karlsberg brewery tour

Home of Carlsberg

Welcome to the extraordinary Home of Carlsberg. Home of the best beer in the world? Probably. An exhibition and attraction in the heart of Carlsberg's original brewery in Copenhagen.

What's happening?

Join our events or add a daily activity to your visit. 

Beer Tasting

Thirsty for more? Join a beer tasting after a visit to the exhibition. Our beer expert will treat you to three beers in the old cellars.

Historical Tour

Curious to hear more? Go on a historical tour after a visit to the exhibition. The historical tour is in English and takes place in the brewery courtyard and the old cellars. 

Home of Carlsberg Fridays

What better way to start the weekend than at a Friday bar at Home of Carlsberg? Enjoy a cold beer fresh from the tap in the lively Brewery Courtyard surrounded by history and crisp DJ tunes.

Welcome home

At Home of Carlsberg, we will take you back to where it all began  in 1847 with the story of all that was, is, and forever will be Carlsberg.

A home full of experiences

When you visit, we’ll let you see, listen, feel, smell, and, most importantly, taste Carlsberg. Here are a few experiences you don’t want to miss.

Come experience an interactive exhibition unfolding the story of Carlsberg.

Take a break and enjoy the historical surroundings in the courtyard and sculpture garden.

Carlsberg Bar

This is our hoppy place. Come enjoy a Carlsberg beer fresh from the tap.

Come meet our six draught horses and two ponies in the stable. Here, you will also find our vintage cars.

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Home of Carlsberg

Explore the story of "Probably the best beer in the world". Home of Carlsberg is a unique experience that tells a piece of Denmark's unique history in a new and captivating way.

Home of Carlsberg is more than just a museum. Home of Carlsberg is an experience and attraction located in the heart of J.C. Jacobsen's first brewery. Jacobsen's first brewery on Valby Bakke. The attraction unfolds the past, present and future of the Carlsberg family through a large interactive exhibition and allows guests to see, hear and taste the story of J.C. Jacobsen and his family. Jacobsen and his family.

The exhibition takes you on a journey where hops, history and hustle and bustle are at the centre of the visit. You will be able to try brewing your own beer on a screen, dance in a beer, smell the ingredients, see old Carlsberg adverts through the ages and, not least, experience the hugely impressive bottle collection in the basement, where bottles from all over the world are gathered.

Included in the ticket price, you will be served a freshly poured draft beer or a soft drink at the end. It's the perfect way to end your tour of the Home of Carlsberg. You can also tour their beautiful shop, where you can buy everything from beer glasses, personalised gifts and posters to take home.

Home of Carlsberg is not just for the beer enthusiast or museum lover. The cultural attraction also includes a historic and protected area with a restaurant and bar, the opportunity to experience the horse stables with the majestic brewery horses, architectural buildings, beer tastings and guided tours of the old cellars that will reveal old secrets and stories.

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Visit Carlsberg: A Tour of Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen

There are three certainties in life: death, taxes, and Julianne visiting a brewery in whatever country she’s in. Since touring both the Heineken Experience and the Guinness Storehouse last year, I’ve become, shall I say, *really* into beer tours. So it should come as no surprise that Visit Carlsberg was one of the first stops we made on our trip to Copenhagen in February 2018.

Without further ado, here’s the 411 on how you can take part in this fantastic Danish ex-beer-erience.

But Before We Get Started…

I want to be honest and upfront here: as I was writing this post, I discovered that Visit Carlsberg is set to close temporarily on December 22, 2018 for rebuilding, and they’ll be closed through 2019 as they continue with renovations and modernization. They’re currently set to reopen in 2020.

So why am I writing this post? Because you still might learn a thing or two about Carlsberg beer, no matter where in the world you’re sipping on it. Our mission here is to educate just as much as to entertain, so we hope you’ll stick around and grab a pint.

What it *really* means, though, is you’d better haul your beer-lovin’ self over to Visit Carlsberg and sip on their delicious brews while you still can. If you’re a procrastinator who leaves things until the last minute, this post is tailor-made for you!

Your exbeerience at Visit Carlsberg awaits.

Where is Visit Carlsberg?

Visit Carlsberg is located in Denmark’s charming capital city of Copenhagen. More specifically, you can find it at Gamle Carlsberg Vej 11, 1799 Copenhagen V.

Hint: Zoom in or out to see where Visit Carlsberg is relative to other Copenhagen landmarks.

How To Get to Visit Carlsberg: Or, Trains, Bicycles, and Shuttles, Oh My!

There are a number of ways to get to Visit Carlsberg, and the one you choose will likely depend on a multitude of factors: Is it cold enough outside that your tongue will freeze to a flagpole? Are you uncoordinated and fall over when riding bicycles? Do you really just want a beer in your hand ASAP and need to take the fastest route, dammit?!

(You get the picture. And yes, all of these were factors in our transportation choice.)

We elected to walk 10 minutes to Copenhagen Central station from our hostel , and take the B and/or C trains to the Carlsberg St stop. From there, it was a quick 5-minute walk uphill to Visit Carlsberg.

Alternate Routes

Here are some alternate modes of transportation, should you prefer something different or have an excellent sense of balance:

• By Bicycle: Copenhagen is known for being a bicycle-friendly city, so if you’re up for it, you can bike over. It takes 10 minutes via bicycle from Copenhagen Central station.
• On Foot: It’s a 4-kilometer walk (2.48 miles) from Copenhagen Central station to Visit Carlsberg.
• Free Shuttle: There’s a free bus (yay!) to and from Visit Carlsberg. Pick it up at Vesterbrogade 6, right by Copenhagen Central station, at 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, and 2:00 PM. It departs from Visit Carlsberg at 12:25 PM, 1:25 PM, and 2: 25 PM.

