Welcome to the Hellenic Association of Brewers
With every drop of beer, we create together the future of brewing in Greece.
Core
The Hellenic Association of Brewers embraces beer produced in Greece, encouraging, and supporting brewers’ initiatives regarding the economy, society, the environment, and people.
At the core of its mission lies the responsible consumption of beer in the context of a balanced and healthy lifestyle. As the custodian of the brewing industry, through legislative initiatives, information campaigns, conferences, events, and scientific research, it monitors, supports, and adopts good practices to ensure the quality, safety, and protection of the environment throughout the production and distribution chain. Its unwavering commitment to consumers serves as the driving force for establishing and maintaining the highest quality standards.
The Hellenic Association of Brewers is striving every day for a future where beer does not just offer enjoyment, but is a means of growth, cultivating unity and equality in the industry and leaving a positive footprint on the economy, society, and the environment.
The initiative “Open Breweries 2023”, organized by The Hellenic Association
Visit one or more of the participating breweries on Saturday
An important step towards the promotion of beer culture in
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam nonummy nibh euismod tincidunt ut laoreet dolore magna aliquam erat volutpat. Ut wisi enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exerci tation ullamcorper suscipit lobortis nisl ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.
Based in Serres (ancient Greek name: Siris), Siris Craft Brewery, one of the first microbreweries in Greece, has been producing fresh, unpasteurised beers rich in aromas and flavours since 2013.
Armed with the passion of friends and fellow home brewers and the support of a state-of-the-art technical equipment that is used for the first time in a microbrewery, we offer flavours full of freshness and a long aftertaste, for all beer lovers in Greece and abroad. Siris Craft Brewery with its team of eight, manages to harmoniously combine passion, taste, innovation and expertise. Using high quality malts and hops from all over the world, it creates unique high-quality beers for every occasion. Specifically, Siris Craft Brewery produces the award-winning craft beer Voreia in ten different product codes with the motto “Passionately crafted in Prefect Harmony. It’s the way we brew up North”. At the same time, Siris Craft Brewery produces a unique range of craft beers called Happy Brewers, which reflects the brewers’ freedom, creativity, imagination and love for good beer.
Everything is possible as long as you believe it. This is our philosophy and with this thought we started a few years ago to “brew” as home brewers.
We are George, Angelos and George. In 2010 we started as a group of home brewers.
All we had in our hands was our taste, sufficient knowledge of how to make our own pure beer and most importantly, a desire to experiment with new beer recipes.
Driven by our passion and love, and ensuring all the necessary protection and safety measures, we decided to create our own microbrewery.
The Standard Microbrewery of Thessaloniki.
Five years later, we declare with pride that we succeeded. Now as a microbrewery, we made our love, our passion, our madness… a profession.
We managed to give the possibility to everyone to try a fresh beer. A beer unpasteurized and unfiltered. A beer with rich aromas and flavors.
With a steady pace, extroversion, innovation and, above all else, its people, Olympic Brewery is growing steadily, contributing substantially to the development of the brewing industry in our country.
It has two privately owned production units in Sindos and Ritsona, where 13 products are produced: FIX Hellas, FIX Dark, FIX Anef/Lemon, Mythos, Mythos Radler, Mythos Ice, Kaiser, Carlsberg, Henninger and Tuborg Soda, Tonic & mixers. The company leverages an extensive network of partners, suppliers and points of sale, both at home and abroad, with a presence in almost 40 countries on 5 continents, serving thousands of consumers every day. At the same time, Olympic Brewery imports and distributes in our country internationally recognised brands such as Guinness, Kilkenny, Grimbergen, Schneider Weisse and Somersby.
Its course is marked by the passion and dedication of all its people in the art of brewing, always combined with innovation, passion and love for their work, as well as the mutual respect and trust with its partners and consumers.
With a steady pace, extroversion, innovation and, above all else, its people, Olympic Brewery is growing steadily, contributing substantially to the development of the brewing industry in our country.
It has two privately owned production units in Sindos and Ritsona, where 13 products are produced: FIX Hellas, FIX Dark, FIX Anef/Lemon, Mythos, Mythos Radler, Mythos Ice, Kaiser, Carlsberg, Henninger and Tuborg Soda, Tonic & mixers. The company leverages an extensive network of partners, suppliers and points of sale, both at home and abroad, with a presence in almost 40 countries on 5 continents, serving thousands of consumers every day. At the same time, Olympic Brewery imports and distributes in our country internationally recognised brands such as Guinness, Kilkenny, Grimbergen, Schneider Weisse and Somersby.
Its course is marked by the passion and dedication of all its people in the art of brewing, always combined with innovation, passion and love for their work, as well as the mutual respect and trust with its partners and consumers.
