Carlsberg UK revives Carlsberg Danish Pilsner

Carlsberg UK has taken steps to revitalise its flagship beer, Carlsberg Danish Pilsner in the UK. It has unveiled a 'bettered' Carlsberg Danish Pilsner with improvements to the drinking experience and minimising its environmental impact.

New Carlsberg Danish Pilsner will be available in trade from 1 March, supported by a multi-million pound investment and new visual identity which aims to increase brand quality perceptions. The trade launch will be supported by the brand’s most ambitious, integrated consumer marketing campaign to date, incorporating TV, digital and out-of-home, which will be revealed in April and run throughout 2019. Carlsberg Danish Pilsner has remained at 3.8% ABV. 

In the trade, the brewer will focus efforts on elevating the consumer drinking experience around Carlsberg Danish Pilsner through a series of betterments, including:

• New stemmed glass with tapered top to enhance aroma and improved nucleation for better head retention
• New fount, inspired by Danish ceramics, that delivers 360-degree branding and guidance on the perfect serve for bar staff
• Bar staff education, perfect pour training and consumer sampling
• ZerO₂ cap on bottles that removes oxygen, preserving the freshness and life of the beer

Carlsberg UK has rolled out sustainable packaging innovations for its Danish Pilsner:

• Snap Pack – which reduces plastic usage through innovative glue technology – is a big step forward towards Carlsberg UK’s goal of reducing the plastic for its Pilsner cans by 50 per cent from brewery to store
• New environmentally-friendly ‘Greener Green’ ink incorporated in bottle labels and outer packaging will improve packaging recyclability.

Liam Newton, vice president marketing, Carlsberg UK says: “In launching our new, perfectly balanced Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, we’re toasting the brewing passion of our founder J.C. Jacobsen and his legacy of pursuing better, which started over 170 years ago.

“Some of the most popular and recognisable beers, like Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, will continue to represent the biggest segment in UK beer in five years’ time and therefore remains crucial to the health of the beer category overall. We’re firm believers in people drinking better beer, and people want better beer, so why wouldn’t we respond to this consumer need?

“In recent years we have reinvigorated our premium Carlsberg Expørt and we’re now committed to enhancing every aspect of the Carlsberg Danish Pilsner drinking experience, ultimately encouraging the trade and beer drinkers to re-appraise our brand.”

Bhavya Mandanna, master brewer at Carlsberg UK adds: “Our new Pilsner has a fuller body and a perfect balance of bitterness and sweetness made possible through modifications to our brewing process and the addition of bittering hops in the brewhouse. Aroma hops with citrus and floral top notes give a greater depth of flavour whilst maintaining the light and refreshing qualities of Carlsberg. The result is a smooth, perfectly balanced, Danish Pilsner.”

13 February 2019 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, editor