1847

The Carlsberg Group was established in 1847 by brewer J.C. Jacobsen. J.C. Jacobsen was a true renaissance man. A believer in quality, research and serving the community, he shared his knowledge with fellow brewers. He looked to the future, prizing long-term growth over short-term gain.

1909: The pH scale is invented at the Carlsberg Laboratory in Copenhagen

In 1909, S.P.L. Sørensen developed the pH scale - a method for specifying the level of acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a scale from 0-14.

With the invention of the pH scale, Carlsberg could ensure high quality of every beer. The applications of the pH scale have since been countless throughout all fields. 

Carlsberg’s international presence continued to grow in the 20th century as the demand for Carlsberg Pilsner outside Denmark quickly accelerated. In the ‘70s and ‘80s, Carlsberg opened up breweries in Malaysia, the UK and Hong Kong.

In the 1990s as the company increased the degree of ownership or acquired new shareholdings in breweries in Portugal, Sweden, Italy, Vietnam, China, Poland, Latvia and Croatia.

Carlsberg does not expand at any cost. The art is to handpick breweries that not only supplement Carlsberg’s competences and markets, but also share its values. Breweries where the beer culture is strong and Carlsberg can learn from specialists who have a passion for beer and quality.

Brewing in Ontario

Waterloo Brewing’s roots go back to the microbrew craze of the early ‘80s with Waterloo Dark as the longest continuously brewed beer in the brand's portfolio. With four brands in Waterloo Brewing's portfolio, and a state of the art facility in Kitchener, Ontario, joining forces with Waterloo Brewing was an obvious decision for Carlsberg.