Our brewery started operating in 2011 and its first beer was bottled in early 2012. All the production equipment was housed in a ground floor space in the area of Kampos in Chios, in about 100 square meters. It was one of the first microbreweries in Greece and certainly the smallest.
As time went by and the demand for the local beer of Chios grew, we had to move our facilities to a new, larger space.
From 2019 the production site has been moved near the area of Vavili (a small village in Chios). It is a much larger space and can accommodate our production needs.
Our doors are always open to visitors who would like to visit our small premises, taste fresh beer straight from the tank, or leave loaded with bottles, glasses, coasters and t-shirts. So, if you’re passing by Vavili, stop for 5 minutes; we can treat you to a beer and show you how we make our products.
Septem Microbrewery started its story in 2009 on the island of Evia, by the chemist-oenologist Sofoklis Panagiotou and his brother, the economist Giorgos Panagiotou. It all started from a “crazy” idea, as from the beginning the goal was to produce beer that resembles wine in intensity and complexity, while the bioclimatic brewery was designed on the model of a small winery that is open to visitors.
The oenology approach to production, constant experimentation and the search for special hop varieties from all over the world have contributed to the creation of unique, innovative products. For the founders of Septem, hops are the “grape” of beer and their commitment to producing exclusively unpasteurised beer aims to preserve its taste and aroma in the final product.
Today, Septem Microbrewery produces 12 different types of beer in its main product range, while every year it launches seasonal one-off products in the Hoppy Hobby Series, including the first Greek beer brewed exclusively with fresh Greek hops grown in Evia.
Since 2009, Septem Microbrewery has been awarded more than 50 times in international competitions, with the top distinction of being named Best Brewer of Europe at the International Beer Challenge 2015 in London.
Septem’s continuous distinctions, its significant investments in equipment and know-how, its commitment to the vision of craft beer and the stability of its quality have contributed to its international recognition and its impressive activity in exports, as its beers are now available in twelve countries and four continents.
Microbrewery of Mykonos, the first and only brewery of Mykonos.
Since May 2017, we have been brewing, bottling and serving excellent beers to the island of Mykonos and beyond.
Our brewery is located a few minutes outside the town of Mykonos, in the enchanting Argyraina.
We use pure ingredients and our high quality malts make the brewery smell like Greek and Belgian barley.
We started as two friends brewing beer at home to quench the thirst of their insatiable friends with quality, experimental beers.
After years of soul searching, we decided to take the plunge and turn our hobby into a profession, but we ended up becoming so much more!
We studied brewing, we explored, we brewed beer, we failed, we brewed more, we failed again, we brewed again and we learned.
We learned what fresh, innovative, experimental creation means to us.
We learned what craft culture and craft beer means to us.
We love what we do, and we always try to spread our passion to everyone who either visits the brewery, drinks our beer, or just shares our table.
So welcome, friends, to Mykonos Microbrewery.
Let’s have a beer.
Cheers.
The involvement of the Malamoulis family with the brewing industry began 50 years ago, when they symbolically cultivated brewing barley on the family estate in Kokkina, in the Municipality of Rigas Feraios, Magnesia, an activity that continues to this day.
The existence of a privately-owned restaurant in Brussels in 2012-2015 brought the members of the family in contact with the field of quality craft beer and gave the impetus for the experimental home production of beer, mainly from Greek barley.
Home brewing led to professional involvement in the creation of quality craft beer.
In 2018, after a three-year period of home brewing, it was decided to establish a modern microbrewery in the city of Volos, the installation of which was completed in early 2019.
The LOCAL STREETS BEER brewery is located in a central street of Volos and the production capacity can reach 250,000 litres of ready-to-drink beer per year.
The first, classic range of products produced by Local Streets Microbrewery includes the following: Local Streets Pils, Local Streets Pale Ale and Local Streets Weiss.
Greek and small, NISSOS was born in Vagia of Tinos, lives in the Cyclades, sails in the Aegean Sea.
NISSOS of Cyclades is a true, quality, delicious and fresh unpasteurised beer created in the homeland loved by people filled with curiosity, imagination, creativity and passion.
For Alexandros Kouris, it all started with a strong desire to change his lifestyle and professional direction. A man of communication, marketing and strategic consulting with extensive experience in food, beverages and tourism in Greece and abroad, he decided to make his dream come true when he met Tinos through the eyes of his partner, journalist Maya Tsoklis. So in 2012 he started the Cyclades Microbrewery from scratch on Tinos.
For us, NISSOS is much more than an internationally awarded beer. It reflects our way of life and our values, expresses Greek creation and production and is a proud ambassador of the spirit and beauty of the Cyclades and the Greek islands.
