced smokey beers. [5]
Julebryg and Juleøl (Christmas beer) are names given to beers marketed at Christmas. They vary in strength and style, though tend to be malty and around 6% abv. Examples include Tuborg Julebryg (a 5.6% pale lager), Svaneke Julebryg (a 5.6% dark lager), Fur Julebryg (a 6.5% brown ale), Fjordens Juleøl (a 6% dark lager), and Raasted Juleøl (an 8.5% dark ale). Additionally, Carlsberg 47 is slightly connected to the late autumn and Christmas.
Nisseøl (literally nisse beer) is a dark, sweet hvidtøl (white beer, see above) which is sold around Christmas time in Denmark. It is not to be confused with julebryg, which is a much stronger Danish Christmas beer.
Påskeøl (Easter beer) was the original seasonal beer, today the Christmas beers are more popular, but many Easter beers still remain. The Easter beer is a Danish tradition. Like Christmas beers, they are usually 5-6-7% lagers. Examples include: Carl's Påske, Tuborg Påskebryg, Royal Spring, Påskebryg 7,8% (Ørbæk Brewery), Fynsk Forår (Ørbæk Brewery).
The most common type of beer in Denmark is pale lager, simply known as Pilsner in Danish. For instance: Carlsberg Pilsner (often called "Hof" in Denmark), Grøn Tuborg, Tuborg klassisk (Tuborg Klassik), or Tuborg classic (Tuborg classic), Royal Pilsner. These pilsners have a moderate alcohol strength of 4,6% (by volume). A bit stronger pale lager (Pilsner) is the Guld (Gold) described above. Even stronger pale lagers are for instance Carlsberg Elephant (7.2%) and Tuborg Fine Festival (7.5%).
Strong lager (stærk øl or export) refers to pale lagers in the tax category III (6-8%) beers such as Carlsberg Elephant Beer, Tuborg Fine Festival, Albani Giraffe, Royal Selection. [6]
Brown Ale is a common style, with Jacobsen being brewed by Carlsberg and Ørbæk Brewery, Skagen Bryghus.
Many microbreweries brew stouts and porters. Such styles have been popular in the region, historically including baltic porter.
India pale ales are also produced by many Danish microbreweries.
By Danish law beers with up to 0,5 % alcohol by volume are considered alcohol free. These beers have gained in popularity in recent years, with about 50 different brands produced in Denmark. Drinking alcohol free beer has become more socially accepted and the alcohol free beers brewed today taste better than they did a few years ago. [7] [8] Mikkeller is a major producer of alcohol free beers, with 16 different beers. [7]
Albani Bryggerierne A/S is a brewery located in Odense, Denmark, and the vast majority of its customers live on the island of Funen. The brewery was founded by MPharm Theodor Schiøtz in 1859. In 2000, the brewery merged with Bryggerigruppen with the Brewery group, a group of Danish regional breweries.
Carlsberg A/S is a Danish multinational brewer. Founded in 1847 by J. C. Jacobsen, the company's headquarters is in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since Jacobsen's death in 1887, the majority owner of the company has been the Carlsberg Foundation. The company's flagship brand is Carlsberg. Other brands include Tuborg, Kronenbourg, Somersby cider, Holsten, Neptun, Belgian Grimbergen, Fix, one of Greece's oldest brands and more than 500 local beers. The company employs around 41,000 people, primarily in Europe and Asia. Carlsberg is currently the 6th largest brewery in the world based on revenue.
Pale lager is a pale-to-golden lager beer with a well-attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness.
Holsten Brewery is a brewing company founded in 1879 in what is now Hamburg's Altona-Nord quarter. The group now has seven breweries in Germany. Its nationally distributed premium brand is the pale lager Holsten Pilsener. The company was acquired by the Carlsberg Group in 2004.
Tuborg is a Danish brewing company founded in 1873 on a harbour in Hellerup, to the north of Copenhagen, Denmark. Since 1970 it has been part of the Carlsberg Group. The brewery's flagship, the Tuborg pilsner, was brewed for the first time in 1880.