Visit Carlsberg Review: A True Copenhagen Exbeerience

First: to tour or not to tour.

When my friend Brianne of “A Traveling Life” and I arrived at Visit Carlsberg, we immediately zipped into the Ticket Center (which is also the original brewery of J.C. Jacobsen).

Step inside to get your admission tickets!

We discovered that we had *just* missed the 1:00 PM guided historical tour by 4 minutes and 37 seconds. (Yes, I checked.) We were initially disappointed, but rather than wait around for an hour, we decided to do a self-guided tour.

In the end, this was a great choice for us; we moved at our own pace and spent more time in the areas we found interesting. We overheard positive remarks from tour takers when we were tasting beer later on, though, so it’s too bad we missed it!

20,000+ Bottles of Beer on the Wall…

I like my brewery tours to start with a bang, and on this front, Visit Carlsberg certainly delivered.

We walked in, and…. Oh. My. God. Beer nerds, behold the wonder and the glory of the l argest unopened beer bottle collection in the world !

Have you ever seen this many beer bottles in one place?!?

It’s completely mind-boggling, and reminded me of my time at the Scotch Whisky Experience (which has the world’s largest collection of Scotch whisky).

So how did this boozy collection come about? Well, a Danish engineer named Mr. Leif Sonne had the brilliant idea to collect unopened beer bottles in 1968. In 1993, he transferred the collection to Carlsberg; by 2007, the collection stood at over 22,000 bottles and was certified by Guinness World Records to be the largest collection of bottled beer on Planet Earth.

In sum: this gallery is worth the price of admission alone!

Getting pretty dusty in here…

Resisting the urge to sing “99 bottles of beer on the wall…”

The History of Carlsberg

After we (sort of) got over the shock of thousands of beer bottles, we moved on to the next part of our journey: learning about the history of Carlsberg and its beer.

You’ll learn some fun facts here about Carlsberg, like:

• Carlsberg was founded in 1847 by J.C. Jacobsen.  The first brew was finished on November 10, 1847.
• The name “Carlsberg” comes from two words.  J.C. used his son’s name, Carl, and the Danish word for “hill.”
• For a while, there were two competing Carlsberg breweries.  Jacobsen’s son Carl opened a brewery in 1882 named Ny (New) Carlsberg, so Dad had to rename his brewery Gamle (Old) Carlsberg. The companies merged in 1906.
• Carlsberg employees got a sizable beer allowance back in the day. Yep — men were given an allowance of 8 pints… PER DAY. Crikey!
• Carlsberg was the first brewery in the world to purify yeast.  They also made another integral contribution to science: the concept of pH was first introduced by a Danish chemist at Carlsberg Laboratory in 1909. Carlsberg Laboratory was created by — you guessed it — Mr. J.C. Jacobsen in 1875.

Old bottles — a taste of history

Meanwhile, Outdoors: Sculpture Garden & Carlsberg Stables

Tired of being indoors? Swing through the Sculpture Garden, which houses a small part of Jacobsen’s art collection. If you’re visiting in February like we did, your “leisurely walk” through here will probably turn into more of a frenzied run so your fingers don’t freeze off.

Sculptures at Visit Carlsberg

You can also check out Carlsberg’s stables, where you can see a four-legged piece of Carlsberg’s history. The large draught horses played a major role in Carlsberg’s beer deliveries.

Meet the horses up close!

Brand Store & First Beer Tasting

We deftly navigated through all of the Carlsberg merchandise with one thought on our minds: trying our first sample of Carlsberg beer, which was included in the admission price.

I’m here for the beer, so it wasn’t too hard to skip past the merch.

Step right up for your Carlsberg beer!

There’s something I like to call Julianne’s third law of beer: “Beer always tastes better straight from the source.” Guinness tastes better to me in Ireland; Heineken tastes better to me in the Netherlands; Sam Adams seems to taste better to me in Boston.

It’s five o’clock in Copenhagen! Brianne (right) and I sip on some Carlsberg beers.

The same held true for Carlsberg: boy, oh boy, did it taste awesome in Copenhagen. We settled on the Carlsberg pilsner for our sample, and it perked up our taste buds with its crispness and malty character.

Trying our first Carlsberg beer

I travel halfway around the world, and yet Brooklyn Brewery follows me to Copenhagen… (second from the left).

Jacobsen Brewhouse & Bar

After our “freebie” beer, we realized that our stomachs were grumbling audibly, so we hauled ourselves over to Jacobsen Brewhouse and Bar.

Entering Jacobsen Brewhouse and Bar!

Before guzzling your beer at the bar, you can see some original copper kettles here. Be sure to test your olfactory prowess by sniffing ingredients and identifying scents in the aroma room!

Lots of fun stuff inside Jacobsen Brewhouse and Bar

The Beer Flight

C’mon, you’re here for the beer, right? So zip on over to the bar for some beer flights.

Beer flight at Carlsberg Brewery

Beer flights cost 80 kr ($12.15 USD) for four 0.15 L draught beer samples. From left to right in the photo above, we drank:

• Grimbergen Blanche – 6% ABV; a fruity wheat beer
• Jacobsen Yakima IPA – 6.5% ABV; a full-bodied West Coast-style IPA
• 1883 – 4.6% ABV; a malty amber lager
• Jacobsen Brown Ale – 6% ABV; a malty, intense brown ale

We also had a glass of the Brewmaster IPA to wash down the rye bread with hop-smoked salmon that we had for lunch. All in all, it was delicious. Skål!

Mmm… Carlsberg beer and Nordic Smørre­brød does a body good.

