Indslev Bryggeri, Denmark's award-winning 1897 brewery, bankrupt after barrel-aged bet

Indslev Bryggeri was originally founded in 1897 in the village of Indslev on the island of Funen, Denmark. After decades of decline, production stopped in the 1970s and the brewery closed in 1990. In 2006, it was revived by brewmaster Anders Busse Rasmussen, who restored the old equipment and resumed brewing. The revival was a success: in 2012, Indslev was named Danish Brewery of the Year by the Danish Beer Enthusiasts Association.

The brewery built a reputation for traditional Danish beers but also invested heavily in barrel-aged beer — a premium, time-intensive product that requires aging in wooden barrels for months or years. Brewmaster Rasmussen tied a significant portion of the brewery's resources to this strategy, expecting it to deliver a major breakthrough in revenue and profitability.

The breakthrough never came. The barrel-aged beer did not achieve the expected market success, and the heavy investment left the brewery financially exposed. At the same time, the Danish craft beer market was becoming increasingly competitive, with price pressure from larger breweries and a flood of new entrants. Indslev's sales could not sustain the company.

In 2017, Indslev posted a loss of 854,000 DKK before tax, compared to a profit of 335,000 DKK the year before. On August 27, 2018, the brewery was declared bankrupt by the Skifteretten (bankruptcy court) in Odense at its own request. Shortly after, Bryggeriet Vestfyen acquired the bankruptcy estate and continued brewing Indslev's beer brands. The brand survived, but the revived company lasted only 12 years.