The adventure of Kavala’s Microbrewery started in early 2012 on a kitchen plate, along with some books. First as home brewers and later as professionals (2017) we got to know, love and follow the culture of Craft Beer.
Within its first five years, Marmita Beer managed to release more than 10 labels, travel all over Greece, make its first (small) steps abroad, triple its stock and be loved as much as it loved in return.
As for us, the people of Marmita Beer, and as for the future, we want to read more and become better at brewing, “cook” new recipes and not miss the opportunity to serve our beers to the world. To party, to gather new experiences and (why not?) to add our story to the “Craft Beer Revolution”. We will keep wearing other breweries’ t-shirts and drink their beers, we will keep brewing home-brewed beers in Aphrodite’s garage and we will be here for anyone who wants to get to know, visit and taste our world. *Cheers*
Cretan Brewery SA has been operating since 2007. It was the first microbrewery in Chania and one of the first in Crete.
We produce pure and natural beers, rich, tasty and with high nutritional value, in a modern and environmentally friendly brewery, respecting our land and the people who enjoy them.
This is where Charma beers are produced: the popular Blonde Lager, the aromatic Pale Ale, the full-bodied Weiss, the refreshing Pilsner and the jet-black Dunkel.
Our beers are fresh, meaning they are unpasteurised and unfiltered, chilled and available in 20 litre kegs and, soon, we will also offer them in glass bottles! Our fresh and unfiltered beer is the purest and most natural beer and retains all the nutrients from its raw materials and yeast, which has a high nutritional value.
Our brewery is open to visitors and there is a restaurant on site.
You are welcome to visit us!
The production unit of Cretan Breweries – Zidianakis SA is located in Heraklion, near the village of Elia, next to the gorge of Karteros, with an annual capacity of 100,000 hectolitres, making it the largest microbrewery in Crete.
In 2018 began the construction of the brewery, in the 29,500 sq.m. privately-owned premises with 3,050 sq.m. of covered areas. The facilities include a brewery, water treatment plant, bottle, can and keg production line, analysis laboratory, sewage treatment plant, warehouses, offices and tasting room.
Following tradition and believing in the application of the purity law, Candia Beer is brewed using only water, barley malt, hops and yeast.
A brewer from Serbia, Boban Krunic, a multi-talented American, Majda Anderson, a Greek oenologist – wine producer, Giannis Paraskevopoulos & an English wine merchant & home brewer-aficionado, Steve Daniel, make up the multicultural corporate mix of the newly established Microbrewery of Santorini since 2011.
This very small and unique brewery was set up in the traditional settlement of Mesa Gonia, Santorini.
There, our brewers combine the water of the volcanic island of Santorini with carefully selected malt from Germany & Austria, with really rare types of Hops from New Zealand, Oregon, the Czech Republic & Slovenia and with yeasts from Belgium & America to create these special beers with the donkey logo.
So, what are our beers? The most apt description would probably be that of “Lagered Ales”, a kind of crossbreeding. A hybrid, if you like, between the thirst-quenching Lager & the full-bodied, aromatic Celtic Ale. Wherever we classify them, their character remains unique, clearly distinct! Let’s meet the donkeys!
Creator and founder of Plastiga Brewery is George Papadiotis, a beer specialist, as he is a third generation brewer and a lover of flavours and challenges.
Plastiga Brewery is located in the centre of the city of Volos, on the most commercial street, Ermou Street.
The location of the brewery gives pedestrians the opportunity to watch the magical procedure of brewing, making our space familiar and accessible to the public and giving us the opportunity to promote beer culture to the public. We have blended modern industrial and traditional elements, which is all reflected in the contents of our bottle, i.e. our beer.
What sets us apart is our state-of-the-art equipment, our Greek partners, our quality assurance procedures and the value-for-money ratio. Beer is part of everyday life and we take care to design high quality products that are accessible to the public. We use the best ingredients and our love for what we do is the yeast for endless fermentations aiming for the most enjoyable, tasteful journey.
Pineios Brewery is the first – and, to date, only – brewery in Larissa. It was established in early 2018 and is located in a privately owned and well-equipped brewery, on the 7th km of the Larissas – Sykouriou Road. The brewery has been organised in such a way that the production process is carried out with completely environmentally friendly methods, in order to ensure the maximal reduction of its ecological footprint. The company has developed and follows a food safety and hygiene certification system according to EN.ELOT ISO 22000:2018 (HACCP) and almost all its products are certified as VEGAN. Pineios Brewery produces 7 labels on a permanent basis: Lola Pilsner, Lola Belgian Ale, Lola American IPA, Lola Porter, Cambos Lager, LoCo (Herbal Ale) and LoChes (Chestnut Amber Ale) as well as different anniversary or collector’s beers(Marzen, Dort, Dunkel, Bock, etc). The brewery is open to visitors, having obtained the appropriate “Brewery Open to the Public” from the Ministry of Tourism.