Taste the rainbow

Visit Carlsberg 101: Practical Info

Hours & availability.

• Visit Carlsberg is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Last tickets are sold at 4:00 PM, and the exhibition closes at 4:30 PM.
• Visit Carlsberg is closed on Mondays.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Visit Carlsberg will be temporarily closed from December 22, 2018 through all of 2019 for a major renovation and modernization. They plan to re-open in 2020. You can read more at www.visitcarlsberg.com.

Admission to Visit Carlsberg is free for guests who have a Copenhagen Card . (I highly recommend getting one — it was perfect for our 4-day trip.)

If you don’t have a Copenhagen Card, the best route to go is to purchase tickets online at Visit Carlsberg’s website at www.visitcarlsberg.com.

• The Visit Carlsberg admission ticket includes 1 beer or soft drink and is currently €13.42 for adults and €9.40 for students with a valid ID.
• There is a separate beer tasting ticket for €10.74 online.
• The guided beer tasting includes three different beers from the Jacobsen Brewery and Carlsberg Family.
• Tastings start at 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 4:00 PM; they run for about 35 minutes.
• Note that you also need an admission ticket to get this beer tasting ticket.
• Historical tours of Visit Carlsberg run at 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM. Tours usually last 35 minutes.
• Tours cost €8.05 and are conducted in English.
• You also need an admission ticket to get this historical tour ticket.

Gamle Carlsberg

Essential Info: Where should you stay in Copenhagen? Check out options here . Where did I personally stay in Copenhagen?  I stayed in  this hostel in a private room. If you’re OK with hostels, it’s a good value and in a good location, but if you’re not a hostel person, I’d look elsewhere. Want a guidebook for Copenhagen? I use Rick Steves and Lonely Planet . What else have I written about Denmark? Check out my posts here . What camera did I use for this post?  I used our Olympus EM5 Mark II camera with this lens and (and my cell phone). Have questions for me? Hit me up on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , or Pinterest !

If you liked this post, check out:

• Where To Drink in Copenhagen Right Now
• The Heineken Experience: Or, How I Found Beer Nirvana in Amsterdam
• Oh My Guinness!: Touring the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin

Did you like this post? Pin it! ↓↓

Have you ever been to Visit Carlsberg in Copenhagen? Do you want to go? Tell us in the comments below!

All costs were paid for by me, and all opinions are my own. Not even a perfect pint of Carlsberg can change that.

5 thoughts on “ Visit Carlsberg: A Tour of Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen ”

Ashley Smith

I love brewery tours too! Especially when they have ponies. 🙂 Next time I’m in Copenhagen, after 2020, I’m totally visiting here!

Absolutely you should! And 2020 — daaaaaaamn you like to plan in advance 🙂

omg now i regret not checking this brewery out the last i was in copenhagen! it looks and sounds like it’s def worth a visit! next time i’m in that city – i am for sure making a pit stop!

Great photos by the way. You’ve really captured the essence of the brewery.

Thanks for your kind words, Kath! Much appreciated. We loved touring the brewery!

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Scandinavia Standard

Scandinavian travel, design, culture, and what’s on for locals, travellers and scandiphiles. Based in Copenhagen and Stockholm.

The history of Carlsberg beer, founded in 1847, is interwoven with the history of Denmark. A can of Carlsberg pilsner is the symbol of the every day – simple and traditional, and available everywhere from 7-11 to restaurants.

If you’re travelling to Copenhagen for the first time, or just really like beer, Visit Carlsberg is a great way to learn about both the brewery and the Danish beer culture. Located in Vesterbro, the old Carlsberg city ( Carlsberg Byen ), houses the old Carlsberg Brewery, the world’s largest bottle collection (do NOT play frisbee in there!) and offers tours and tastings.

But if you’d like to go a little deeper into the nearly 200 year old factory and brewery, there are hidden rooms that aren’t part of the usual tour. We were lucky enough to get a peek into those rooms and brought our camera along too.

Take a look behind the scenes at the old Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen:

Photographs by Freya McOmish .

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Carlsberg Brewery tours

Copenhagen, Capital Region of Denmark, Denmark

• https://www.visitcarlsberg.com

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Credit Shutterstock.com/Dreamer Company

** Temporarily closed for renovations ***

With whiffs of the old Carlsberg brewery pervading the air, tours of this beer mecca cover the history of brewing and beer consumption in Denmark.

Exhibits range from the first known Danish beer to a comprehensive overview of the history of the company, with models of old workers’ quarters and antique brewing machinery.

At the end of the tour, treat yourself to a few rounds at the bar (two beers are included in the ticket). One compelling display features Egtved Girl, the preserved body of a child from prehistoric times found in a Danish bog. A small pot at her feet contained traces of beer.

Founded in Copenhagen in 1947 by J C Jacobsen, and named after his son, Carlsberg has become pretty much a trademark of Denmark, so a visit here is a history lesson in cultural iconography.

Getting there & doing it

The museum is an enjoyable cycle ride from the centre, west from Vaernedamsvej along Vesterbrogade then a left turn along Pile Alle. You can also walk (20 minutes) or take a taxi (5 minutes) from downtown Vesterbro.

Head to the visitor centre, and pick up a self-guided tour, which takes about 1.5 hours. Private guided tours may also be requested (additional charge).

When to do it

It’s open all year round, Tuesday-Sunday. Closed Mondays.

