The little brewery with the big taste
Our brewing is at one with nature, history and craftsmanship
Nestling among manor houses and castles in the beautiful landscape of East Funen, Ørbæk Bryggeri was founded in 1906. On Funen, the brewery was particularly famous for its stakitøl (a bottle of ale packaged in a fence-like container), brewed using smoked malt from the brewery’s own malthouse.
In 1997, Niels and Nicolai Rømer bought Ørbæk Bryggeri with the idea of producing the world’s first organic fizzy drinks. This was something no one in Denmark had ever tasted, and it was tough persuading people to jump on the bandwagon. Niels took the bull by the horns and asked his father, who had worked in the dairy industry, if he knew of a place where they could make their dream come true. Having asked around, he came across a brewery in Ørbæk on the Danish island of Funen. Though it had been empty for two years, it still had all the machinery they needed. Niels and Nicolai set off on their mission and struck a deal with the old owner that very day. Ørbæk Bryggeri was now theirs!
In 2001, they began to producing beer again. In 2002, their first brew, a Brown Ale, won an organic gold medal. It was the start of a new brewing adventure.
While retaining the original, old brewhouse, we also built a new, more modern one. We love history, and many of our organic beers are inspired by ancient brewing techniques and recipes. Some of our beers are even developed in collaboration with Nyborg Castle. The castle, dating all the way back to before 1200, was home to ‘Danehoffet’ (Denmark’s medieval parliament) and a number of old queens and kings of Denmark. In our eyes, beer is not just beer; it is a story waiting to be told.