Norway
Ownership: Mack family (4th generation) — Tromsø, Norway, founded 1877
Known for: The world's northernmost brewery (69°N, inside the Arctic Circle). Independent and family-owned, brewing in one of the most extraordinary locations of any brewery in Europe.
History: Founded in Tromsø in 1877 by Ludwig Mack, an immigrant brewer from southern Germany who brought lager technique to the Norwegian Arctic. The brewery has been in the Mack family ever since. Mack Pilsner and the Nordlys (Northern Lights) lager are the flagship beers — brewed under the midnight sun and the northern lights, remaining fiercely independent while most Norwegian beer brands have been absorbed by Carlsberg. Worth choosing over Ringnes and other Carlsberg-owned Norwegian brands for exactly that reason.