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Carlsberg Brewery / Carlsberg Visitors Centre

Beer is not simply beer. The huge visitor centre in the historic Carlsberg Brewery covers an area of around 10,000 square metres and as such seems to be a complete brewery universe. Today more than 500 different beers are linked with the name Carlsberg. A tour of the museum leads you through the original and still operational brewing plant set up by J. C. Jacobsen in 1847. Here visitors are greeted by, amongst other things, the largest collection of bottles in the world, a powerful steam engine, cellars with their yeast germinating boxes, a barrel workshop and above all the old brewing room where three copper kettles still brew special beers. Even the once indispensable brewery horses now enjoy a permanent home in a new stable specially built for them in 1992. And last but not least, over 49 varieties of Carlsberg beer are waiting to be sampled in the Jacobsen bar. And to ensure that all visitors can immediately find something to meet their individual taste, they can take a sniff of their favourite aroma in advance at a “smelling table” in the “Sensory Room”. And afterwards you can always extend your beer experience with a stroll through the museum's own sculpture garden where you can admire a small part of Carlsberg's art collection and say hi to The Little Mermaid's sister.

Carlsberg Brewery / Carlsberg Visitors Centre Gamle Carlsberg Vej 11 1799 Copenhagen Denmark +45 (0) 3327 - 1282 Homepage

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Visiting Carlsberg Brewery: Denmark’s Beer Giant

Visiting Carlsberg Brewery was high on my list of things to do while spending 72 hours in Copenhagen. If you haven’t noticed by now, I love a good brewery tour , even more so when admission is included in the local tourism pass as it is with the Copenhagen Card.

From its widespread history and massive footprint to its mindblowing beer bottle collection, visiting Carlsberg Brewery is a unique one to say the least.

Table of Contents

Visiting Carlsberg Brewery – How to get there

Visiting the Carlsberg Brewery from Copenhagen is easy, especially if you have a Copenhagen Card. Not only is admission to the brewery included but transportation on the well-connected transit system is as well. The Carlsberg Brewery is located in the newly developed Carlsberg neighbourhood and can be reached on the A or B metro line from Nørreport station. Once you get off at Carlsberg station it is a short 7-minute walk to the brewery gates.

READ MORE:   Visiting The Guinness Storehouse in Dublin

22,000 Bottles of Beer on the Wall

Turns out, Carlsberg has a thing for beer bottles. Since 1968 Leif Sonne, a Danish engineer with unthinkable willpower, started collecting unopened beer bottles from around the globe. In the 1990’s his massive collection caught the attention of Carlsberg who offered to store his bottles at their brewery. In 2007 it was officially titled with the worlds largest collection of unopened beer bottles by Guinness World Records. This was a cool surprise to me and the first thing you see on the self-guided tour while visiting the Carlsberg Brewery.

The History of Carlsberg

Past the hoarding of beer bottles, the self-guided Carlsberg tour continues through not only the history of its  beer but the history of beer itself.

Dating back 3000+ years, the massive circular display walks you through the creation and celebration of beer in the most informative way possible. Literally placards for days.

Carlsberg’s story picks up in 1845 when a young J.C. Jacobsen began studying (drinking) Bavarian brewing in Munich. He returned home to Copenhagen armed with yeast and a head full of ideas. After perfecting his first batch in his mother’s tub, Jacobsen built a brand new brewery to share his creation with the world.

READ MORE: The Beer Down Here – A Peak Behind Sydney’s Booming Craft Beer Scene

Pulled from his son’s name (Carl) and the Danish word for “hill,” Carlsberg is born. Years of pitfalls are followed by success and in 1868 Carlsberg begins exporting to the world with awards and accomplishments following suit.

Today Carlsberg is one of the biggest beer brands out there, an impressive feat coming from such a small Scandinavian country.

Fine Beer Calls for Fine Art

Back outside in the expensive brewery grounds, the tour continues through Jacobson’s personal art collection. Turns out he was a lover of the arts and is even the man behind Copenhagen‘s famous Little Mermaid statue, something he gifted to the city. A replica of such is on display in the gardens just outside the Carlsberg stables.

Carlsberg Stables

Aside from the factory, a highlight of visiting Carlsberg brewery is strolling the stables. To keep with tradition, on-site you will find Jutland horses and all their beer hauling glory. Carriage rides and tours are included with admission but only at allotted times. You can refer to the activity board in the ticket office or your handy itinerary. I missed out by the time I strolled through but was able to check out the stables and meet the horses up close.

Thirsty Yet?

The true highlight of visiting Carlsberg Brewery is, of course, tasting the brew. There is something about sampling a famous beer straight from the source that makes it so much better. Visiting Carlsberg is no exception. It could’ve been the unseasonably warm Copenhagen weather or the beer history I was steeping in for the past hour, but this Pilsner rivals even the original I sampled at the source in Pilsen .

Sidenote, I am currently writing this half cut at a brewery in Valemont BC so my judgment and memory may be impaired on this. Point is, Carlsberg beer is really good from the source.

One beer voucher is included when visiting Carlsberg and you have two options on where to redeem – the outdoor patio or pub upstairs. I chose both.

The upper Jacobsen Brewhouse & Bar bar offers a few extras that make the stumble up the 10 steps worthwhile.

• There are several other beers available
• You can sample these extra beers next to some original copper kettles and…
• The bar is located above a functioning bottling floor with plenty of windows to view the action below.

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Beyond Visiting Carlsberg Brewery 

Equal parts tasting and local construction led me to an end extended tour through the Carlsberg campus. I was trying to get to the nearby catacombs and got turned around. As I stumbled around the grounds I got a sense of just how big Carlsberg is in the beer world. The brewery grounds extend far beyond what you see at the brewery tour. Spread out over several blocks, the Carlsberg neighbourhood includes the Scandinavia School of Brewing , shops, and it’s in by the looks of the construction, very cool condos in the near future.

Although I would live next to a lot of breweries, Carlsberg is appealing with its close proximity to Søndermarken   Park. Copenhagen being listed as one of the best cities in the world to live in doesn’t hurt either.

