On a recent trip to Copenhagen, I rather enjoyed a visit to Carlsberg’s Visitor Centre.

Now, I’ve blogged recently on the cost of beer in Denmark, and the moderately difficult job you might have to avoid drinking from the Carlsberg Group. But the reality is that Carlsberg is a decent brewery: not only does it have some tremendous architecture in its brewery complex, it’s also the home of more than just Carlsberg – the craft beers of JC Jacobsen also live in the brewery, based on Ny Carlsberg Vej in the city.

The Carlsberg Visitor Centre is rather better than many I’ve been in: concentrating on Carlsberg (rather than brewing), the dark museum takes you through a complete history of the brand and beer in Denmark. It’s rather nicely put together: including a tremendous collection of different beer bottles (including rather a lot of Carlsberg bottles).

Then, all of a sudden, via some brewing equipment, you’re ejected out into the horse stables: and the unmistakeable smell of horse poo hits your nose. Yes, the horses are still here; and still work for the brewery. Then, it’s into the JC Jacobsen part – a much more modern brand, with some clever tasting aids; and into the bar.

Your entry fee pays for one posh beer and one boring one – I went for a JC Jacobsen Belgian Ale and a Carls Porter, rather than the boring Carlsberg/Tuborg that everyone seems to want to steer you to. The JC Jacobsen was wonderful, amazingly yeasty and very strong. In this bar, bright, light, and complete with table-football and food, I also discovered free wifi, which helped me take my time to savour these beers over some excited Twittering.

The visitor’s shop, incidentally, sells rather more than you’d expect: including a rather fashionable Carls t-shirt. I bought one. More money into the Danish brewery.

If you are planning a trip to Copenhagen, while the brewery isn’t exactly central (it’s a walk from any of the public transport I could find), it’s certainly an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. Which is what I did. And I’d recommend it.

belgian ale, carlsberg, denmark, JC Jacobsen, porter Hide

I was late. I’d done the Journey Planner Run – visit the TfL Journey Planner, tap in my journey to find out when to leave, and discovered I was due to leave ten minutes ago.

I ran onto the train at Victoria, clutching my printed Google Map. I’d run. I was out of breath. “James, isn’t it?”, said Rob from Qype, who was standing next to me, grinning. “You’ve got the same printout that I’ve got”, he said, flourishing his. Time to relax. I was still going to be late: but this was the man who ran the website through which I’d had my invitation. They weren’t going to start without him, surely.

And they didn’t.

Walking into a pretty anonymous industrial estate building in Battersea, we were welcomed by the rather splendid words “Welcome to our brewery”.

Sambrook’s Brewery hasn’t been brewing for long: in fact, it only started in November last year. The brewery has three rooms – a small tasting room (coupling as reception), the hot room (where they brew the beer), and the cold room (where they let it settle, and then stick it into bottles).

First, the tour. We learned how beer was made – in rather more detail than a standard tour. For example, we discussed the additives put in the water to soften it, and the isinglass used to make it clear. Mmm, sturgeon swimbladders.

We were given floor malt to eat (it’s really yummy, and reminded me of Shreddies). We were given hops to sniff – proper leaves of the hop flowers, not unpleasant pellets. These people are brewing beer properly. We went to see how they ship it out – in their own barrels, it turns out, all carefully branded. And then we got to taste some.

Wandle Ale – named after a nearby river – is delicious. Clear, light, not too strong (3.8%), but beautifully hoppy. And so splendidly fresh-tasting. A great session ale, and one that I’d have been quite happy to drink all evening.

At a time when breweries are abandoning London (Young’s closed their Ram Brewery in 2006; Pitfield Brewery leaving the East End for Essex), it’s great to see a brand new one. And when their beer tastes as good as this, it’s even better.

(There are more pictures here.)

Battersea, England, London, Sambrook's, wandle ale Hide