Our local partners
Craft MicroBrewery
Founded in 1997 in Athens, Craft Microbrewery claims to be Greece's first microbrewery. It paved the way for craft beer in a country dominated by industrial lagers, and continues to brew beers of character in Kryoneri, Attica, with a philosophy focused on creativity, experimentation and quality.
A pioneering microbrewery born in Athens in 1997
When Craft Microbrewery appeared in 1997, the word “microbrewery” hardly existed in Greek vocabulary. At the time, beer was limited to a few major national brands. The company deliberately chose a different path: brewing in small quantities, controlling each stage of the process and offering non-standard recipes.
Its beginnings took the form of brew-restaurants, places where you could drink the beer produced on site, observe the tanks, talk to the brewers and understand the brewing process first-hand. This immersive approach laid the foundations for craft culture in Greece: transparency, proximity and education.
A brewery anchored in Kryoneri, just outside Athens
Today, the microbrewery operates out of Kryoneri, north of Athens, in facilities that combine modern equipment with an artisanal philosophy. The address, clearly displayed, underlines its urban presence: First Craft Brewery LTD, Lefkis 132, Kryoneri – Attica.
The brewery’s proximity to the capital enables Craft to maintain a direct link with bars, restaurants, specialized cellars and craft beer enthusiasts. The brewery thus becomes a point of reference for those who want to get off the beaten track and discover a different Greek beer, more expressive, more precise in its aromatic choices.
A philosophy that puts creativity at the center
The site’s “Philosophy” page is self-explanatory: since its foundation, Craft has placed creativity at the heart of its identity.
The brewery doesn’t just reproduce classic styles. It works on hops, alcohol profiles, textures, bitterness and yeast aromas. The guiding principle remains the same: to explore what’s possible, while maintaining a balance that makes beer accessible to those new to craft.
This approach explains the diversity of the range: Czech-inspired pilsner, modernized lager, explosive IPA, juicy NEIPA, unfiltered weiss, hoppy pale ale, smoked beer with a strong personality, and even an alcohol-free beer that remains a real beer and not a flavored beverage.
A complete range: from revisited lagers to modern IPAs
Craft Lager exemplifies the brewery’s reinterpretation of a popular style. The recipe takes the European tradition as its starting point, but combines it with hops from a variety of origins, sometimes unexpected for a lager, to add brighter aromatic notes and a strong finish.
Craft Pilsner, first brewed in 1997, draws its inspiration from the Czech tradition of Plzeň, with noble hops such as Saaz or Tettnanger. It is positioned as a “champagne of beers” that is dry, fine and elegant.
The IPA and NEIPA represent the modern face of the brewery: Simcoe, Mosaic, Citra and other aromatic hops create beers with explosive aromas, dominated by notes of citrus, tropical fruit and resin. NEIPA confirms our ongoing commitment to testing new raw materials and new processes, in line with the philosophy of a microbrewery in constant research.
The Weiss features a monastic-style yeast, with naturally fruity aromas, while the Pale Ale relies on Cascade raw hopping to emphasize floral and citrus notes. Finally, Smoked offers a smoky profile derived from wood-dried malts, a nod to older brewing traditions.
The importance of technique and detail
While creativity sets the tone, technique remains non-negotiable. Craft Microbrewery works on :
control of brewing temperatures,
the precise choice of yeast,
water quality,
hop management (boiling, whirlpooling, dry-hopping).
Even if these details are not given in full in the public communication, one clearly perceives in the product descriptions a desire to explain why each beer has this precise profile: noble bitterness for the pilsner, malty body for the lager, explosion of hops for the IPA, fruity sweetness for the weiss, smoky character for the smoked.
This technical care enables the brewery to offer beers that stand up to both pure tasting and food pairing, as suggested by the long section of pairings offered for Craft Lager, ranging from roasted meats to Greek dishes with olive oil.
A structuring role on the Greek craft scene
As the country’s first microbrewery, Craft acted as a catalyst. It showed that another path was possible: beers produced in smaller volumes, with a strong identity and an assertive technical discourse. Other microbreweries have followed, but Craft retains its pioneering status and continues to define itself as a house that experiments while remaining true to its original values.
In a Greece where the big breweries still dominate the market, Craft occupies a special space: that of beer with character, accessible yet clearly distinct from the mainstream. For a grocery store like Growy and Tasty, it represents an ideal gateway to the contemporary Greek brewing scene.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about Greek beers
What is Greece's first microbrewery?
The Greek brewing scene generally considers Craft Microbrewery, founded in Athens in 1997, to be the country’s leading microbrewery.
What's the difference between industrial and craft beer?
Craft beers are brewed in smaller quantities, with a focus on recipe, flavor profile and ingredient transparency, whereas industrial beers aim for volume and uniformity.
What styles of craft beer are popular in Greece?
There are more and more modernized lagers and pilsners inspired by European traditions, as well as IPAs, NEIPAs, pale ales, weiss and smoked beers from microbreweries.
Can alcohol-free beer still be a "real" beer?
Yes. Some breweries, like Craft Microbrewery, produce alcohol-free beers using processes that preserve body, malt and aroma, making them real beers and not just flavored sodas.
How do you match a craft lager with Mediterranean cuisine?
A well-balanced lager goes perfectly with roasted meats, olive-oil dishes, salads, cooked vegetables and many traditional Greek dishes, as the Craft Lager sheet shows.
