CRETE CRAFT BEER GUIDE: East Crete, Greece

Here is the official

Craft Beer Guide of East Crete, Greece:

Heraklio, Ierapetra & Agios Nikolaos.

( Find our Crete Craft Beer Guide: West Crete - Chania & Rethymno, here. )

We've done the leg work to show you the way to Crete island's passionate & talented craft breweries of East Crete, Greece. Let’s begin with some basics about why we care about our local craft beer scene anyway.

At Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours, we’re big time beer lovers & travellers.

In April 2021, a joyful French-Canadian Montreal gal sharing her joie de vivre, love for beer & people joined forced with a cosmopolitan Greek Athenian man with a sharp sense of how travelling can evolve for the better.

These two beer aficionados co-founded the Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours.

A Travel Agency located in Chania, Crete, Greece and set out to create a positive impact in the modern Travel World of Greece by paving their own path with eco-responsibility at the core.

We proudly took the lead in the craft beer tours of the whole country, Greece, and pioneered in bringing the Greek Craft Beers to world travellers. Believe it or not, we created in 2021 the very first Craft Beer Walking Tours of Greece!

At Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours, we specialize in non-touristy tours, always on a human & Earth-friendly scale. Let's show the whole beer-loving world how amazing Cretan and Greek craft beers are!

CRAFT BEER. GASTRONOMY. LOCAL CULTURE. CRETE.

BROWSE OUR TOURS

Just think that up until 2017, there were fewer than a handful of breweries on the island of Crete (the largest of all Greek islands). Since then, the number has boomed to 16 while Greece now counts over 110 independent breweries of all sizes!

East Crete counts seven craft breweries with a range of styles, influences and sizes. Homebrewing has also boomed in the past few years to encourage the movement. From one-man show to larger teams, the passion and quality of brewing continues to soar as locals and travellers seek out great beer.

We're pioneering in bringing our local Greek brews to the next level: the world stage. On each beer tour, we curate the beer menu to present an impressive variety of styles and talent from the passionate brewers in our community.

For all you craft beer lovers, we’ve done the leg work!

Until you can taste these fresh brews yourselves with us, look no further for your:

Craft Beer Guide of East Crete, Greece: Heraklio, Ierapetra and Agios Nikolaos.

CRETE CRAFT BEER GUIDE: EAST CRETE, GREECE

HERAKLION BREWERIES

Crete’s modern capital

NOTOS BREWERY

http://notosbrewery.gr/

Independence. Teamwork. Good times.

This team of "brothers" is linked not by blood but by they love of beer, which they take seriously. With vision and passion, they have created a stellar microbrewery with a terrific variety of styles in their core selection. Notos [Νότος], is the Greek word meaning south, referring to the fact that Crete island is the most southern point in Greece.

They were the first brewery in Heraklio, beginning all the way back in 2010 fiercely independently. Hats off to them! The guys behind Notos are casual, low-profile, with strong team work ethic & eclectic backgrounds.

SOLO BEER BREWERY

http://solobeer.gr/en/

Pros. Vision. Character.

"GOOD BEER IS A HUMAN RIGHT" says head brewer Kjetil Jikiun. Solo pledges to make craft beer with soul & holy smokes, they deliver! It’s something you can taste in every sip. From the team behind the recipes to the finished product readily available across Crete island, they embody a harmony of elements; people, ingredients, labour, philosophy & enjoyment.

Since 2015, joining Cretan and Norwegian roots, they’ve been developing the right balance between these elements and create must-drinks craft beers. They deliver true gusto.

Behind the Scandanabian simplicity of their labels, the product is bustling with flavour. In addition to their great standard lineup, they release fun one-offs and seasonal limited editions. Visit their brewery for a dose of top Cretan brewing.

KASTA MICROBREWS

http://kastabeer.com/

Microbrews. Modern. Passionate.

Kostas, the passionate brewer behind Kasta, welcomes us into his beer world with a modern touch & excellence in quality. An engineer with a love for fine drinks, he refines his beers from the water profiles he configures himself to using a range of 9+ hop varieties in his lineup. His beers are an absolute delight for beer people in their finess and accessibility. From its inception in 2018, Kasta presents remarkable beers, sleek bottle designs & has already won Frankfurt International Trophies for his Oatmeal Stout and Immortal IPA.

KASTA is an acronym; K for the man behind it all Kostas, A for his lovely wife Anna, S for their daughter Sofia, T for Tita their dog, A for the family name Antonakakis.

BARBANTONIS BREWERY

https://www.barbantonisbrewery.com/

Foodie. Alchemist. Bon-vivant.

A Greek “Barbas” is a friendly old man. Antonis is his first name.

All of Barbantonis’ beers share his character, love for life and uniqueness in every gulp. They are truly his creations. From a young age, while working in the family fields of the Lassithi Plateau of eastern Crete, he had ideas far bigger than his village & society. He then lived many years abroad in Italy & Holland.

Now, back to his island with his brewpub in Analipsi near Heraklion, this travelled man is eager for sharing stories, fresh ideas, great beer & food. You can feel the authenticity of his roots & connection to nature in what he brews.

ZOURIDAKIS

http://www.zouridakis.gr/

Roots. Local Culture. Cretan Products.

Following in the footsteps of the prolific ancient Minoan civilization of Crete, the Zouridakis family has their own beer lineup and recipes brewed by one of the best brewers on our island. Their beer names and styles are inspired by local archeological sites and iconic beaches of the area. For generations they have strived to ensure the purity & quality of all their traditional products & honor their roots.

IERAPETRA BREWERY

HELMISONS BREWERY

https://www.facebook.com/helmisons.cretan.craft.beer/

Community. Innovation. Holy Water.

The southernmost brewery in all Europe, Helmisons is located in the charming village of Gdochia near Ierapetra on the South Eastern coast of Crete. Their beers are made with the unspoiled water from the nearby Dikti Mountains, giving them a unique profile.

Although it was in January 2019 when they produced their first official lineup, their brewing days began back in 2012. They're opening roads in this more remote region of Crete, raising the bar for beer fans seeking real flavour in what they drink.

AGIOS NIKOLAOS BREWERY

DEDALOS BREWERY

https://dedalosbeer.com/

Fun. Good Vibes. Nerdity.

An enthusiastic new-comer to the Cretan brew scene in 2020, the brewers behind Dedalos have been developing a range of beer styles for over 10 years, with true beer-geekery.

Their curiosity and passion has led them to spread a joyful approach to bottled and draft beer in the most Eastern corners of Crete island but not only. Fun is a top priority for them! Having not had the chance to meet their team yet, we are looking forward in meeting the brewers in person!

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Find our Crete Craft Beer Guide: West Crete (Chania & Rethymno) here.

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Until then, support your local craft brewery & cheers!

• Bonnie