Check out this other beer tours!

Skål!

Later that day while watching the sunset from a patio in Nyhavn I was able to appreciate my beer that much more. Looking down the busy street I spied countless people doing the exact same thing. This made me wonder, without J.C. Jacobsen’s grand vision and clean tasting Pilsner, would these people even be here? Where would Copenhagen be?

After visiting Carlsberg Brewery it is undoubtedly clear that Carlsberg has been huge for Copenhagen and the country of Denmark. Looking around now was living proof. Cheers to that Carlsberg.

What say you? Thoughts on  Visiting Carlsberg Brewery ? Let’s hear it!

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Visit the original Carlsberg Brewery in Valby, Copenhagen

You can taste a Carlsberg beer after the exhibition tour

Outside the museum in the yard there is a copy of 'The Little Mermaid'

One of the fascinating old Carlsberg trucks

• Map & transport

Visit Carlsberg

Carlsberg Museum is one of Copenhagen´s most popular museums and tells the story about the famous beer.

The Home of Calrsberg is located where the first Carlsberg Brewery in Valby in Copenhagen was built in 1847, and here you can explore the heritage site where J. C. Jacobsen brewed the very first Carlsberg beer. The old buildings have been converted into a modern museum on 10000 m2. You get an extraordinary insight into Carlsberg's history and can taste different kinds of beers from Denmark´s  famous brewery.

The museum has many exciting events throughout the year - check that out on the company`s webpage.

Guided tour

Through the interactive exhibits and displays, you can also get an impression of the collection of many different beer bottle designs, historical beer through the ages, and Carlsberg's incredible development to be one of the biggest beer brands in the world.

Get the best Carlsberg stories by joining a historical guided tour where the guides will show you the old brewery and cellars and tell the story of J. C. Jacobsen.

The Little Mermaid 

In the courtyard, you can see a small copy of 'The Little Mermaid', which the founder Carl Jacobsen donated to Copenhagen, and the original statue is placed at Langelinie in Copenhagen.

Visit the brewery bar

The approximately one-and-a-half-hour tour ends on the first floor in the museum bar. Here, you can taste the many Carlsberg products. 

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Coordinates

• Lattitude: 55.664783
• Longitude: 12.529747

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Carlsberg brewery tour - Home of Carlsberg

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• Home of Carlsberg

Spent two hours going around the tour, lots of interactive stuff to keep the kids entertained. Also... read more

Probably the best immersive museum experience in the world! Excellent new self-guided experience... read more

Carlsberg brewery tour

I booked the Carlsberg brewery yesterday in Copenhagen and first tour was 12.30. We got there early and had to sit in car as they would not let you in till exact time. It was interesting regarding the family who first started it but we thought that when we were taken to cellar tour it was rubbish. There was one room which they created a few things to show us but very short lived. Then we also booked the beer tasting. We again went to the cellar and stood by a table shared with 7 people. They gave us one bottle to taste the beer each time and it was over in a blink of an eye. No souvenir offered consternation paid a lot of money to do this. Very disappointing.

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Carlsberg Brewery Tours: A Frothy Journey Through Brewing History

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Introduction

Embark on a frothy journey through the iconic Carlsberg Brewery in Copenhagen, where beer aficionados and history enthusiasts converge to experience the legacy of one of the world’s most renowned breweries. This comprehensive guide unravels the story behind Carlsberg, offering insights into its rich history, brewing traditions, and the immersive brewery tours that allow visitors to savor the essence of Danish brewing excellence.

Table of Contents

The birth of carlsberg – a brewing legacy.

Delve into the origins of Carlsberg, founded in 1847 by J.C. Jacobsen. Uncover the brewery’s pioneering spirit, commitment to quality, and its role in shaping Denmark’s brewing industry. Explore the legacy of the Jacobsen family and their enduring influence on Carlsberg’s global standing.

The Carlsberg Experience – Brewery Tour Highlights

Embark on a virtual tour through the highlights of the Carlsberg Experience, where visitors are immersed in the art and science of brewing. From the Old Carlsberg brewhouse to the state-of-the-art Jacobsen Brewhouse, discover the evolution of brewing technology and witness the craftsmanship behind Carlsberg’s acclaimed beers.

Brewing Traditions Unveiled

Unravel the brewing traditions that define Carlsberg’s distinctive beers. Explore the ingredients, processes, and craftsmanship that go into creating the brewery’s iconic brews, including the globally beloved Carlsberg Pilsner. Gain insights into the art of brewing that has been honed over generations.

The Historic Brewery District – A Living Heritage

Step into the historic brewery district of Valby, where Carlsberg’s heritage comes to life. Discover the preserved architecture, lush gardens, and iconic structures such as the Elephant Gate and the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. Learn how these elements contribute to the immersive atmosphere of the Carlsberg Brewery tours.

Beer Tasting Experiences

Indulge in beer-tasting experiences that tantalize the taste buds with Carlsberg’s diverse beer offerings. From classic pilsners to innovative craft brews, the brewery tours offer a sensory journey through the brewery’s beer portfolio. Learn the art of beer appreciation and the nuances that make Carlsberg beers a global favorite.

The Jacobsen Brewhouse – Craft Beer Innovation

Explore the Jacobsen Brewhouse, Carlsberg’s hub for craft beer innovation. Uncover the creative process behind Jacobsen’s distinctive brews, each crafted with precision and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of traditional brewing. Sample unique and limited-edition releases that showcase the brewery’s experimental spirit.