At the beginning of 2014, Elixi microbrewery was founded in Drosia, Chalkida. Since the beginning, the company invested in technological equipment and large refrigeration chambers for maintenance and maturation in order to produce craft beer with re-fermentation in the bottle, while successfully launching the Delphi & Marea brand. The brewery is in a privileged location due to its proximity to Chalkida and its direct access to the main road axis of the country.
In March 2023, Sofoklis & George Panagiotou, owners of Septem Microbrewery, acquired Elixi, which is the second microbrewery operating in Evia.
Investment in human resources and technological equipment have been its key priorities from the outset. Elixi Μicrobrewery in Chalkida now operates as a brewery that is open to visitors.
The aim is to further grow some of the company’s existing brands, but mainly to produce a new range of low-alcohol beers, which will be launched in early 2024.
The new era of Elixi Microbrewery holds many surprises and unique tasty delights for beer enthusiasts!
In 2006, the company VAP P. KOUGIOS decided to enter the sector of beer.
With the main focus being on customer satisfaction and with the production of high quality beer from natural raw materials, selected to meet the highest standards, being non-negotiable, the company started production in new facilities in the Tsairi area of Rhodes on April 11, 2009.
ZYTHOS VAP is a premium lager, which remains faithful to the original beer recipe and is produced only using natural ingredients. To produce it, brewers only use the 4 main ingredients of beer i.e. barley malt, hops, yeast and water.
ZYTHOS VAP is a blonde beer, crystal clear, with a smooth taste of caramelised malt going hand-in-hand with the fruity aromas that emerge upon opening the bottle, combined with a balanced bitterness that will have you enjoying this beer to the last drop.
Toul’s Brews microbrewery was created by brothers Elias and George Touliatos in 2018, in Vasiliko, Achaia. The idea was born while they were both abroad and brought them back to their homeland to make it happen, with great success.
Toul’s Brews is equipped with the most modern brewing equipment. At the core of its philosophy lies quality and differentiation. Through constant experimentation, recipe testing and combinations of ingredients, it produces beers with a unique taste, consistent quality and non-negotiable freshness.
The goal of Toul’s Brews is to establish itself as the microbrewery that brought out the flavour of beer through innovative brewing methods, highlighting the uniqueness of this special drink.
Athenian Brewery SA is the largest beer production and marketing company in Greece. It was founded in 1963 and has since been constantly evolving, expanding its product range and strengthening its production base in Greece.
The company has a wide portfolio of high quality products, offering some of the most popular beer brands (with & without alcohol) in Greece. It produces the beers Amstel, Heineken, ALFA, Fischer, MAMOS (with a trademark license from the Mamos family), NYMFI, as well as the two cider brands MILOKLEFTIS and Strongbow.
Its modern facilities consist of two breweries and malting plants in Thessaloniki and Patras, the microbrewery Athineo in Athens, while it has been the largest exporter of beer in Greece for over 40 years.
For the last 60 years, in Athenian Brewery we “Produce a Better Future”, keeping our commitments and directly linking our business activities with the concepts of responsibility and contribution to the national economy, society and the environment.
Athenian Brewery SA is the largest beer production and marketing company in Greece. It was founded in 1963 and has since been constantly evolving, expanding its product range and strengthening its production base in Greece.
The company has a wide portfolio of high quality products, offering some of the most popular beer brands (with & without alcohol) in Greece. It produces the beers Amstel, Heineken, ALFA, Fischer, MAMOS (with a trademark license from the Mamos family), NYMFI, as well as the two cider brands MILOKLEFTIS and Strongbow.
Its modern facilities consist of two breweries and malting plants in Thessaloniki and Patras, the microbrewery Athineo in Athens, while it has been the largest exporter of beer in Greece for over 40 years.
For the last 60 years, in Athenian Brewery we “Produce a Better Future”, keeping our commitments and directly linking our business activities with the concepts of responsibility and contribution to the national economy, society and the environment.
Athenian Brewery SA is the largest beer production and marketing company in Greece. It was founded in 1963 and has since been constantly evolving, expanding its product range and strengthening its production base in Greece.
The company has a wide portfolio of high quality products, offering some of the most popular beer brands (with & without alcohol) in Greece. It produces the beers Amstel, Heineken, ALFA, Fischer, MAMOS (with a trademark license from the Mamos family), NYMFI, as well as the two cider brands MILOKLEFTIS and Strongbow.
