Now on Tap: Carlsberg

A Brief Overview

Carlsberg was founded in 1847 and, even in comparison with many other famous breweries, has an incredible history. J.C. Jacobsen named the company after his favorite son, Carl, and, while that is a cute story, it has absolutely nothing to do with the beer other than its name. The Jacobsens took their beer seriously, building an impressive chemistry department that benefited the beer world as well as the scientific community. The yeast used to brew pale ale was discovered by a chemist working for the company in 1883, Emil Hansen, and was named Saccharomyces carlsbergensis. The idea of ph (the measure of acidity or basicity) was also a product of the Carlsberg chemists.

J.C. Jacobsen was an incredible philanthropist and a hell of a brewer. He industrialized the art of beer making in Denmark, building a powerhouse (number 4 in the brewing world) that fueled his other personal interest: art. His collection grew to the point that, at his death, it became its own museum: The Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek. The brand name is also famously attached to Liverpool F.C. in the Premiership, serving as the shirt sponsor since 1991.

Some Thoughts on Design

The green bottle and distinct script of the logo makes Carlsberg an easy beer to spot in the beer aisle. Their self-deprecating and amusing tagline, “probably the best beer in the world,” was created in the early 70s and was originally voiced in commercials by Orson Wells.

My Experience

I drank it straight from the bottle while playing cards with my wife. A pale lager, the beer has a nice aroma, grainy with a good mix of malts and hops. I like the taste as it hits the mouth, a crisp, smooth, drinkable beer, with a light bite to the sides of the tongue. This is what I imagined beer would taste like before I tasted beer. I drank two that night, enjoying both, especially the end of the second one, as I am a lightweight and get tipsy quickly.

Final Thoughts

Carlsberg is a good drinking beer. Easy to drink with almost anything, including cheeseburgers and fries. Excellent experience.

Rating 8.7

Recommended with: Whataburger.