New flavor at the Danish Jewish Museum

The Danish Jewish Museum is once again adding flavor to history. Can the story be consumed? Can it be drunk? What does it really taste like? We are looking for the answer in our new Isidor Aquavit. We have produced a unique aquavit that conveys the story of Isidor Henius, who invented the world-famous "Red Aalborg" and was one of the founders of De Danske Spritfabrikker. He revolutionized Danish alcohol production and thus has had a great impact not only on Danish industrial history, but also on food culture. The schnapps was developed together with Nyborg Destilleri and can be bought in the museum shop from 6 June.

By museum director Janus Møller Jensen, Ph.D.

Isidor Henius and the booze

As a young Jew from poor conditions in Torun (today's Poland, then part of Prussia), Isidor Henius (1820-1901) immigrated to Denmark in 1838. He actually walked all the way – it took 6 weeks – together with a few friends. He already had an uncle in Denmark and his father had previously also lived and worked in Denmark. They went via Berlin and Hamburg. When they came to the border at Mecklenburg and had to say goodbye to the "fatherland", they agreed that the first one who "ate Treife (not Kosher), he must be killed", as Henius tells in his memoirs. He then adds: "We were so stupid that we could take such an oath with the utmost seriousness". But the journey continued via Berlin and Hamburg. On to Vejle, Århus and then to Copenhagen.

He got work in Copenhagen in brandy production, and was quick to use new techniques and he built steam distilleries in Grenå (1839), Roskilde (1840), Aarhus (1841) and finally for Peter Wibroe in Aalborg in 1843. In 1845 he became independent and founded together with three companies "Aalborg Privilegerede Sirup- og Spritfabrik".

Henius became very important for Danish industrial history. He is the single person who has had the greatest influence on the transformation of brandy distilling from artisanal small-scale production to large-scale industrial production, not only in Aalborg, but throughout the country. In 1860, he introduced a so-called column distillation apparatus, which could, among other things, remove the foul-tasting and smelly fusel oils from the spirit. Aalborg Taffel Akvavit – better known as Rød Aalborg – became a Danish quality product not just in Denmark, but throughout the world. In 1872 he was director of the largest distillery in Denmark and in 1881 Henius entered into a partnership with the financier CF Tietgen on the formation of De Danske Spritfabrikker. It was a huge success. Henius retired in 1884.

Danish Jewish history and snaps

Henius had been recommended to Tietgen by, among others, the Danish Jewish businessman Philip W. Heyman, who had founded Tuborg. So in fact a Danish lunch table with green Tuborg and Red Aalborg would in many ways be a Danish Jewish lunch table. If the food was served on a seagull set from Bing & Grøndahl – later part of Royal Copenhagen – then the picture is complete. Actually, it is just another picture of the importance of Danish Jews for Danish industry and culture and the formation of modern Denmark in the 1800th century, in addition to art, science, literature and intellectual property.

It is also an expression of the strong integration and widespread assimilation of the Jewish minority in Danish society. It has not always been easy, and the history of beer and schnapps also has some shadows. In the 1910s, for example, a merger between two very large breweries, Carlsberg and Tuborg, was discussed, where the board of Carlsberg said no, referring to the fact that Carlsberg stood for quality, art and culture, but the Jews at Tuborg only thought about profit.

CA Olesen was hired in 1870 and worked as deputy director of Henius and was promised a senior position in 1872 to keep him at the factory. In fact, Henius had written in the share register of his company in 1872 that he would resign in 1877 - the idea was probably that Olesen should take over. Henius then pulled ashore – in fact he went so far as to deny the rumor as groundless – as he was not ready to leave the helm to others. Olesen went his own way and took over the distillery in Roskilde in 1878. It was Olesen who first contacted Tietgen about a possible large merger, which became a reality in 1881.

However, it was undoubtedly Henius and the factories in Aalborg that had laid the foundations. However, it was Olesen who was particularly highlighted in De Danske Spritfabrikker's jubilee literature in 1921 and 1931 respectively. Olesen's background as rounded out by fine Danish merchant families is highlighted in contrast to the Polish immigrant Henius from a poor background. Perhaps it is telling in some ways that CA Olesen has a road named after him in Aalborg, while Henius does not.

However, there is a café with the name Hos Henius in Aalborg, and he has been reinstated in his rightful role in the new literature about the Spritfabrikken and industrial history. Isidor Henius is also still behind the bottles of Rød Aalborg. A huge silver wedding party was held in Aalborg in 1881, where the whole town paid tribute to Henius, with horn music, cheers and driving in an open landauer through the town to the hotel where the party was held, with lots of people in the streets. Mrs Henius in particular was happy, as is stated in the small postscript to Henius's memoirs, which the family published in 1921.