Sustainable Brewing Practices

Delve into Carlsberg’s commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly brewing practices. Learn about the brewery’s initiatives to reduce environmental impact, including water conservation, energy efficiency, and recycling efforts. Discover how Carlsberg integrates sustainability into every aspect of its brewing operations.

Brewery Tour Practicalities – Tickets, Timings, and Tips

Equip yourself with practical information for planning your Carlsberg Brewery tour. From ticketing options and tour timings to insider tips for optimizing your visit, ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience exploring the heart of Carlsberg’s brewing legacy.

Events and Special Occasions

Explore special events and occasions hosted at the Carlsberg Brewery, including beer festivals, cultural celebrations, and exclusive tastings. Discover how these events offer unique opportunities to engage with the brewery’s vibrant community and celebrate the world of beer.

Brewing Memories – Taking a Piece of Carlsberg Home

Reflect on the journey through Carlsberg’s brewing history and consider taking a piece of the experience home. Explore the brewery’s gift shop, filled with memorabilia, beer accessories, and exclusive merchandise that allows visitors to extend their Carlsberg experience beyond the brewery gates.

The Carlsberg Brewery tours offer a captivating blend of history, craftsmanship, and beer appreciation, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the world of one of Denmark’s brewing treasures. This guide celebrates the legacy of Carlsberg, inviting beer enthusiasts and curious travelers alike to savor the essence of Danish brewing excellence in the heart of Copenhagen. Whether you’re a seasoned beer connoisseur or a casual enthusiast, the Carlsberg Brewery tours promise an enriching journey through the art and science of brewing, leaving you with a newfound appreciation for the frothy magic that unfolds within each Carlsberg bottle.

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Beyond being Denmark’s most famous beer, Carlsberg has played a central role in shaping the look, feel, and prosperity of Copenhagen over the years. If you’re a beer lover and interested in a fun experience, consider setting aside time to do a brewery tour.

More Recommendations

Carlsberg brewery tour, horses & beer.

While I’m not a big fan of beer, knowing that Carlsberg is such a big part of Copenhagen’s history, I felt compelled to make a visit. However, another draw to the brewery is its Jutland horses, also referred to as “brewery horses,” which were used during the early days of the brewery to transport beer barrels for delivery. While the horses are no longer used for deliveries, they are still lodged in the Stables on the brewery grounds and are used as ambassadors at festivals, competitions, demonstrations, and on special occasions. Named after the Jutland Peninsula and used by the Vikings during raids of present-day Great Britain, these horses are gorgeous, but they’re huge! While some visitors took their chances and pet the horses, albeit with some trepidation, I took the warning signs to heart and kept my distance. http://www.timetravelplans.net/history-beer-carlsberg-brewery/

Carlsberg Museum

Great day out only around £8.00 entry fee, upon being greeted by the fluent English staff who described the tour and the timescale for this (we arrived late in the afternoon following a trip to the zoo), we took a your by ourselves and this took under 1 hour including our beer tasting!!!! The history of the factory was fascinating and we enjoyed seeing the horses within Carlsbergs very own stables. The tour ends with a visit to the Jacobson bar upstairs which is modern and clean with a view of the modern factory, and then a trip to the huge souvenir shop which had a massive variety of gifts, an excellent day in all and a fabulous city

Information on this page, including website, location, and opening hours, is subject to have changed since this page was last published. If you would like to report anything that’s inaccurate, let us know at [email protected].

The Copenhagen Post

The Copenhagen Post – your Danish Connection

Connect Club

26 May: ‘Visit Carlsberg’ tour at Home of Carlsberg

Exclusively for The Copenhagen Post’s Connect Club members, this free tour of the Home of Carlsberg will take you through the long history of the renowned Carlsberg company, telling the story of its founder J.C. Jacobsen and its extraordinary global growth.

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Do you want to get behind the scenes of probably the most iconic company in Denmark?  

The exhibition unfolds the intriguing story of J.C. Jacobsen and his son, Carl Jacobsen, their assumptions about brewing and how this has affected the Carlsberg we know today. 

The tour gives a rare and exciting insight into the genesis of modern beer brewing, but also into Carlsberg’s influence on science, art and civil society via the rest of the Carlsberg family.

Since 1847, The Carlsberg Brewery brand has brewed beer at the top of Valby Bakke, which today is known as the Carlsberg City District in Copenhagen.

The Home of Carlsberg has undergone a thorough, five-year renovation, and opened for visitors again less than six months ago, in December 2023.

Event details

Date and time: Sunday 26 May, 10:45 AM Please arrive 5-10 minutes early, so the tour can begin at 10:45 AM. Location: Home of Carlsberg , Gamle Carlsberg Vej 15, 1799 København V Free, rsvp required – limited spots. 

A draft beer, water or soft drink is included in the beautiful Carlsberg Bar afterwards. 

The exhibition is in English.

Register for the event here – and become a part of Connect Club  

We regret to inform you that we have to close registrations.

Just want to sign up for our Connect Club? Click here .

Please remember to check your spam folder for our email

We look forward to seeing you!

Read the Connect Club FAQ

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Beer Without Alcohol Is Gaining Momentum. But Can It Win at the Paris Olympics?

B ottles of beer emblazoned with the five Olympic rings are already rolling off the production line at Anheuser-Busch InBev NV’s brewery in Belgium, in preparation for the games in Paris this summer.

It has been 100 years since the French capital last hosted the summer Olympics, and the city wants to make a mark after Covid meant the Tokyo Games were held in virtually empty stadiums. And now, for the first time ever there will be a beer sponsor for an event that showcases the pinnacle of human sporting achievements.

But in this case, the drink—Corona Cero—doesn’t have any alcohol.

