# Denmark

Country page of DA Caps, a collection of beer bottle caps. Web page: https://dacaps.imcoll.com/country/dk/info

- Official name: Kingdom of Denmark
- Local name: Kongeriget Danmark
- Caps in the collection: 539 (https://dacaps.imcoll.com/country_caps/13)
- Brands: 266

## Beer in Denmark

Beer was the everyday drink of Denmark long before it became an industry. In the Middle Ages it was brewed in farmhouses, in monasteries and in the brewhouses of castles, and by the 13th century merchants in the towns brewed and sold it. Stronger north German beer, from towns such as Lübeck, was imported from the 12th century. The royal brewery, Kongens Bryghus, is the oldest known in the country: its brewing gear is listed in the Copenhagen Castle inventory of 1454, and in 1618 Christian IV moved it to a new brewhouse on Frederiksholms Kanal. Town brewers formed guilds from the 16th century; Copenhagen had 100 to 140 brewing houses between 1650 and the end of the guild in 1805.

The decisive change was bottom-fermented Bavarian beer, called bajer. Brewers in Odense (1835), Aarhus and the Kongens Bryghus (1838) tried it but could not store it cool. J.C. Jacobsen solved the problem: after a stagecoach journey to the Spaten brewery in Munich for lager yeast in 1845, he opened Carlsberg on Valby Hill, named after his son Carl, and brewed its first beer on 10 November 1847. At about 6% the bajer beat the 2.5% hvidtøl that Danes had drunk for centuries, and 28 Bavarian-style breweries opened in provincial towns in 1875-1890. At the Carlsberg Laboratory, set up in 1875, Emil Chr. Hansen isolated pure lager yeast in 1883, and Carlsberg gave it away freely. Tuborg was founded at Hellerup in 1873. The first Danish pilsner was brewed in March 1880 at the Alliance works in Copenhagen and Tuborg's followed on 1 May, though its advertising later won it the credit for being first.

Brewing then consolidated. Copenhagen had 25 breweries in 1855 and 14 in 1887, and the Kongens Bryghus joined De Forenede Bryggerier in 1891. Carlsberg and Tuborg agreed in 1903 to share profits and merged in 1970 as United Breweries, with the Carlsberg Foundation as main shareholder. Pilsner pushed out the bajer after the Second World War and sold best in the border shops after 1973 and the discount shops of the 1980s; together with classic lager it makes up 86% of Danish beer sales. Tuborg launched its Julebryg Christmas beer in 1981 and from 1990 marketed its release day as J-dag. In 1989 Faxe (founded in 1901) merged with Jyske Bryggerier (Ceres, Urban, Thor) as Bryggerigruppen, which became Royal Unibrew in 2005 with Albani and Maribo. Ceres' Aarhus brewery (1856) closed in 2008, the year Carlsberg moved all its Danish brewing from Valby to Fredericia. By 2006 the independents were Thisted, Hancock, Fuglsang, Harboe and Vestfyen. On the Faroe Islands, Föroya Bjór of Klaksvík was founded in 1888.

By the early 2000s only 13 real breweries were left in Denmark, and then the craft wave began, pushed by the consumer group Danske Ølentusiaster, founded in 1998. Old breweries such as Refsvindinge and Ørbæk were reopened, and brewpubs such as Svaneke Bryghus and Nørrebro Bryghus opened. In 2004 there were 17 microbreweries with 0.75% of the market; by 2014 there were 120 breweries and the microbreweries had 5.9%. Mikkeller, founded in 2006 by Mikkel Borg Bjergsø and Kristian Klarup Keller, began as a gypsy brewer without a brewery of its own. The brewers' association counted 220 breweries and 1,870 different beers in 2024; the number of breweries fell in 2025 for the third year in a row, as costs and bureaucracy squeezed the small ones. Carlsberg bought 20% of Mikkeller in January 2024. Royal Unibrew took over Nørrebro Bryghus in early 2023 and said on 24 September 2026 that it would close its small Baldersbrønde brewery and move Nørrebro's beer to Albani in Odense by the end of the year.

Sources:
- [Lex: Bryggeri (2013)](https://lex.dk/bryggeri)
- [Lex: Kongens Bryghus](https://lex.dk/Kongens_Bryghus)
- [Lex: Middelalderens og renaessancens alkoholkultur, ca. 1000-1600](https://lex.dk/Middelalderens_og_ren%C3%A6ssancens_alkoholkultur,_ca._1000-1600)
- [Lex: Brygning af bajersk ol i Danmark, ca. 1847-](https://lex.dk/Brygning_af_bajersk_%C3%B8l_i_Danmark,_ca._1847-)
- [Lex: Royal Unibrew](https://lex.dk/Royal_Unibrew)
- [Carlsberg Group: J.C. Jacobsen](https://carlsberggroup.com/175-years/a-history-of-brewing/j-c-jacobsen/)
- [Wikipedia: Carlsberg Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlsberg_Group)
- [FundingUniverse: Carlsberg A/S History](https://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/carlsberg-a-s-history/)
- [Wikipedia: Tuborg Brewery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuborg_Brewery)
- [Wikipedia: J-dag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J-dag)
- [Wikipedia: Ceres Brewery](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceres_Brewery)
- [Wikipedia: Foroya Bjor](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%B8roya_Bj%C3%B3r)
- [Wikipedia: Mikkeller](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikkeller)
- [The Copenhagen Post: Denmark has record number of breweries per person (2014)](https://cphpost.dk/?p=2040)
- [Bryggeriforeningen: press releases 2025-2026](https://via.ritzau.dk/nyhedsrum/13559943/bryggeriforeningen/r)
- [The Local Denmark: Denmark's Carlsberg buys stake in popular craft beer brand Mikkeller (2024)](https://www.thelocal.dk/20240116/denmarks-carlsberg-buys-stake-in-popular-craft-beer-brand-mikkeller)
- [Sjaellandske: Royal Unibrew lukker sit mindste bryggeri (2026)](https://www.sn.dk/art6648675)
- [Archontology: Denmark, Notes (the name of the polity) (2025)](https://archontology.org/nations/denmark/01_notes.php)
- [Lex: Junigrundloven](https://lex.dk/Junigrundloven)
- [Wikipedia: Flag of Denmark](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Denmark)