From Rød Aalborg to Isidor Aquavit

The Danske Spritfabrikker (DDSF) became big. In 1927, a 24.000 m2 piece of land by the water was handed over to the company. Piloting began in 1928, when more than 5000 piles were hammered down and the facility was inaugurated in 1931. It was designed by architect Alf Cock-Clausen (1886-1983), who had designed a factory for DDSF before and later was responsible for the design of other factories for DDSF, based on a well thought out design program. It is both in relation to architecture, building details, design and relation to the surrounding city and the area's character of a city within the city, which is taken into account in the descriptions of the area's qualities and values ​​today.

Even back then, people consciously worked to unify the brand and visual identity, not just in logo and design, but in the layout of factory buildings and gardens. It was both practical and saved money on maintenance and design. In addition, "Uniformity in the design and equipment of the buildings also exerts a discreet but sure advertising effect: as soon as you find yourself at the distilleries' exclusive brands, you recognize certain features in the buildings' facades; The company's uniform signs and carriages can be seen all over the country. It gives an impression of the company's size and at the same time a feeling of solidity and order", as stated in the small print on the company's architecture, which was published in Arkitekten in 1931.

Rød Aalborg was a quality product and was marketed throughout the world together with the new CLOC liqueur from 1922. Lots of advertising and merchandise was developed. The progressive (Danish Jewish) architect Arne Jakobsen designed a CLOC bar in 1929 for a large architecture exhibition in Forum in Copenhagen. And they participated in world exhibitions in Brussels (1935), Paris (1937) and New York (1938 and 1964). In reality, it is just Danish history, but it is also Danish Jewish history. With the entry into the EC in 1973, De Danske Spritfabrikker lost its monopoly-like status on spirit production in Denmark, but has held on to the brand and market and not least Rød Aalborg - even though the owners are now Norwegian. Today, a new district is springing up around 'Spritten', and many of the old conservation-worthy and listed buildings have been given new life as part of Aalborg's rich cultural life and have been designated as one of the 25 national industrial monuments by the Palaces and Culture Agency (see the link here).

We will put the focus and flavor on history with this "Isidor Aquavit", which is based on a traditional cumin schnapps with a touch of porce, which is handpicked in Thy not far from Aalborg. Our aquavit is round and mild, can be drunk in many contexts and is of course kosher. It is a tribute to Henius and his importance to Danish industry and food culture. It has been developed in collaboration with Nyborg Distillery. The label was designed by Jakob Glad.

We also consciously work with taste, shaping and design in our efforts to convey the story in new ways with new partners. The goal has been to create a product that makes it possible to take history with you when you leave the museum. In reality, it's the story we're selling - here just in the form of a snap. An 'appetite wheter' that will stimulate curiosity and give a taste of much more Danish Jewish history.

We naturally encourage you to drink responsibly, and you should always follow the Danish Health Authority's recommendations regarding alcohol

Suggestions for further reading

Aktieselskabet De Danske Spritfabrikker and its buildings, Special edition of "The Architect", Copenhagen 1931.

Bender, Henning, Aalborg's History, vol. 4: Aalborg's industrial development from 1735-1940, Aalborg 1987.

Bendtsen, Dorthe and Vera Noldus, "The Danish distilleries in Aalborg: A study of architecture and cultural history, special qualities and recycling potentials", Factory and residence 33 (2015), pp. 66-73.

Egebjerg, Ivar, The History of the Yeast and Spirit Industry in Denmark. Aktieselskabet De Danske Spritfabrikker 1881-1931, Copenhagen 1931.

Estrup, L., Aktieselskabet De Danske Spritfabrikker 1881-1921, Copenhagen 1921.

Henius, Isidore, Memories. 25 December 1820-1920, Copenhagen 1921.

Nielsen, Flemming and Morten Pedersen, The city of booze. Snaps and cultural heritage in Aalborg, Aalborg 2021.

Pedersen, Kurt, Jesper Strandskov and Peter Sørensen, Philip W. Heyman, Systime Academic 2005

Scheel, LV, Brandy burning in Denmark, Copenhagen 1877.

Tamm, Ditlev, The smartest and the sharpest. The story of the Carlsberg Foundation, the brewery and our beer, Copenhagen 2018.

Thomsen, Birgit Nüchel, Industrial companies in Tuborg 1873-1885. Sources and studies, Copenhagen 1980.