Home CREATIVE BREAK Craft Inspirations: Zmajska Pivovarna Brewery

Craft Inspirations: Zmajska Pivovarna Brewery

Dec 29, 2017

What even is craft beer?

For laic beer drinkers, the term craft beer might sound like a potion made in someone’s garage by self-proclaimed beer drinking aficionados. Well, they might not be as far from the truth as you think. Craft beer is beer that isn’t produced by multinational corporations, but instead, in local and independent brewing companies, called “microbreweries”. But unlike a witch’s potion, these beers are considered to be the highest in quality, richest in flavour and enjoyed by only the most experienced beer connoisseurs, who know what to order when they step into the bar.

Craft breweries are not only a good local economy booster, but also an excellent sign of a destination’s urban atmosphere. They are bringing the culture of beer drinking to a higher level and we can expect it to stand side by side to wine tasting and its traditions in a very short period of time. We believe microbreweries are in direct correlation with the congress industry, as participants are stepping away from mass-production and are looking for more intimate and authentic congress stories.

We went on a hunt to find the very best regional craft breweries and the people that are putting all their heart and soul into making their tasty hop brew unique and a cut above everyone else’s.

ZMAJSKA PIVOVARNA, CROATIA

Zmajska pivovara was founded in 2013 at a time when craft beer was almost completely unknown in Croatia. The founder and owner, Andrej Čapka, had already been a home brewer for more than a decade and as an active member of the home brew community he was a founder of pivarstvo.info, the home brew forum, and organiser of the Croatian International Home Brew competition. His long-lasting love and passion for beer, along with his financial knowledge and help from Hrvoje Čirjak, friend and future co-owner, made the first Croatian craft brewery happen. Its first beers – a Pale Ale and a Porter – were presented in September 2014. In the same year Zmajska pivovara was voted in Top 10 New Brewers in the World by the Ratebeer portal.

Where can I find them?

The idea behind the founding of Zmajska pivovara was to brew innovative and different beers that would enrich the local beer offer, that at the time consisted mostly of bland, industrial lagers. The mission was therefore to brew high quality and distinctive beer that would be pure joy in every sip. Today the Croatian craft beer revolution is at its prime, with more than 40 breweries operating and craft beer bars popping up. Zmajska pivovara is proud to have been there at the very beginning as one of the initiators of this revolution.

TASTED AND TESTED

Pozoj IPA
Pozoj IPA was first brewed in 2015 as a one-off beer, but due to the great response from beer drinkers and constant demand it was brewed a few more times until at the beginning of 2017 it became a year-round beer from Zmajska pivovara. At 7.3% ABV and golden in colour, it is a showcase of the Chinook and Mosaic hops.