Beer, Ancient and Modern….

Tutankhamun Ale (Wikipedia: Mark Nesbitt)

Beer is almost certainly the world’s oldest alcoholic drink. The ancient Egyptians were brewing it some 5,000 years ago. It was an integral part of Egyptian life, was considered to have mystical and medicinal properties and was a drink of status. A keg of beer was, apparently, the only appropriate gift to offer a Pharaoh by suitors seeking permission to marry a royal princess. Beer was offered up to appease angry Gods, and along with food, placed in tombs to provide sustenance for the dead.

It is thought that it was the Egyptians who originally brought the craft of brewing beer to Greece. Dionysus, more famously known as the God of wine, is also said to have blessed beer. Early Greek writers such as Sophocles, Herodotus and Xenophon make mention of beer in their works, and according to Plato (they say!) “He is a wise man who invented beer”.

The Greeks taught the Romans to brew beer, and the Romans then subsequently exported brewing to the ‘savage Brits’. However, during the Roman Republic, beer fell out of favour amongst the elite, who considered beer to be the drink of Barbarians (Emperor Julianus even had the temerity to describe beer as ‘goat-reek’) and, throughout the Mediterranean, wine displaced beer as the preferred alcoholic drink.

Brink’s Brewery: Organic Beer in Armeni, Rethymnon

Modern Greece does not have the grand brewing traditions of countries such as Belgium, Germany, Holland and the UK. Up until a few decades ago, the choice of beers offered to the consumer was very limited, the beer was often of mediocre quality, and as (aside from a couple of exceptions) bottled imports were the norm, it was comparatively expensive. Things have changed in recent years — demands of tourism have helped to ensure that varieties once seen as ‘exotic’ are now considered mainstream, it is no longer difficult to get beer on tap, and Greek brews such as Mythos have proved popular here. Still, for the dedicated beer-lover, there is a long way to go. So we feel extremely fortunate that one of the very few micro-breweries of organic beer in Greece — ‘Brink’s Brewery’ - is on our doorstep in Armeni, which is just a few kilometres South of Rethymnon.

The Brewers

The Brink’s Brewery family are: Bernd Brink, originally from Dortmund in Germany, his wife Leah who is from Crete and their two beautiful children. Bernd first met Leah in Scotland over 10 years ago. At the time, Bernd, who is a mathematician, was conducting research (involving modelling social situations) as part of a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Stirling. Leah was in Stirling visiting a friend. One thing led to another…..Eventually, the inevitable happened, and Bernd came to Crete. So why become a brewer? Well, as an undergraduate in Dortmund, Bernd had done various odd jobs to earn his keep in local breweries, and had become interested in the brewing process. When first on Crete, Bernd recognised that there was a potential niche market for an organic brewery here, and so an idea was born. It certainly hasn’t been the easiest of projects to accomplish, bureaucracy being what it is for one thing. Promised sponsorship deals in the early days fell through and Bernd then had to do a regular monthly commute between Armeni and Stirling for four years (those of our international readers who complain about the Oxford to Paddington train, take note), but persistence paid off in the end!

The Beer

Brink’s Brewery produces two types of organic beer: Rethymnian Blonde and Rethymnian Dark, both of which are naturally carbonated and are brewed according to the German purity law of 1516. However, these are not ‘German beers brewed in Greece’. Whilst full of flavour, both beers are relatively light (4.8% proof) and have been brewed with the Cretan climate and palate in mind. In Germany, Bernd would have described his Rethymnian Dark as a ‘Basement Beer’ - a ‘darkish lager’ that should be kept in a cold cellar. Here on Crete, the advice is to refrigerate both Blonde and Dark and make sure you drink the beer within four months. (This should not be a problem, as both brews are absolutely delicious!)

Outlets and Contacts

In Rethymnon, you will find Rethymnian Blonde and Rethymnian Dark on sale in various supermarkets, including branches of Halkiadakis, Inka and Mamalakis. The beer is also available in local Bio shops, and on offer in many of the better Tavernas. Further afield, you will find that Rethymnian beer is to be found in various outlets in Heraklion and Hania, and that it is popular in Athens….

It is possible to buy beer direct from the brewery, too!
To contact Bernd Brink at the Brewery, you can ring 28310 41243 or email rethymnian_beer@acn.gr
Individual and small group tours of the brewery can be arranged by appointment.