Beer is a major part of German culture, with only water, hops, and malt permitted as ingredients in its production. Beers not exclusively using barley-malt, such as wheat beer, must be top-fermented.
Beer in Norway has a long history, stretching back more than a millennium. Until some 200 years ago, most farms where it was possible to grow grain south of the Arctic Circle, brewed their own beer. From the early 20th century brewing was industrialized and home brewing was restricted. Significant consolidation in the brewing sector reduced the number of major breweries to just a handful. With the exception of the farmhouse ales, most beer styles brewed in Norway trace their ancestry to central Europe.
Thisted Brewery is a regional brewery in Thisted in the north of Denmark founded in 1902. The brewery supplies the local market with pilsner beer, and has gained recognition internationally for beers like Porse Guld and Limfjords Porter, a Baltic porter.
Beer in Africa, especially lager, is produced commercially in most African countries, and indigenous people also make varieties of beer. Beer is served in various locales, from neighbourhood shebeens to upscale bars. Many countries have standardized beer bottle sizes, which are cleaned and re-used, so when buying beer at a store, people often must pay a deposit on the bottle and the price of the beer. An alternative to glass-bottle beers is local beer sold in tetra-pak style paper cartons.
Beer is a popular alcoholic beverage in Turkey, mostly lager type beers.
Mountain Goat Beer is a brewery in Richmond, Victoria, Australia. The brewery was founded in 1997 by Cam Hines and Dave Bonighton. The company's first commercial brew, 'Hightale Ale' amber ale, was released in October 1997. Mountain Goat Beer was purchased by Asahi in September 2015.
Oriental Brewery or OB is a South Korean brewery currently owned by AB InBev, and initially founded by Doosan Group.
Amstel Brewery is a Dutch brewery founded in 1870 on the Mauritskade in Amsterdam. It was taken over by Heineken International in 1968, and the brewing plant closed down in 1982, with production moving to the main Heineken plant at Zoeterwoude.
Jacobsen is an upscale brand of specialty beers owned by Carlsberg. Named after Carlsberg's founder, J.C. Jacobsen, it is housed in the original Carlsberg brewery in Valby in Copenhagen, Denmark and is currently headed by Head Brewer Chris Thurgeson.
Heineken N.V. is a Dutch brewer which owns a worldwide portfolio of over 170 beer brands, mainly pale lager, though some other beer styles are produced. The two largest brands are Heineken and Tecate; though the portfolio includes Amstel, Fosters, Sagres, Cruzcampo, Skopsko, Affligem, Żywiec, Starobrno, Zagorka, Zlatý Bažant, Laško and Birra Moretti.
The beers of the Caribbean are unique to each island in the region, although many are variants of the same style. Each island generally brews its own unique pale lager, the occasional stout, and often a non-alcoholic malta beverage. Contract-brewing of international beers is also common, with Heineken Pilsener and Guinness Foreign Extra Stout being the most popular. The beers vary between the islands to suit the taste and the brewing method used.
Bryggeriet Djævlebryg is a Danish microbrewery established in June 2006. The brewery is a so-called phantom brewery and brews its beers at Herslev Bryghus near Roskilde. From 2006–2009 the beers were brewed at Brøckhouse in Hillerød.
Fuglsang is a danish brewery situated in the town of Haderslev in Southern Jutland. In 2021 the company was bought by Royal Unibrew and in 2022 they ceased production at the Haderslev plant. Instead the brewing was moved to Faxe and Odense.
Lion Brewery or Lion Brewery (Ceylon) PLC is a predominantly Sri Lankan owned and operated brewery. The company is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange and its stock is part of the S&P Sri Lanka 20 Index. Lion Brewery produces the highest selling beer, Lion Lager, in both Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Viru Brewery was Estonia's third largest brewery, and produced the Wiru, Puls, Žiguli and various other brands. It was located in Haljala in Lääne-Viru County. Production of beer was discontinued in 2020.
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