This is an exciting time for the Greek Beer Scene
which now counts over 110 independent breweries!
This blue-skied country is BOOMING with top-notch beer.
We're here to spread the news far & wide:
GREEK CRAFT BEER IS AWESOME.
When we launched the first craft beer tours in the whole country in the Spring of 2021, we realized that we were pioneering in an emerging community of Greek craft beer lovers.
As we embark on our 4th season of tours in Crete (Chania & Rethymno), the land of white mountains, azure blue seas, pink sand beaches and renowned gastronomy, we are proud to share that Greece is also becoming an international craft beer destination for the whole world to enjoy!
What is now turning heads & blowing minds is
the rise of the passionate, talented & incredible Greek Craft Beer Scene.
As far as Crete Island is concerned, the largest of all Greek islands, the low-down is that until 2017, there were only 3-4 breweries. In the span of only three years, in 2020 that number jumped to 12! Today in 2024, we count 15.
In Greece, there are over 110 independent breweries including a range from micro, beer-labs, craft, nomads, larger teams and collaborations. Considering that the craft beer revolution began in the United States back in the 1970's, it was about time for Greece to get on the map too.
This brings us to April 2021; a pivotal point for Greek craft beer.
The first Craft Beer Tours in Greece by
Proudly created by two beer & travel aficionados who joined forces to bring the craft scene world travellers.
(Keep reading to find out more about us.)
Non-Touristy
The authenticity and human approach to our tours are non-negotiable! Through alternative tours and promoting Crete's authentic character, we offer travellers real experiences away from the tourist traps. That's our signature.
Craft beer & Gastronomy
We keep the conversation around beer friendly for all levels, walking our guests through an introduction to beer history, beer-tasting techniques, useful vocabulary, sharing cool stories behind beer, demystifying beer styles & showcasing the best from our proud passionate, world-class breweries.
Plus, the Food Pairing Menus which we revamp seasonally will blow your mind! Each beer is perfectly paired with food from the Cretan Gastronomy with both traditional and modern influences. This is taking beer tasting and appreciation to the next level.
In our Eat & Crete Food Tour [out of the box], we went out of our way, into the village mountains for months to find places even locals don't know about, to showcase the very best, the most authentic Cretan gastronomy. Now, that's worth the detour.
Local culture
Nopre-set scenarios allowed. That means that on every tour, our guides reach into their vast knowledge base and share interesting stories, facts and relevant details to educate and suit the group's interests. We have no interest in being boring or irrelevant. We keep it fun, dynamic and most of all, friendly to all.
The giant island of Crete, with its distinct geographical and historical background, has shaped its culture separately from the rest of the country (akin to Sicily and Italy, or Corsica and France). We strive to do justice to its traditions, independent spirit, unique hidden neighbourhoods and fascinating stories, sharing them generously with our guests.
ABOUT Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours
After the whirlwind that 2020 turned out to be globally, these two beer and travel aficionados found it was time to launch our own Travel Agency; one with a positive impact in the modern Travel World of Greece, by paving our own road, with a human and Earth-friendly approach. We decided to bridge the gap between thirsty travellers and the rise of the craft beer scene of Greece.
"Bonnie and Clyde" …
the famous couple reigns as the symbol for adventure and making your own rules.
Our "Bonnie" is a joyful French-Canadian Montreal entrepreneurial gal sharing her joie de vivre and knowledgeable love of beer.
Our "Clyde" is a cosmopolitan Greek Athenian man with a sharp sense of how travelling can evolve for the better and decades of experience in the travel sector under his belt.
In 2022, on our second season in operation, we won the
In the following season of 2023, we were awarded with the
As we pioneer in bringing Greek Craft Beer to the next level, the world stage, we keep building connections with travellers from across the world & strengthening our local craft beer community.
ABOUT CRAFT BEER IN GREECE
As previously mentioned, Craft Beer is in total effervescence in Greece.
Unlike some other countries whose beer scene is growing at the expense of quality, in Greece we not only see the number of breweries grow exponentially, we can proudly say that the quality of beers produced is exceptionally high.
When you pair the Greek people's remarkable quality in the production of goods, their entrepreneurship and value for local businesses, centuries of experience in wine-making, distilling & fermenting, with the undeniable generational thirst for real, international flavour in beer... you have the golden ingredients to brew a craft beer movement!
Greek beer culture has been centered for decades around hot days of Summer with ice-cold lagers served in frozen glasses. Luckily, this basic palette has evolved into a thirst for American hop-forward styles (IPAs of all types), English style pale ales, German and Belgian style wheat beers, pilsners with a Czech influence, seasonal selection of sour beers & big-flavoured stouts for Winter months.
The influence of European and North-American travellers as well as ex-pats seeking their favourite refreshment - good beer - while in Greece has significantly helped local businesses see the economical opportunity and tap (pun intended) a new market.
2021 saw Greece's first official Craft beer festival which has sprung a multitude of new craft beer events across the country, strengthening the local beer culture and enthousiasm.
To the delight of local and visiting beer lovers, Greek craft brews can now be more easily be picked up at kiosks, bottle shops, restaurants, pubs and bars.
As we say in Greek; Ya Mas! Cheers!
Until you have the chance to visit us in person on our Craft Beer Tours in Crete, Greece, explore the Greek Craft Beer Scene on our blog posts:
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Love & beer !
- Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours
