Denmark: Carlsberg to serve non-alcoholic beer during Champions League matches following UEFA’s ban on ordinary beer

Carlsberg brewery has had to react quickly after UEFA made its shocking decision that no ordinary beer may be served during the Champions League matches, Borsen released September 13. A tank truck with 25,000 litres of non-alcoholic beer is on its way from Switzerland to Copenhagen.

Carlsberg may, however, thank the beer gods that it is only sponsoring the FCK team and not the whole Champions League which is sponsored by its rival, Heineken.

There are three important differences between non-alcoholic beer and ordinary beer. The first one needs no further description. The second is that non-alcoholic Carlsberg is not produced in very big quantities and only in few places in Europe. The third important detail is, however, that it is more costly to produce beer without alcohol. A non-alcoholic beer is made by heating the beer. It takes time, and then the heating is also energy-intensive.

Communication officer Jens Bekke of Carlsberg is not nearly as shocked about the non-alcoholic fate as the FCK fans.

“We have tried it before. At the European Championship in Portugal we had the same problem, and we shall have it again during the European Championship in Austria and Switzerland in 2007,” Jens Bekke told Borsen’s News Service.

According to Jens Bekke the 25,000 litres of beer ought to be more than sufficient to quench the thirst of the 45,000 football spectators.

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