Where is Holsten Pils brewed?
By Mark Porter Last checked 5 September 2026 How we check
Holsten Pils is sold as a beer from Germany. It is brewed in Britain by Carlsberg Britvic; the pack names the company, not the brewery.
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Listed by Tesco when last checked. The product pages are among the sources below.
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More about the brand: rights, style, when it was created, where it is brewed at home
In short
Everything about the packaging of Holsten Pils says Germany: Hamburg brand, German pack cues, knight logo, long-running UK advertising as a German pilsner. Since 2025 it has been brewed in Britain by Carlsberg Britvic; before that Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company made it. The pack names Carlsberg Britvic, not the brewery; the site on record is Northampton, Northamptonshire, and the site is inferred. Unusually, the UK version is stronger: 5.0% here against 4.8% at home. The brand belongs to Carlsberg Group (Holsten-Brauerei). On the recipe: Carlsberg acquired the Holsten brewery in 2004. The label says: "Tesco listing: 'Brewed and canned in the U.K.' Producer address: Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Co. Ltd, Wolverhampton, WV1 4JT."
This page is about the packs sold in supermarkets. Draught in pubs can come from a different brewery, and this page does not cover it unless a format table says so.
Who has brewed it here
| Years | Brewer | Site | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 to 2025 | Carlsberg Marston's Brewing Company | Northampton | tesco.com |
| 2025 to now | Carlsberg Britvic | Northampton | carlsbergbritvic.co.uk |
What changed
Questions people ask
Where is Holsten Pils brewed?
The beer sold in the UK is brewed in Britain by Carlsberg Britvic. The pack names Carlsberg Britvic, not the brewery; the site on record is Northampton, Northamptonshire, and the site is inferred.
Is Holsten Pils brewed in the UK?
Yes. The pack names Carlsberg Britvic, not the brewery; the site on record is Northampton, Northamptonshire, and the site is inferred.
Is Holsten Pils really German?
The branding is German, but the beer sold in Britain is brewed in the UK. The pack names Carlsberg Britvic, not the brewery; the site on record is Northampton, Northamptonshire, and the site is inferred.
Who owns Holsten Pils?
Holsten Pils is owned by Carlsberg Group (Holsten-Brauerei), headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark / Hamburg, Germany. In the UK the brand is handled by Carlsberg Britvic.
What strength is Holsten Pils in the UK?
Holsten Pils is 5.0% ABV in the UK. In Germany it is 4.8%. A UK pint is 2.8 units.
Is Holsten Pils weaker in the UK than in Germany?
No. The UK version is 5.0% against 4.8% in Germany, so it is slightly stronger here.
See also
Every beer sold as Germany · What else is brewed at Northampton, Northamptonshire · Every brand owned by Carlsberg Group
Sources
- Tesco (tesco.com), 5 September 2026: Holsten Pils 5.0% ABV, 'Brewed and canned in the U.K.', Carlsberg Marston's Wolverhampton address
- Carlsberg Britvic (carlsbergbritvic.co.uk), 5 September 2026: Holsten Pils 5.0%, Vier 4.0%, Super 7.5%, brand origin Germany
- petebrown.net
- carlsbergmarstons.co.uk
- Tesco (tesco.com)
- onestop.co.uk
- Holsten (holsten-pilsener.de), 5 September 2026: German home-market strength of 4.8% for Holsten Pilsener Read in a parallel verification pass; the retailer pages could not be fetched from this machine.
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