Following Western European traditions, the phenomenon “small beer factory” appears for the first time in its modern form on the US western coast in 1977 and from there, it goes around the European countries. This model for first founded in Greece twelve years ago – Craft beer factory. It is a very original phenomenon for its time, because it is the first beer factory, which puts the beginning of a new, produced with pleasure and better in quality drink.

Later on, following Craft’s example, other smaller factories open and right now they are seven and each one of them contributes with something unique to the taste of the good Greek beer. What differentiates small factories from the mass production ones? For years, beer was never part of the Greek consumer ideals – they believed it is a drink, which goes with grilled meat and it drunk in summer… But the limited production of small factories is dedicated to good quality and it offers beer with character, aroma and mood. The pasteurization is mild and this is why the products have a three month expiration date. Stabilizers and conservants used in mass beer production are left aside in small factories.

Here are the beers you should try, no matter what season it is in Greece when you are visiting:

Craft

Small beer factory in Attiki region, which produces:

·          Athens Lager – deep golden color and diverse aroma: you can taste coffee, herbs, toasted bread, and hops.

·          Smoked Lager – nice aroma, which comes from the smoked beer and the strong saturated taste strengthens its qualities in a strange way.

·          Black Lager – impressive dark brown color and very think foam. The aroma of the beer is of ground coffee, dry nuts, pepper, yeast and jelly from dark fruits.

·          Red Ale – red beer with thick foam with aroma of plum, pepper, lemon and a touch of coffee. Long lasting aftertaste of pepper and burnt.

·          Pilsner – the bitterness of the hops – characteristic taste of all Pils type beers – can be felt right away. A charming light beer, refreshing and stimulating the appetite because of its taste.

·          Weiss – roily, because it is unfiltered, with strong and attractive yeast and wheat taste, accompanied with yellow fruits and a touch of white pepper. This beer is drunk during a meal and it is ideal for greasier foods.

Genesis factory

·          Premium Lager – light beer with darker color and strong fruit and lemon taste.

·          Premium Pils – strong flower taste, which combines the thickness of the beer with its bitter taste, which is left long after you have drunk the last sip.

·          Premium Red Ale – aroma of a caramelized fruit, black sugar, yeast and a touch of coffee.

·          Premium Weiss – rich taste with an exceptionally distinctive fruit aroma, nicely hugged with bitterness. It has very nice foam.

Royal Ionian

·          Lager from Kerkira island – very pleasant beer, which smells like yeast and freshly baked bread. Its taste is balanced, a bit of fruity and toasty.

Retimno’s beer factory on Crete Island

Biological beers from Crete.

·          Light – one true roily light beer, charming and with character. It has strong aroma, thick taste of fruits, yeast and pepper and leaves a long lasting aftertaste.

·          Dark Dunkel type – roily dark color. One beer, which has nice taste of caramelized black fruits. It has thick and strong taste: combines caramelized fruits with dry fruits and long lasting aftertaste.

Lager from Rhodes Island

·          Madnus Premium – high quality beer with a spicy aroma. Golden, with thick long lasting foam. It fills you up without being too heavy with its thick, spicy and a bit of chocolaty taste.

Zeos beer factory

Beer from Argos, Peloponnese.

·          Pilsner – it is distinguished with its thick foam and it has bitter hops aroma, which is combined exceptionally well with a fruity taste. Thick and strong taste, which starts up your appetite.

·          Macedonian recipe beer – dark colored light beer with strong aroma, which leaves a taste of caramelized yellow fruits and yeast.

Pieria small beer factory

Biological beers.

·          Pils – light beer with saturated taste, roily and unfiltered with pepper aroma, and mild lemon taste, which is attractively bitter.

·          Pale Ale – golden beer with strangely thick aroma and mild taste of fruits.