The world’s biggest brewer has chosen to advertise to billions of sports fans a zero-alcohol product only launched in Europe two years ago. AB InBev hopes to use the Paris Games—expected to be one of the biggest marketing bonanzas the Olympics has ever seen—to improve its position in the only part of the global beer industry that’s really growing.

Read More: Why Beer Is the World’s Most Beloved Drink

Worth $13 billion and counting, brands from Heineken to Guinness, and now Corona Cero, see a cohort of health-conscious consumers—many young, others older and wanting out of a booze culture—whose wallets they can tap.

Master brewers have been working on formulas to try to replicate the taste and texture of the real thing. Heineken, Guinness and Budweiser are all now available alcohol-free, while hundreds of craft brewers and newer labels are emerging to target the market.

For Michel Doukeris, the chief executive officer of AB InBev, it’s quite simple: “The consumer has changed.”

No-alcohol beer, or beer with alcohol content under 0.5%, is a tiny corner of the market, its 31.4 million hectoliters a year dwarfed by the 1.93 billion hectoliters of alcoholic beer, according to GlobalData Plc. But it’s had an annual compound growth rate of 3.6% since 2018, versus 0.3% for alcoholic beer. In the U.S., adults age 18 to 34 who say they drink has dropped from 72% in the early 2000s to 62%, according to Gallup.

Those are numbers businesses can’t ignore, especially AB InBev. It’s already lagging behind and says it will miss a target of  20% of sales  from low or no-alcohol beer by 2025.

“There are a lot of sports events like the Olympics where the flagship brands are often the 0% variant,” said Susie Goldspink, head of no and low alcohol insights at market researcher IWSR. “That’s partly because it’s such a growing area but it also helps with their moderation agenda of responsible drinking.”

There’s also a wider benefit for beer companies. Because their no-alcohol versions often share the same name and labelling as the original beer, the promotions help brand awareness and allow firms to circumvent increasingly tighter restrictions around alcohol advertising.

The Olympics is part of a trend of zero-alcohol beers being promoted via sport, including Heineken 0.0 with Formula 1 and Diageo Plc’s Guinness 0.0 at the Six Nations rugby tournament. Carlsberg A/S last year handed out 400,000 cans of French no-alcohol beer Tourtel Twist at the Tour de France cycling race.

Read more: How to Talk About Beer Like a Pro

And in a sign of the competition between brands, Carlsberg is positioning Tourtel Twist as the non-alcoholic beer of choice at the Paris Games.

“We are the official beer of Paris and France,” said Jacob Aarup-Andersen, CEO of Carlsberg. “They are the official beer of the Olympic movement. At the events you are going to be served Tourtel.”

U.S.-based Athletic Brewing Co. , which sells only non-alcoholic drinks, says an Olympic sponsorship benefits the entire category.

“Sometimes to move the needle you need bigger players that can help drive awareness,” said  John Walker , the company’s co-founder.

For drinks companies, there’s a pressing need to keep up with shifting trends that have already proved the death knell for many businesses. More than 7,000 bars in the U.K. closed in the last decade, according to the British Beer and Pub Association . While alcohol duties, rents, costs and regulations all played a part, so too have changing drinking habits.

As consumers, particularly social media-driven millennial and Gen Z demographic groups, look to temper their alcohol intake, it’s better to have a viable—and attractive—offering rather than have them turn to a rival brand, a soda or water.

Heineken 0.0 is the market leader in the no-alcohol beer market globally, according to GlobalData. Other big sellers are Japan’s Suntory All-Free, and Brahma 0.0%, owned by AB InBev.

At the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery in Germany, non-alcoholic beers have been in production since the early 1990s. But in 2020, thanks to rising demand, Bavaria-owned Weihenstephan more than doubled its alcohol-free beer capacity, taking a bet on future growth. Today, its non-alcoholic wheat beer is almost 10% of sales, and its third best-selling product.

But all the promotion in the world can only take zero-alcohol beer so far if it isn’t any good.

Until relatively recently, non-alcoholic beer compared poorly to the original, leaving drinkers unsatisfied. For brewers, there was a technical conundrum: how to achieve the depth of taste without alcohol. Do they stop beer from forming alcohol during the fermentation process or do they remove it after brewing a full-strength version?

According to Jim Koch, chairman of Boston Beer Company, which makes Samuel Adams, taste breakthroughs have only been possible in recent years as brewers figured out a low temperature distillation process. The brewer introduced its own non-alcohol product, Just The Haze, in 2021.

Launched in 2017, Heineken 0.0 is made with water, barley malt, hop extracts and yeast—the same ingredients used for Heineken. The alcohol is then removed using vacuum distillation , after which natural flavorings and aromas are blended back in to make the taste more closely resemble the original.

“For a couple of years, I refused to start developing Heineken 0.0,” said Willem van Waesberghe, Heineken’s global master brewer. “Because I’d never tasted a good one.”

The Olympic Games kick off in two months, with the  Opening Ceremony  taking place on July 26. AB InBev will soon unveil details of its campaign, which it expects will “accelerate no-alcohol beer growth.”

Beyond that, getting no-alcohol beer on tap is expected to deliver the next leap in terms of volumes, increasing sales in bars by making the drinks more  socially acceptable . It’s yet another technical challenge, but one that brewers are working on.

“It’s like rosé in the south of France is always better than at home,” said Waesberghe. “And in a bar you like the draft, it gives you the impression of authenticity.”

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Non-alcoholic beer is booming as GenZers stay sober—and brewers like AB InBev are looking to the Paris Olympics to cash in

Bottles of beer emblazoned with the five Olympic rings are already rolling off the production line at Anheuser-Busch InBev NV’s brewery in Belgium, in preparation for the games in Paris this summer.