## Breweries (61)

- [Bryghus Aarhus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5431.md) — 2 caps, 2005–
- [Albani Bryggerierne](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/912.md) — 21 caps, 1859–
- [Amager Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2369.md) — 3 caps, 2007–
- [Braw Brygget & Tappet](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/4772.md) — 1 cap
- [Brygget for Gagrofa](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2372.md) — 1 cap
- [Bryghuset Braunstein](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1774.md) — 1 cap, 2005–
- [Carlsberg Breweries](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/489.md) — 129 caps, 1847–
- [Ceres Bryggerierne](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/712.md) — 41 caps, 1856–2008
- [Coisbo Beer ApS](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/4852.md) — 1 cap, 2009–
- [Bryggeri Det Lille](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/6366.md) — 1 cap, 2005–
- [Dry & Bitter Brewing Company](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/3651.md) — 1 cap, 2015–
- [Ebeltoft Gardbryggeri](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5329.md) — 1 cap, 2008–
- [Faxe Bryggeri](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/911.md) — 17 caps, 1901–
- [Föroya Bjor](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2030.md) — 4 caps, Faroe Islands, 1888–
- [Fur Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1779.md) — 1 cap, 2004–
- [Gourmetbryggeriet Roskilde](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1727.md) — 1 cap, 2005–
- [Hancock Bryggerierne](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2072.md) — 2 caps, 1876–
- [A/S Harboes Bryggeri](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/617.md) — 21 caps, 1883–
- [Herslev Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2370.md) — 3 caps, 2004–
- [Hjort Beer](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5915.md) — 1 cap, 2015–
- [Hornbeer Brewery](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2831.md) — 1 cap, 2008–
- [Husbryggeriet Jacobsen (Carlsberg)](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/674.md) — 3 caps, 2005–
- [Kissmeyer](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5944.md) — 1 cap, 2010–
- [Kissmeyer ApS](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/6371.md) — 1 cap
- [Kongens Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/716.md) — 4 caps
- [Krenkerup Bryggeri](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1775.md) — 1 cap, 2008–
- [Bryghus Løkken](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/6658.md) — 1 cap
- [Løkken Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/6890.md) — 1 cap, 2006–
- [Maribo Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2071.md) — 19 caps, 1895–2008
- [Bryggeri Marrebaek](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5514.md) — 1 cap, 1911–1994
- [Midtfyns Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2368.md) — 2 caps, 2005–
- [Mikkeller Aps](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/4479.md) — 1 cap, 2006–
- [Molle Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2627.md) — 1 cap
- [Bryghuset Mon](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5409.md) — 1 cap, 2005–
- [Brugghús Naestved](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/7119.md) — 1 cap
- [A/S Neptun Bryggerier](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1813.md) — 3 caps, 1883–1990
- [Nørrebro Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1562.md) — 3 caps, 2003–
- [Odin Bryggeri](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5378.md) — 2 caps, 1832–1988
- [Bryggeriet Refsvindinge](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1777.md) — 1 cap, 1885–
- [Bryghus Ribe ApS](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/7009.md) — 1 cap, 2006–
- [Rise Bryggeri](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1773.md) — 2 caps, 2004–
- [Rocket Brewing Company](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/7127.md) — 1 cap, 2014–
- [A/S Royal Unibrew](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/336.md) — 40 caps, 1989–
- [Bryggeriet S.C. Fuglsang](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1778.md) — 4 caps, 1865–
- [Skagen Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2035.md) — 1 cap, 2005–
- [Bryggeriet Skands](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/2371.md) — 1 cap, 2003–
- [Bryggeri Skovlyst](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1492.md) — 1 cap, 2004–
- [Bryggeriet Slotsmollen](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1834.md) — 1 cap, 1872–1999
- [SPAR Denmark](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1651.md) — 1 cap
- [Supermalt UK Ltd.](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/239.md) — 1 cap
- [Svaneke Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/237.md) — 4 caps, 2000–
- [A/S Thisted Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/713.md) — 12 caps, 1902–
- [To Ol](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/4793.md) — 3 caps
- [To Øl ApS](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/7039.md) — 1 cap, 2010–
- [To Оl ApS](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/4485.md) — 1 cap
- [Tuborg Bryggerier](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/204.md) — 122 caps, 1873–
- [Vejle](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5412.md) — 1 cap, 2006–2014
- [Bryggeriet Vestfyen A/S](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/1132.md) — 11 caps, 1885–
- [Viborg Bryghus](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/5379.md) — 1 cap, 2006–
- [Vintergaek Handbryggeriet](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/6193.md) — 2 caps
- [Wiibroe's Bryggeri](https://dacaps.imcoll.com/brewery/155.md) — 17 caps, 1840–