Søgaards Bryghus

Short about the distillery

Søgaards Bryghus is located in the center of Aalborg as a family-run brewery with a restaurant, gastropub and its own distillery. The place was founded in 2004 by Lisa and Claus Søgaard, and the distillery was added in 2019. Here, the brewery and distillery are a visible part of the building, so guests can follow the work through glass windows and see the two copper kettles by the entrance.

History

Søgaards Bryghus was founded on 13 August 2004 by Lisa and Claus Søgaard. Before starting in Aalborg, the family had worked together since 1990 at Roslev Kro and later at Hotel Pakhuset in Nykøbing Mors. In 2003 the family decided to start a new life in Aalborg, and they took over the premises where Folkekøkken and Café Parasollen had previously been located. Then the renovation began so the place could become a brewery and restaurant.

Over the years the brew house has developed into a family-run business, where the three children and the in-laws are involved in the operation to a greater or lesser extent. In 2019 the house was expanded with a distillery system, which had been ordered the year before from the German manufacturer CARL. From the beginning the distillery was put to work on the whisky series Vindblæst, which is planned for at least three years of maturation. In 2025 the house gained another chapter when Carlo Liberati took over the kitchen and bakery and takeaway was added.

Raw materials and production

Søgaards Bryghus works with both brewery and distillery under the same roof, and the brewery is located in the cellar. There are two copper kettles by the entrance, and the distillery is integrated into the building so production is visible to guests through glass windows. All beer served in the house is produced in-house and brewed on site.

For the whisky the publicly stated description is simple: the distillery was put into use in 2019 and started with a full focus on the Whisky series Vindblæst. It is stated that the whisky must mature for at least three years. In addition to whisky, gin, distilled spirits and bitters are also produced. The documented text does not provide further details about mashing, fermentation, distillation method, fermentation length, still types or raw material choices, so it is the visible framework and the stated product focus that shape the production profile.

Maturation and cask types

The only documented maturation condition is that the whisky series Vindblæst must mature for at least three years. No further information about cask types, finishes, wood species or special maturation experiments has been published in the provided text, so maturation can only be described as a project with a minimum of three years' aging before release.

Whiskies

The current whisky track is linked to Vindblæst, which is the series the distillery started with. It points to a small and targeted assortment rather than a wide selection, and the focus is on the house’s own whisky rather than many parallel series. In addition to whisky, the distillery is also mentioned as a producer of gin, distilled spirits and bitters, but Vindblæst is the documented whisky name. There is no official product list in the provided text, so no additional named bottles can be described here.

Visit the distillery

Søgaards Bryghus can be visited in central Aalborg, where the brewery and distillery are part of the experience in the building. Guests can see the two copper kettles and the distillery by the entrance, and you can take a guided tour of the brewery in the cellar where the production is explained. The house includes a restaurant and gastropub, and the opening hours are Monday to Wednesday 10.00-22.00, Thursday 10.00-22.30, Friday and Saturday 10.00-late, and closed Sunday.

The stated opening hours are Monday-Wednesday 10.00-22.00, Thursday 10.00-22.30, Friday-Saturday 10.00-late, Sunday closed.

Philosophy and craft

The Søgaard family runs the place with multiple generations involved, and it is clear that the establishment is built around shared operation and craftsmanship. The kitchen is described as an area focused on quality and ingredients, and all beer served in the house is brewed on site. The distillery was integrated as a part of the brew house, so production is not a side activity but part of the whole establishment.