ÅBEN was founded in 2017 in Kolding, where it began as a brewery at the childhood farm of Philip Hulgaard. What started as a hobby alongside a full-time job has since grown into a passion and a way of life. After opening its doors on June 9th, 2017, things moved quickly. ÅBEN was named Brewery of the Year in 2019, marking the beginning of an exciting journey. Since then, ÅBEN has created the electronic music festival O Days, founded the beer festival Kalas, and opened bars in Aarhus, Kødbyen, Roskilde, Copenhagen Airport, Carlsberg Byen, and Nordhavn - with more to come.
ÅBEN’s first beer, which has since turned into a signature beer, is called Bryg 61 (Brew 61), named after the number of attempts it took to get the recipe exactly right. Today, ÅBEN produces new beers every month which has led to an archive of more than 400 beers, spanning wide from generously hopped IPA’s, and full-bodied imperial stouts to a wide selection of distinctive sours. Most recently, ÅBEN entered the world of non-alcoholic brewing, with the first beer in the series - Y - winning Best Non-Alcoholic Beer in Denmark 2025, and with two more beers in the series on their way.
Join the journey and follow ÅBEN at @aabendk and @aabenbryg.