It has been 100 years since the French capital last hosted the summer Olympics, and the city wants to make a mark after Covid meant the Tokyo Games were held in virtually empty stadiums. And now, for the first time ever there will be a beer sponsor for an event that showcases the pinnacle of human sporting achievements.

But in this case, the drink — Corona Cero — doesn’t have any alcohol.

The world’s biggest brewer has chosen to advertise to billions of sports fans a zero-alcohol product only launched in Europe two years ago. AB InBev hopes to use the Paris Games — expected to be one of the biggest marketing bonanzas the Olympics has ever seen — to improve its position in the only part of the global beer industry that’s really growing. 

Worth $13 billion and counting, brands from Heineken to Guinness, and now Corona Cero, see a cohort of health-conscious consumers — many young, others older and wanting out of a booze culture — whose wallets they can tap.

Master brewers have been working on formulas to try to replicate the taste and texture of the real thing. Heineken, Guinness and Budweiser are all now available alcohol-free, while hundreds of craft brewers and newer labels are emerging to target the market.

For Michel Doukeris, the chief executive officer of AB InBev, it’s quite simple: “The consumer has changed.”

No-alcohol beer, or beer with alcohol content under 0.5%, is a tiny corner of the market, its 31.4 million hectoliters a year dwarfed by the 1.93 billion hectoliters of alcoholic beer, according to GlobalData Plc. But it’s had an annual compound growth rate of 3.6% since 2018, versus 0.3% for alcoholic beer. In the US, adults age 18 to 34 who say they drink has dropped from 72% in the early 2000s to 62%, according to Gallup.

Those are numbers businesses can’t ignore, especially AB InBev. It’s already lagging behind and says it will miss a target of 20% of sales from low or no-alcohol beer by 2025.

“There are a lot of sports events like the Olympics where the flagship brands are often the 0% variant,” said Susie Goldspink, head of no and low alcohol insights at market researcher IWSR. “That’s partly because it’s such a growing area but it also helps with their moderation agenda of responsible drinking.”

There’s also a wider benefit for beer companies. Because their no-alcohol versions often share the same name and labelling as the original beer, the promotions help brand awareness and allow firms to circumvent increasingly tighter restrictions around alcohol advertising.

The Olympics is part of a trend of zero-alcohol beers being promoted via sport, including Heineken 0.0 with Formula 1 and Diageo Plc’s Guinness 0.0 at the Six Nations rugby tournament. Carlsberg A/S last year handed out 400,000 cans of French no-alcohol beer Tourtel Twist at the Tour de France cycling race.

And in a sign of the competition between brands, Carlsberg is positioning Tourtel Twist as the non-alcoholic beer of choice at the Paris Games.

“We are the official beer of Paris and France,” said Jacob Aarup-Andersen, CEO of Carlsberg. “They are the official beer of the Olympic movement. At the events you are going to be served Tourtel.”

US-based Athletic Brewing Co., which sells only non-alcoholic drinks, says an Olympic sponsorship benefits the entire category.

“Sometimes to move the needle you need bigger players that can help drive awareness,” said John Walker, the company’s co-founder.

For drinks companies, there’s a pressing need to keep up with shifting trends that have already proved the death knell for many businesses. More than 7,000 bars in the UK closed in the last decade, according to the British Beer and Pub Association. While alcohol duties, rents, costs and regulations all played a part, so too have changing drinking habits.

As consumers, particularly social media-driven millennial and Gen Z demographic groups, look to temper their alcohol intake, it’s better to have a viable — and attractive — offering rather than have them turn to a rival brand, a soda or water.

Heineken 0.0 is the market leader in the no-alcohol beer market globally, according to GlobalData. Other big sellers are Japan’s Suntory All-Free, and Brahma 0.0%, owned by AB InBev.

At the world’s oldest continuously operating brewery in Germany, non-alcoholic beers have been in production since the early 1990s. But in 2020, thanks to rising demand, Bavaria-owned Weihenstephan more than doubled its alcohol-free beer capacity, taking a bet on future growth. Today, its non-alcoholic wheat beer is almost 10% of sales, and its third best-selling product.

But all the promotion in the world can only take zero-alcohol beer so far if it isn’t any good.

Until relatively recently, non-alcoholic beer compared poorly to the original, leaving drinkers unsatisfied. For brewers, there was a technical conundrum: how to achieve the depth of taste without alcohol. Do they stop beer from forming alcohol during the fermentation process or do they remove it after brewing a full-strength version?

According to Jim Koch, chairman of Boston Beer Company, which makes Samuel Adams, taste breakthroughs have only been possible in recent years as brewers figured out a low temperature distillation process. The brewer introduced its own non-alcohol product, Just The Haze, in 2021.

Launched in 2017, Heineken 0.0 is made with water, barley malt, hop extracts and yeast — the same ingredients used for Heineken. The alcohol is then removed using vacuum distillation, after which natural flavorings and aromas are blended back in to make the taste more closely resemble the original.

“For a couple of years, I refused to start developing Heineken 0.0,” said Willem van Waesberghe, Heineken’s global master brewer. “Because I’d never tasted a good one.”

The Olympic Games kick off in two months, with the Opening Ceremony taking place on July 26. AB InBev will soon unveil details of its campaign, which it expects will “accelerate no-alcohol beer growth.”

Beyond that, getting no-alcohol beer on tap is expected to deliver the next leap in terms of volumes, increasing sales in bars by making the drinks more socially acceptable. It’s yet another technical challenge, but one that brewers are working on.

“It’s like rosé in the south of France is always better than at home,” said Waesberghe. “And in a bar you like the draft, it gives you the impression of authenticity.”

–With assistance from Tiffany Kary.

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