Its modern facilities consist of two breweries and malting plants in Thessaloniki and Patras, the microbrewery Athineo in Athens, while it has been the largest exporter of beer in Greece for over 40 years.
For the last 60 years, in Athenian Brewery we “Produce a Better Future”, keeping our commitments and directly linking our business activities with the concepts of responsibility and contribution to the national economy, society and the environment.
The alcoholic strength of beer is usually around 4-6%. However, depending on the type of beer, beers with different levels of alcohol are available on the market. There are beers with a low alcohol content, between 0.5% and 1.2% alcohol. Similarly, there are also alcohol-free beers, which contain less than 0.5% alcohol. In contrast, there are also high-alcohol beers, with levels as high as 40%, offering various flavour levels and combination possibilities.
Barley is the main raw material for the production of beer. Barley must first be converted into malt to be used in brewing. Its usefulness is based on its high starch content and the enzymes responsible for the breakdown of starch.
Craft beer is produced in small batches by small production units or “homebrewers”. Craft beer has gained popularity in recent years due to the large variety of flavours and aromas it offers.
The recommended use-by date indicated on the beer packaging is the date until which the beer retains its optimal organoleptic characteristics. Some beers taste better for a short time after their production. They usually have to be consumed within a few months from the date of production to maintain their freshness. On the contrary, some beers can mature and improve over time, so they are stored for months or even years, which contributes to the development of new aromas and flavours.
Fermentation is the most essential process in beer production. After the wort is boiled and clarified by a natural swirling process, it is then cooled and transferred to fermentation tanks, where yeast is added and the process of converting the natural sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide begins. It is important to note that each strain of yeast has a unique effect on the taste of the beer. Depending on the fermentation method, a distinction is made between top-fermented beers, such as ales, where the yeast rises to the surface, and bottom-fermented beers, also known as lagers, where the yeast settles to the bottom of the fermentation tank.
The main ingredient of beer is the malted grains which provide the sugars that are converted into alcohol by the yeast during alcoholic fermentation. While barley is the most common grain used, especially in Europe, other grains such as wheat, oats and rice can also be used by brewers to impart specific characteristics to the final product.
Hops act as a natural preservative, and organoleptically contribute to the flavour, bitterness, and aroma of the product. Different hop varieties are grown around the world, with aromas and flavours ranging from the spicy, earthy texture of English Goldings hops to the resin and citrus taste of American Simcoe and Cascade hops, and the tropical fruit flavours of New Zealand varieties. German and Czech hops provide the distinctive “elevated” aromas that lager brewers appreciate.
Malt is a cereal grain that has been sprouted and dried in a process known as “malting”. The grain is forced to germinate by soaking in water and then further germination is stopped by hot air drying.
The main factor that causes beer to foam is the natural proteins it contains. The characteristic foam of the beer is important for its aesthetics, as it gives it its familiar look and appearance. These proteins come from the malt and grains used in the production of beer.
Hop resins (primary aromas and bittering agents) are an important ingredient in beer, playing a crucial role in the final taste of the drink. The resins offer aromatic notes that enrich the flavour profile of the beer. At the same time, they act as a natural preservative, helping to maintain the freshness of the drink.
Beer is traditionally brewed from barley malt, hops, yeast, and water. During malt milling and mixing with water in the brewing house, the starch, which is the predominant sugar of all grains, is converted by the endogenous enzymes of the malt into fermentable sugars, which, during alcoholic fermentation, are assimilated by the yeast and converted into alcohol, carbon dioxide and aromatic substances. Part of the barley malt can be replaced with other raw materials that also contain starch or sugars depending on the recipe used, e.g. rice, sugar, corn, wheat, etc.
Beer must be effectively protected from extremely high or low temperatures, so its transfer to storage should be carried out in suitable conditions as soon as possible, with beer staying in an open area for as little as possible.
Temperatures above 25°C should be avoided for the preservation of beer, as the taste, clarity and shelf life of beer are significantly affected by its storage temperature.
Water is the main component of beer, making up to 95% of its volume. Its composition significantly impacts the brewing process and the beer’s final taste. Hard water, rich in minerals, is common in many beer types, while soft water is essential for lager production. With the help of modern brewing processes, brewers around the world can now adjust the water composition to meet the requirements for high quality and taste stability in every type of beer.
It is a living organism that belongs to the fungi family and is responsible for fermentation.
Yeast converts sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. The two types of yeast used for brewing are bottom yeast and top yeast. The first type of yeast is used to make lager beers and the second type is used to make ale beers.
