CRETE CRAFT BEER GUIDE: West Crete, Greece
Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours- Jun 30, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 2, 2024
Here is our official
Craft Beer Guide of West Crete, Greece:
Chania & Rethymno.
We've done the leg work to show you the way to Crete island's passionate & talented craft breweries of West 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.
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!
West Crete counts eight 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 West Crete, Greece: Chania & Rethymno.
CRETE CRAFT BEER GUIDE: WEST CRETE, GREECE
CHANIA BREWERIES
LAFKAS BREWERY
Belgian-Greek Fusion. White mountains. Beer-patio.
Visiting the Lafkas Brewery on the outskirts of Chania City is a casual beer hangout with a playful twist. Picture a bright space with shiny fermenters, picnic tables, a state-of-the-art arcade tower, surfboards & beer patio, with a view of the mountains.
Since 2017, Michalis & Aurélie brew their go-to Triple Hop Pale Ale which has become a standard craft brew in the region and across Crete. Through the years they have brewed a range of styles with one-offs and have built a stellar core lineup. Their beers are designed to bridge the local palette into the delicious world of fresh beer, hops and craft beer culture.
XAOS BREWS
Hop aficionados. Crew. Beer collabs.
This beer-loving squad has been turning heads for the past few years here in Chania & across the country. Meeting the fellows behind Xaos (pronounced “Ha-os”, meaning "chaos" in Greek) is always a refreshingly down-to-earth rendez-vous with a welcoming beer team.
Their Pale Ale '' Locki'' has become a game-changer in the local beer scene of Chania and an absolute must-try beer on Crete. They also brew seasonal fruited sours, IPA's and stouts. Embrace the chaos by tasting their beers.
CHARMA CRETAN BREWERY
Fresh. Daught. Vision.
Charma (pronounced “Harma”) is one of the first pioneers of Cretan beer in Chania. It began in 2007 with a vision of providing a high-quality & taste, local option for Cretan beer drinkers. Their beers had been available on draught exclusively, both at their brewery or at various places (restaurants, bars, coffee shops) across Chania and Crete. In 2024, they began bottling their lager & stores of all kinds across the island have embraced this product.
Being the largest brewery in the Chania region, their influence has grown significantly. Their daught lager is most common to find; if you are lucky, you will find their dunkel or pale ale at bars. Their brewery is also open for visits.
LYRA HANDCRAFTED BEER
Tradition. Local. Dedication.
Located in Kissamos Bay, Lyra has been a standard for Cretans looking for a well-made local beer with a step into the tasty world of great beer. A lyra is a four-string instrument used in traditional Cretan music; its sound evokes memories of gathering & celebration for locals.
Their hand-crafted production is focused on a signature beer: the Lyra Golden Ale. It's a nice 5,8% ABV with a dry finish and hop character. Since 2015, this ale has established itself on the island for locals and visitors as an alternative to the mass-produced beers. This beer has paved the way for craft beers to enter the local drinking scene.
AZATIS BREWING LAB
Engineering mastermind. Brew-geek. One man show.
"Freedom is a state of mind" defines Azatis' brewing. One of the newest brewers on the Cretan craft beer scene, this nano brewery is one to keep up with. This one-man show is the fruit of a handy engineer with a passion for nothing less than terrific beer. His small brewing space is impeccable, clever, creative & a true beer-lab.
As an engineer, he has devised his own unique systems which play into the fine balance between science and art. Azatis means "free" in Cretan dialect & his refreshing beers have become a staple for the new generation of beer lovers in Chania thanks also to their beautiful bottle designs.
RETHYMNO BREWERIES
BRINK’S: RETHYMNIAN BREWERY
Organic. Pioneers. Holy water
Located in the outskirts of Rethymno, Brink’s is the new name of Rethymniaki Beer, due to the law that does not allow names given by geographic areas. They are the longest-standing brewery in Crete since 2001, brewing according to the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot) & were the first to produce Greek Biological Beer!
With a German influence on their styles, their flavours are accessible & well appreciated by most palettes. Find their swing-top glass bottles at bottle shops and in unexpected places all around the island..
RETIMI MICROBREWERY
Independent. Teamwork. New entry.
We are welcoming Retimi, during 2024, into the Cretan brewing scene. The name pays direct hommage to the city of Rethymno. The team of three beer lovers behind this passionate microbrewery brings quality beers & forward-thinking to the Cretan beer stage. They prefer to make small & solid steps in order to have a sustainable development.
After years of improving their recipes, finally they became an official brewery around March 2024. Their Red Ale might be the best one Greek craft beer in its style. The reviews from our guests during our Rethymno Craft Beer Tour are just amazing. Try it !!
CRETAN KINGS BEER
Mountain beer. Light. Modern profile.
This Pale Lager beer became known in Crete through its sponsorship of the local Rethymno basketball team, under the name Rethymno Cretan Kings. Produced in two bottle sizes (330ml / 500ml) and a can of 330ml, Cretan Kings is easily found in corner stores, markets & pubs across Crete.
The clearness of the water that they are using, might be their trademark. Their beer is light, with refreshing body & excellent drinkability. Just what you need during a hot day in Crete!
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Until then, support your local craft brewery & cheers!
Bonnie
Greek beer is awesome!!