Brewer Carlsberg opens attraction at site of first brewery, opened in 1847

In an old corner of the Danish capital Copenhagen sits a piece of brewing history. Now, visitors can come here for what Carlsberg's adverts have long called the "best poured beer in the world… probably." Danish beer brewer Carlsberg opened its new “Home of Carlsberg” attraction on December 1, situated at the site of its original Copenhagen brewery, first opened in 1847 by founder J.C. Jacobsen. Over 200,000 visitors are expected in 2024. “Where we stand today is actually where it all started,” says the attraction’s director Tine Kastrup-Misir. “This is a place where the first brewer, J.C. Jacobsen brewed his first beer back in 1847 and founded the Carlsberg as we know it today. So, we stand in very, very historical surroundings and this is where we open Home of Carlsberg.” “The new, 3,000-square-meter exhibit explores the history of the 175-year-old brewer, including its fractious beginnings between J.C. Jacobsen and his son, Carl.” “For a while, father and son became rival brewers, after Carl began selling his own beer under the name “New Carlsberg”, J.C. Jacobsen even had lawyers attempt to limit his son’s production capacity. The two eventually reconciled in October 1886, just before J.C. Jacobsen’s death in 1887.” Elsewhere, the exhibit explores the science of brewing and the essential ingredients of beer. There’s also interactive elements, visitors can, for instance, try to brew their own beer. “Or if you would be interested in taking a bath in a beer, that is also a possibility,” smiles Kastrup-Misir. One highlight of the attraction is the basement bottle collection, featuring over 22,000 beer bottles. Carlsberg says it’s the fifth largest collection of its kind and was donated by a private collector, who gave the brewer around 10,000 bottles. Many brewers have come since, but Carlsberg has a special place in Danish drinking culture, says Kasper Mundt-Nielsen, editor of The Danish Beer Enthusiasts Magazine. “It was the first real Danish export success story in that manner. It was before Lego and Vestas and Maersk, it was the biggest proponent of the Danish name outside of Denmark,” he says. This article was provided by The Associated Press.