Karlovac has long standing beer production tradition. In 1854 the Karlovac brewery was established by Baron Nikola Vranyczany in Dubovac, old part of the city, where it still stands. But the tax books of Karlovac mentions in year 1779 Georg Purstl as a first brewer and merchant, who had in Dubovac his brewery and a shop. At the dawn of 20th century, the brewery was led by beer masters from Germany and Austria. In the sixties, the Karlovac Brewery began its modernisation, and in 1984 together with the town authorities, Days of Beer were staged, as one of the most popular events in Karlovac and whole Croatia. Its current owner, Heineken, is in fact ten years younger than Karlovačka Pivovara.
Beer Festival in Karlovac is the largest beer event in Croatia. Every year, it is attended by more than 100,000 beer lovers. Over ten summer days at the end of August, on the right bank of Karlovac’s beautiful River Korana, an entire small town of entertainment and cuisine celebrates beer. The event is the most visited festival in Karlovac, during which a fifth river flows through the town: a river of beer. There is a rich and varied programme with trade fairs, a wealth of culinary specialities and a wide variety of excellent beers. The Karlovac Beer Festival is a cultural-entertainment and commercial event that has become the trademark of the town of Karlovac. This year the festival will take place from August 26 till September 4.
Karlovac brewery welcomes visitors every second Tuesday in month, and includes a visit to all procession stages of beer making, from delivery of barley to the bottle filling. Barley and hops are of Croatian origin, from region of Western Slavonia. The process is explained by the guides, experts in beer making.
Unavoidable part of visit is degustation itself. It is led by taste experts, who recognise 21 components of beer, and have exceptionally developed smell and taste. They are having three months training, followed by examinations where 80 per cent of questionnaires must be positively solved. For seven years their exams are 100 per cent accurate.
The line of products is among Croatian favourites. Karlovačko light lager beer is characterized by a golden-yellow colour and a refreshing bitter taste. It is special because of its harmonious malt aroma and fullness of taste. In recent time, Karlovačko Retro makes special appeal among Croats. It is non-pasteurised, of premium quality, with rich taste and freshness.
A special product is Karlovačko Royal 1854, a lager of exceptional fullness of taste made from special types of aromatic hops and two types of barley malt (light and fried). Those carefully selected ingredients give it a particularly rich and full taste, dark golden colour and a rich foam. Karlovačko Royal 1854 has a pleasant bitter and hop flavor. Karlovačko Royal 1854 was inspired by the original recipe for our beer and is the culmination of the 160th anniversary of the brewery and the highest quality brewing production. Special attention is given to the production of the Karlovačko crno beer, which is made of three kinds of malt, pale barley malt, fried caramel barley malt and fried dark barley malt. Karlovačko crno beer is served in a special glass on a stand.
Karlovačko features also various radlers, Karlovačko 0,0 Maxx non-alcoholic beer, Heineken and Amstel products, etc. For real connoisseurs, Karlovačko made special cookbooks, which combine traditional Karlovac products with Karlovačko beer. Recipes such as mushrooms with beer dough, beer stew, trout in beer sauce, various meet with beer, and especially interesting desserts with beer, can be found here.
Karlovačka pivovara Dubovac 22, 47000 Karlovac +385 47 607 111 http://www.heineken.hr
Photos by: Taste of Adriatic & Karlovačka Pivovara