ALBANI

 

The world famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen - also a fellow-townsman of odense city - loved the Albani brew. In a letter from one of his many visits in his hometown, he describes the brewery's product as follows: “I cannot praise this cooking oil, beverage and beer too much. It is refreshing, delicate and strong. Try it!”

 

And many followed his advice and still do. From being a local undertaking based in Odense, the Albani Bryggerierne has long since become the number one provider of cooking oil, beverage and beer to all inhabitants of the island of Funen. And today, friends of Albani can be found in every corner of Denmark, in which it is possible to buy the Albani brew.

 

One of the city's first industrial businesses

The fairytale about the Albani Brewery began many years before Hans Christian Andersen wrote his flattering comment. The brewery was founded by the chemist Theodor Schiøtz in 1859 as one of the city's first industrial businesses. The brewery was built in central Odense and still holds this position.

In 1874, a major expansion was undertaken. In 1891 the first bottled beer was brewed and, thus, the need for a mechanised bottling plant. This led to strong expansion up to 1900.
 

 

Expansion

After the turn of the century, the brewery industry became highly consolidated, also on Funen, where the Albani Brewery took over four other breweries in the years up to 1934. In the 1960s and 70s, two more breweries were acquired on Funen. Albani also expanded beyond the region (i.e. Jutland): In 1956, Sønderborg Bryghus was acquired; in 1986, Bryggeriet Slotsmøllen in Kolding; in 1996, the Baldur mineral water plant in Esbjerg and in 1997, Maribo Bryghus on the island of Lolland. In 2000, Albani Bryggerierne merged with the Danish Brewery Group, today known as Royal Unibrew.