I’ve drank beer exactly two times in the last two years: on a visit to the Mack Brewery in Tromsø, Norway and when we stopped in to the Santorini Brewing Company. Not a fan of beer, I never want to be rude when a brewery is taking time out to give us tour and proudly showcase their brews. So it was a huge shock to Tim, when I declared Santorini Brewing Company’s Red Donkey was indeed a kick-ass ale!
The microbrewery was opened just over a year ago, in January 2012. On an island known for its wine and in a time of economic downturn, a Serbian brewer, Boban Krunic, an English brewing enthusiast, Steve Daniel, an American, Majda Anderson and a Greek oenologist, Yianis Papadopoulos took a huge chance opening Santorini’s first brewery. Their gamble seems to have paid off because the donkey brews have been met with nothing but rave reviews. I mean, they even turned this non-beer drinker into one!
Their outfit seems deceptively simple, with a small area where our guide explains that malted barley is milled and mashed, creating a liquid that is boiled with hops from all over the world. She sticks her hand in a huge sack and gives us some hops to sniff. Specialized yeasts are added to the primary fermentation process and then it continues under pressure in the large stainless steel tanks.
The result is Santorini’s first local beer. They’re unfiltered, unpasteurized and preservative-free to capture every particle of flavor. Currently, the donkey brews are only distributed locally to restaurants and supermarkets on the island.
Ready to taste, we head to the bar and are first poured Yellow Donkey. It’s a blonde brew with a mixture of hops including Aurora and Styrian Golding from Slovenia, Cascade from Oregon, and exotic Motueka from New Zealand. To my unrefined beer palate, it tastes and smells like most beers. Tim liked it well enough to order a Yellow Donkey whenever he saw it on a restaurant menu.
The star of this show, for me anyway, was the Red Donkey, a red beer with a special collection of hops including Aurora and Styrian Golding from Slovenia, Citra from Oregon, and Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand. With tropical aromas and tastes of tropical fruits, I immediately declared I liked it. And when I spotted Red Donkey on the menu at Selene, I chose beer over wine!
The slogan Hip Hoppy Kick-Ass Ale, which appears on special Santorini Brewing Company glasses your beer is served in around the island, technically refers to the Crazy Donkey, the only IPA (India Pale Ale) produced in Greece. It’s produced in more limited quantities but has a high demand, so it the hardest of the three donkey brews to find in Santorini. Tim thought it was great and was definitely his favorite of the three.
Santorini Brewing Company is a fun stop if you’re visiting the island! They even have a small shop to pick up the quintessential t-shirt, if you’re like Tim and have to have a t-shirt from every place you visit.
Follow the herd!
Know Before You Go
- Santorini Brewing Company is open Monday – Saturday from 12pm – 5pm
- Take-away beer is available in their shop
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Sue Sharpe says
Fantastic! As a ‘brewer’ myself (OK – I cheat and use a kit) I love hearing about new microbreweries opening! And let’s face it, anything with a donkey on it has to be a winner, doesn’t it?
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I know, right?! How adorable is their logo? And such a friendly bunch, so we’re really happy to support their local business!
Dave Briggs says
Forget the beaches – I know where I will be going on day one when I arrive in Santorini now!!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Or get your beer take away and enjoy Donkey brews AT the beach! 😉
Val Dawson says
I love the label, too! Greek beer….awesome!
Mike Baggie Palshis says
That's it! I have friends in Santorini right now.
Cathy Sweeney says
I’m more of a wine drinker, but you’ve got me tempted. If I ever see Red or Yellow Donkey on a menu, I’ll try it!
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Mr. TWS for sure would love the donkey brews. And I wish I could get some Red Donkey at home. Hopefully someday Santorini Brewing Company will be able to export their beers.
Marysia @ My Travel Affairs says
Love the names, red and yellow donkey! 🙂
Jennifer Dombrowski says
Definitely fun and I love their super cute donkey logo!
Andrea says
Santorini has a brewing company? Awesome! Hoppy beers are the best…
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I totally thought of you guys while writing this post. Knew you’d love the donkey brews!
Jennifer says
We agree, Val! Love the label and logo.
Jennifer says
Mike Baggie Palshis Have them pick you up some donkey brews to try!
Ali says
Interesting, we’ll have to check this out if we get back to Santorini. Breweries are fun, and Andy likes trying local beer.
Jennifer Dombrowski says
I’m sure you’d both enjoy the brewery then, Ali! And the proprietors are so friendly!
Turtle says
Your list of the guys who run the brewery sounds like the start of a bad joke… 🙂
Jennifer Dombrowski says
You never know when doing something risky like opening Santorini’s first brewery. They could have become the butt of some very bad jokes! Luckily, the produced some great brews and the jokes on everyone that was betting against them. 😉
Sandy Gunderson says
I bought a shirt in Oia at a store called Infinity. It was an adult men’s shirt with a donkey in the middle and said Santorini Brewing company on the top and kick ass ale on the bottom. Do you sell this or have the website for the store? I tried infiniti [email protected] and could not get it. Thank you, Sandy