Greece: Greek craft beer scene surges to more than 72 breweries today

At least 700 different craft beers are made in Greece nowadays, Tovima reported on June 10.

Small-batch brewing that began in garages and warehouses has grown into a full-blown movement. In just over a decade, Greece’s craft beer scene has surged, from just six microbreweries in 2010 to more than 72 today. And that’s not even counting the country’s nomadic “gypsy” brewers.

All this activity is transforming beer into more than just a drink: it’s becoming a distinct Greek cultural product with local character and a promising future.

From Santorini and Sparta to Ikaria and Karpenisi, more than 72 licensed microbreweries and at least 35 gypsy brewers are crafting hundreds of unique beers “using everything from local honey and herbs to fruits and mountain spring water”, says Koutsogianni. Most of this production is consumed locally, often just a few kilometres from where it’s brewed, with only about 5% exported.

The 2023 Brewers of Europe report places Greece 22nd in the EU for beer consumption at 38 litres per capita. At the same time, Greece is the EU’s eighth-largest beer producer, with the sector employing more than 2,200 people directly. Although beer consumption is modest and the market remains dominated by major players, the appetite for craft beer is growing fast.

The younger generation, particularly those aged 18 to 35, are among the most enthusiastic supporters of craft beer, Koutsogianni tells TO BHMA International Edition. Recent data reveals that 64% of this demographic consumes more craft beer than they did two years ago, and nearly half say they choose it at least once a week.

Tourists, especially those with higher spending power seeking authentic local experiences, are also helping drive growth. Many come to Greece looking for something beyond the generic lager and find in craft beer a genuine taste of the regions they visit. Then there are the beer enthusiasts and connoisseurs who crave originality, quality, and experimentation. Koutsogianni says these two groups tend to support even the smallest and most remote breweries, driven by a desire to discover something new and genuine.

Independent brewing in Greece began in 1996 with the founding of the Macedonia Thrace Brewery and its signature beer, Vergina. This marked the beginning of the end for the near-monopoly held by multinational beer giants, explains Koutsogianni. The real shift however came in 2003, with the adoption of EU directives that opened up the market to smaller players and kickstarted the long process of leveling the playing field.

Since then, the craft beer scene in Greece has boomed. Dozens of new microbreweries have opened, many of them experimenting with local ingredients and bold new styles. Festivals have sprung up around the country, giving producers a platform and drawing beer lovers from Greece and abroad. One standout event is the Peloponnese Craft Beer Festival, held each summer in the seaside town of Kalamata. What began as an idea during the pandemic has grown into one of Greece’s leading beer happenings.

Michalis Varnas, the founder of the Kalamata event, recalls how the idea came to him during the COVID-19 lockdowns. “As a beer lover, I realized that Greeks knew very little about independently brewed beer made here at home,” he tells TO BHMA International Edition. “So we decided to organize a festival that would introduce these amazing brews to the public; it quickly became a celebration with music, food, and dance.”

The event, which kicks off each year on International Beer Day (August 1), is now a Greek summer highlight featuring dozens of brewers along with hundreds of labels and attracting large crowds. Co-organizer Efi Spiliopoulou says the goal is to support small producers and build a community. “It’s also a great special-interest tourism product. Tourists loved our previous festivals. And our ‘parea’ has grown with partner brewers and avid fans.”

Despite their energy and innovation, Greek microbrewers still face an uphill battle. One of their biggest challenges is “craftwashing”, a tactic used by multinational beer companies to market factory-made beers as artisanal or local.

“It’s misleading and harmful,” says Koutsogianni. “It confuses consumers and blocks access to distribution channels and shelf space for genuine craft producers, who can’t compete with big-budget advertising.”

The issue isn’t new. A decade ago, Greece’s Competition Commission fined a major multinational for abusing its market dominance. Yet, according to Koutsogianni and other brewers interviewed, little has changed. Smaller brewers are still being pushed out of the market.

Beyond unfair competition, craft brewers face mounting operational pressures. “Costs are rising across the board from raw materials to transportation,” says Nikos Antonopoulos, who brews Carpinus beer in the mountain village of Karpenisi. “Add to that excessive bureaucracy and unclear regulations, and expanding beyond our local base becomes extremely difficult. That’s why we rely heavily on support from nearby establishments.”

Vaggelis Aggeloudakis, the man behind Ikariotissa beer from the island of Ikaria, echoes the sentiment. He notes another limiting factor: Greece’s beer consumption is largely seasonal, peaking during the warmer half of the year.

For many, the local market remains their only viable path forward. “We simply can’t match the advertising muscle of the big players,” says Fotis Anastasiou, founder of the Anastasiou Brewery in Athens. “Local sales are our lifeline.”

Greek microbrewers are demanding stronger protections and reforms. They want an empowered Competition Commission, updated consumer protection laws, and regulations that expose misleading branding and market practices.

Koutsogianni also stresses the need for consumer awareness and market transparency. “Consumers should know where their beer comes from and who profits from their purchase. If we want to preserve Greece’s independent brewing culture, we need clear labeling and fair access to markets.”

So what makes Greek craft beer special? For Koutsogianni, it’s the people. It’s not about mass production; it’s about authenticity.

“Greek microbrewers are inextricably connected to their community and the beers they produce bring value to the local economy. Each microbrewer submits their reputation and the quality of their work to the judgment of family, neighbors, and associates on a daily basis,” she tells TO BHMA International Edition.

“When we choose Greek craft beer, we are helping these small ecosystems survive and thrive, strengthening domestic entrepreneurship and our national economy.”

Most brewers to fear that the domestic market may soon reach saturation point. Exporting is complex, and breaking into mainstream retail remains nearly impossible for most. Still, Koutsogianni believes there is room to grow. “Microbreweries still represent less than 10% of the market,” she says, while big beer companies like Heineken and Carlsberg control over 80%.

SMAZE argues that growth can come through the use of local raw materials, collaborations with other small-scale producers, and the inclusion of the microbrewery experience in gastronomy tourism. Strengthening synergies between breweries across Greece and abroad could also improve visibility and help pool resources.

Lastly, local businesses, especially those in the food and tourism sectors, should support microbreweries by stocking their products and choosing them over the more familiar corporate labels. “It might seem easier to go with the big names,” says Koutsogianni, “but the payoff from supporting local brewers is huge, both economically and culturally.”