A 20-days journey with yeast in a hatbox
As a child, J.C. Jacobsen’s father took him to lectures by the renowned Danish scientist H.C. Ørsted. From an early age, it was clear that J.C. would one day take over his father’s brewery. During these lectures, J.C. Jacobsen realized that science was the key to better brewing. This fundamental idea later became the foundation for Carlsberg’s development.
As a young brewer, J.C. Jacobsen traveled across Europe in search of the recipe for the perfect beer. He found a promising candidate in Bavaria, where he tasted a lager beer for the first time. In Bavaria, J.C. Jacobsen studied the latest brewing techniques at Gabriel Sedlmayr’s Zum Spaten Brewery in Munich.
In the summer of 1845, he returned to Copenhagen. He brought with him two containers of Spaten yeast, stored in a specially designed hatbox. During the 20-day journey home, he frequently stopped to keep the yeast moist with cold water.
With the new yeast, the lager production quickly began upon his return to Valby. This new type of beer transformed Danish beer culture, which had previously been dominated by traditional white beer.
Although the business was thriving, J.C. Jacobsen was on a lifelong quest to improve the quality of beer. In the 19th century, a disease known as “beer sickness” ravaged breweries. During the brewing process, bacteria would infect the beer, making it undrinkable and causing thousands of liters to be discarded.
Carlsberg’s founder was convinced that understanding the chemistry of beer was essential for improving its quality. Therefore, he established a research laboratory to ensure that Carlsberg’s beer would always maintain the highest quality. The building was originally a warehouse, but in 1875, it was converted into the first Carlsberg Research Laboratory.
A scientific breakthrough in brewing
In 1877, J.C. Jacobsen hired fermentation physiologist Emil Chr. Hansen, a decision that would prove to be highly significant.
Emil Chr. Hansen had a rather unusual background. He grew up in very modest circumstances in Ribe. His mother was a laundress, while his father wandered as an alcoholic vagabond. As a young man, Emil Chr. Hansen made a living as a painter’s apprentice, but he had a sharp mind, so he left Ribe to pursue his studies. At the University of Copenhagen, he studied microbiology and soon received his first recognition for his research. Two years after he was hired at the Carlsberg Laboratory, he was appointed head of the laboratory.
J.C. Jacobsen’s interest in Emil Chr. Hansen’s work at the laboratory was immense. In fact, it was so great that, according to written accounts, Hansen once asked Jacobsen not to disturb his work.
In 1883, Emil Chr. Hansen developed a method for purifying yeast, ensuring a consistent and high-quality brewing process. He discovered that yeast could be cultivated, isolated, and purified, fundamentally changing the way beer was brewed. This revolutionized beer quality, and the original Carlsberg yeast is still used in all pilsner beer brewed today.
Everyone deserved a piece of yeast
Emil Chr. Hansen originally envisioned that Carlsberg would sell pure yeast to breweries worldwide. However, true to his principles and the statutes of Carlsberg Research Laboratory, which prohibited the secrecy of research findings, J.C. Jacobsen refused to patent the method or produce pure yeast for sale. Instead, samples of pure yeast were made available for free.
Fermentation physiologists from all over Europe travelled to Carlsberg Research Laboratory to learn and take a yeast sample home. The first course was held in 1883, and the method was quickly recognized internationally.
Purified yeast has not only been crucial for brewing but is also used in dairies, winemaking, pharmaceutical companies, and bakeries, where it helps ensure consistent product quality.
Since 1897, Carlsberg Research Laboratory has been located a bit further up the road from the Home of Carlsberg. Over the years, the laboratory has made groundbreaking discoveries that have led to new and improved brewing techniques. To this day, Carlsberg Research Laboratory continues to play an important role in scientific research.