ÅBEN
ÅBEN is a privately held Danish craft brewery founded in 2017, operating five company-owned craft beer bars across Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Roskilde, producing 300+ unique beers with up to 1 million liters annual capacity, and distributing wholesale to 100+ Danish hospitality venues.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- HeadquartersKøbenhoved, Denmark
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What ÅBEN does
ÅBEN ApS is a privately held Danish craft beer brewery founded in 2017 by childhood friends Philip Hulgaard and Johannes Karstoft in Kolding, subsequently relocating operations to Copenhagen's Kødbyen district. The company operates five company-owned craft beer bars across Denmark (Kødbyen, Carlsberg Byen, and Nordhavn in Copenhagen; Aarhus; and Gustav Wieds in Roskilde) and distributes wholesale to more than 100 partner bars, restaurants, and retail shops nationwide. The Kødbyen flagship combines production and consumption on a single site: five fully automatic 20 hl brewhouses produce up to 11 brews per day, with beer flowing directly from fermentation tanks (four 80 hl, four 40 hl, four 20 hl units) into 14 ceiling-mounted serving tanks above the bar.
Production capacity reaches approximately 1 million liters annually, supporting a portfolio of more than 300 unique beers including IPAs, imperial stouts, and sours, with 2-3 new releases introduced each month. The product portfolio extends beyond beer into experiential offerings, including the proprietary Kalas beer festival (4th edition scheduled for September 5, 2026) and O days electronic music festival, both of which drive direct ticket revenue and brand engagement. Supplementary revenue streams include guided beer tastings (DKK 175-350 per person), brewery tours (DKK 300 at Carlsberg Byen), keg and tap system rentals through partner Fadølsforsyningen Nordsjælland, an e-commerce webshop, and an office community workspace in Kødbyen.
The company is privately held with no disclosed external institutional investors, with ownership concentrated among the founders and chaired by Øjvind Hulgaard. ÅBEN was named Brewery of the Year in 2019, two years after founding, and operates as an ApS (Danish private limited company) registered at Slagtehusgade 15-17, 1715 København V. The company's go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer (owned bars, festivals, tastings, webshop) with B2B wholesale distribution, all within the Danish domestic market.
ÅBEN firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ÅBEN
- Legal name
- ÅBEN ApS
- Website
- https://aabenbryg.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- ÅBEN is a privately held Danish craft brewery founded in 2017, operating five company-owned craft beer bars across Copenhagen, Aarhus, and Roskilde, producing 300+ unique beers with up to 1 million liters annual capacity, and distributing wholesale to 100+ Danish hospitality venues.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ÅBEN industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Craft Brewery
- NAICS
- Breweries (31212), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224)
- SIC
- Malt Beverages (2082), Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service) (THAFALAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Microbreweries & Craft Breweries (THAFALAC), Beer, Brewery & Craft Beverage Tastings (THAJAGAE), Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms (THAFAEAG)
Keywords
Where ÅBEN is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Københoved
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
ÅBEN business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- On-site Bar Sales: ÅBEN operates 5 craft beer bars in Denmark where beers brewed on-site are sold directly to consumers. Bars include Kødbyen (main brewery bar), Aarhus, Carlsberg Byen, Nordhavn, and Gustav Wieds in Roskilde.
- Wholesale Distribution: ÅBEN supplies its craft beers to over 100 partner bars, restaurants, and retail shops across Denmark. Partners include Mikkeller bars, Ølbaren, HART restaurants, and various other craft beer venues.
- Beer Festival Tickets: ÅBEN hosts Kalas beer festival (4th edition September 2026) at the brewery with multiple sessions. Ticket prices range from DKK 295 to DKK 645 per session including tasting glass and unlimited beer sampling.
- Keg Rental Service: ÅBEN provides tap system rentals and craft beers for private gatherings, events, and parties through partner Fadølsforsyningen Nordsjælland.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Kalas Festival Session 1 - Afternoon tasting session |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Kalas Festival Session 2 - Evening tasting session |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Kalas Festival All Day - Full day access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hops & Stories - Introductory beer tasting |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Beer Experience - Standard beer tasting |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | We Are Never Going Home - Premium beer tasting |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Main Tour & Tasting at Carlsberg Byen |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
ÅBEN product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ÅBEN is a Danish craft brewery founded in 2017 that produces a rotating lineup of craft beers (including IPAs, Imperial Stouts, and Sours) at five fully automatic brewhouses and operates five self-owned craft beer bars across Denmark. The company also runs beer festivals (Kalas, O days), offers tastings, and sells wholesale to a partner network of more than 100 bars and restaurants.
Product overview
ÅBEN is a Danish craft beer brewery founded in 2017 by childhood friends Philip Hulgaard and Johannes Karstoft. The company operates a multi-location bar and brewery network (core products), including the main production brewery in Kødbyen, Copenhagen, plus four bar locations in Aarhus, Roskilde (Gustav Wieds), Carlsberg Byen, and Nordhavn. ÅBEN produces 2-3 new craft beers monthly with a portfolio exceeding 300 beers spanning IPAs, imperial stouts, and sours. The product portfolio extends beyond beer to include experiential offerings: the Kalas beer festival, O days electronic music festival, beer tastings and tours, keg rental services, an office community workspace, and a webshop. The brewery operates with 5 fully automatic brewhouses (20 hl each) producing up to 1 million liters annually, with beer served directly from tanks at the bar locations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- O days: Electronic music festival created by ÅBEN.
- Kalas
Products and services
- Craft Beers (IPAs, Imperial Stouts, Sours and more) Rotating lineup of craft beers brewed at ÅBEN's facilities, including IPAs, Imperial Stouts, and Sours, released continuously and available through owned bars, wholesale partners, and the webshop.
- ÅBEN Kødbyen Bar & Brewery ÅBEN's flagship bar and brewery in Copenhagen's Kødbyen district, serving fresh beer directly from the on-site brewhouse.
- ÅBEN Aarhus Bar
Quantifiable outcome
- Named Brewery of the Year in 2019
Companies that use ÅBEN
Customer profileNamed customers12 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
ÅBEN technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
ÅBEN partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Kalas Festival Guest BreweriesflagshipKalas is ÅBEN's annual beer festival now in its 4th edition (September 5, 2026). Guest breweries include Dry & Bitter, Ebeltoft Gaardbryggeri, Fanø Bryghus, Flying Couch, Gamma, Herslev Bryghus, Krenkerup Bryggeri, Kølster, Lervig, Mikkeller, Nynäshamns Ångbryggeri, OY, Raw Culture, Stepping Stone, and To Øl. These breweries participate by pouring their beers at the festival.
- Fadølsforsyningen NordsjællandcoreFadølsforsyningen Nordsjælland is ÅBEN's partner for keg rental services. They handle tap system rentals and serve as the contact point for customers interested in renting ÅBEN tap systems for private gatherings, events, and parties. Contact: [email protected], +45 45 16 12 22.
- O days FestivalflagshipO days is an electronic music festival created by ÅBEN. While ÅBEN owns the festival, it operates as a distinct brand entity with its own website (odaysfestival.dk) and represents a significant marketing and community-building initiative for the company.
- Pihlmann ArchitectsminorPihlmann Architects designed the facilities for ÅBEN's Office Community in Kødbyen. The same architects also designed ÅBEN's brewery, tank bar, and restaurant located in the neighboring building. This is a design/construction partnership rather than commercial.
- Wholesale Partner Bars & RestaurantscoreOver 100 bars, restaurants, and shops across Denmark serve as wholesale distribution points for ÅBEN craft beers. Partner bars include Mikkeller locations, Ølbaren Elmegade, Ølhaven, Ølsnedkeren, Bootleggers bars, and many others. Partner restaurants include HART locations, Paté Paté, and various fine dining establishments. Partner shops include Beershoppen, Kvickly Middelfart, and others.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves14 records
Expansion highlights6 records
ÅBEN competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dry & Bitter: Danish craft brewery with a strong festival/event presence and a portfolio of specialty beers. Direct peer in the modern Danish craft beer space and a Kalas guest brewery.
- Herslev Bryghus: Danish microbrewery focused on craft and seasonal beers with on-site taproom and event programming. Comparable craft brewery + venue model, and a guest brewery at ÅBEN's Kalas festival.
- Flying Couch: Copenhagen-based craft brewery with taproom experience and a rotating, experimental lineup. Comparable in craft positioning, scale, and Kalas festival presence.
- To Øl: Danish craft brewery known for high-velocity experimental releases and broad on-premise distribution. To Øl's style of frequent new beer launches and bar partnerships closely mirrors ÅBEN's go-to-market approach.
- Mikkeller: Copenhagen-based craft brewery operating multiple brewpub-style bars worldwide. Mikkeller is both a direct craft-brewing competitor and one of ÅBEN's wholesale customers, making it the closest category analog in Denmark.
- Krenkerup Bryggeri: Danish craft brewery combining brewing with an on-site restaurant and event venue. Closely parallels ÅBEN's brewpub-plus-experience model, and a Kalas guest brewery.
- Fanø Bryghus: Regional Danish craft brewery with on-site brewery visits and an extensive beer catalog. Similar scale and on-premise/tourism angle, and a Kalas guest brewery.
- Gamma Brewing: Danish craft brewery with a contemporary brand identity and broad on-premise distribution. Direct peer in modern Danish craft brewing, also pouring at Kalas.
- Nørrebro Bryghus: Copenhagen brewery combining a brewpub restaurant with retail beer sales. Operates at a similar on-site-brewery-plus-hospitality model and is listed as one of ÅBEN's wholesale partners.
Broad incumbents
- Carlsberg Group: Denmark's largest brewer and the historic anchor of the Carlsberg Byen district where ÅBEN operates a bar. Sets the broader Danish beer market context in which ÅBEN competes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ÅBEN social profiles
Digital presenceÅBEN compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
ÅBEN financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ÅBEN leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
ÅBEN funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ÅBEN M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ÅBEN
What does ÅBEN do?
ÅBEN is a Danish craft brewery founded in 2017 that produces a rotating lineup of craft beers (including IPAs, Imperial Stouts, and Sours) at five fully automatic brewhouses and operates five self-owned craft beer bars across Denmark. The company also runs beer festivals (Kalas, O days), offers tastings, and sells wholesale to a partner network of more than 100 bars and restaurants.
Is ÅBEN a public or private company?
ÅBEN is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was ÅBEN founded?
ÅBEN was founded in 2017. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ÅBEN based?
ÅBEN is headquartered in Københoved, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does ÅBEN make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. On-site Bar Sales are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution, beer Festival Tickets and keg Rental Service.
Who are ÅBEN's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dry & Bitter, Herslev Bryghus, Flying Couch, To Øl, Mikkeller, Krenkerup Bryggeri, Fanø Bryghus, Gamma Brewing and Nørrebro Bryghus. Carlsberg Group is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does ÅBEN have an API?
No public API is recorded for ÅBEN.
What industry is ÅBEN in?
ÅBEN's product category is Craft Brewery. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFALAA, Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service), with a secondary code of THAFALAC, Microbreweries & Craft Breweries. Its NAICS code is 31212 and its SIC code is 2082.