Erik LundErik Lund

Erik Lund

Master Brewer.

The quest for better.

When asked if it was possible to create a better beer, Master Brewer Erik Lund replied with a smile. “probably” he said. “But it depends on how you define the word ‘better’. Is it better taste, better shelf life or better for the environment? There are so many different parameters. One area where we are really making our beer better though, is in how we keep our flavour and appearance consistent for longer.

Protector of the flavour.

Consistency and stability is extremely important for us. That’s why we’re currently testing new barley varieties that stop beer getting hazy over time. This has no effect on the taste, but makes for a more consistent experience. And when it comes to keeping the same great taste that our consumers prefer. I’m not here to define the taste of Carlsberg – I’m just here to protect the flavour!”

The same, but better.

“In fact, flavor is where I’ve seen the greatest improvements since I started 16 years ago. Not in the taste itself – that remains the same, but rather in flavor stability. By pioneering techniques that identify where ‘bad’ flavors originate, and devising ways to prevent or slow the formation of these components, we can keep our beer fresh and tasty for longer.”

Looking to the past to preserve the future.

“And our work is paying off: By removing an enzyme in the barley that breaks down fat into oxides and tweaking the brewing process, we have created a beer with even more staying power. It’s actually by controlling the pH values that we manage this; Amazing really, that one of our oldest discoveries – our invention of the pH scale, is still playing such an important part in brewing and fermentation.”

Recreating a taste of the past.

“So, for me, everything is about getting better – even our historical re-brew project, where it was not our intention to make a better beer, but rather to better understand how our modern techniques could be used to recreate a lost taste. That was one of the few times when my own personal tastes could come into play. Did we make a better tasting beer than they did in 1883? Probably.”