Greece going beer crazy as microbreweries proliferate

Like the head on a well-poured lager, Greek microbreweries have seen their numbers rise to around 45 from just six in 2009, and that's with three of those six having closed since then. Indeed, a country map of breweries indicates that almost every region in Greece is producing its own beer: from the Siris MicroBrewery of Serres and Northern Greece, which makes the Voreia range, and the Cretan Brewery with its Charma beers to Corfu Beer and the Ikariaki Brewery on the island of Icaria.

So how has such a rapid proliferation of microbreweries come about during the crisis, especially as beer-making isn't exactly a cheap activity?

"There was demand for special and more specialized products. Consumers wanted it. It is basically the same trend that appeared in the wine sector in Greece, although that was 25-30 years ago. From just a few big wineries we went to having a...