The 2 brothers from Kefalonia producing the island’s first beer

Kefalonia

With a rich and authentic contribution to Greece’s oenophilic history, Kefalonia takes the next step.

Nikos and Kyriakos Moraitis, brothers and partners of a microbrewery in Kefalonia (along with their uncle Yiannis Polihronatos), managed within a short period of time to expand the reputation of their village, Karavomylos.

This is because of their handcrafted Kefalonian beer, the first—and only—beer from the island that exudes authenticity and passion for quality products.

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“The idea started completely in jest, enjoying, relaxedly with my brother, our first beers on the island after completing our studies in Munich,” says Nikos.

“We lived for a few years in Germany with the dream of becoming Civil Engineers. And we did it. But life, in the end, puts us on different paths,” he adds. “You’re probably looking for an excuse to go back home.”

They realised that fresh beer, with the identity of the island, could fill a significant gap in the map of Kefalonia’s local products.

In the beginning, things were not easy at all. They had zero knowledge of the subject, experienced bureaucracy, and an extremely discouraging attitude from the locals, who told them, “What are you going to mess up now?”

The chances of them succeeding were not on their side from the beginning.

“However, the difficulties made us stubborn,” Nikos tells me.

“We started visiting small breweries in Greece and Germany to collect information on a theoretical level and then put it into practice. We also attended specialised seminars by professionals,” he adds.

After many experiments, they ended up with a beer that completely satisfied them: a fresh, 100% natural, handmade, and Greek beer that tasted of their personal effort and philosophy.

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Today, Kefalonian Beer, with two beer products (one Premium Lager and one Red Ale), is found in many fridges on the island, restaurants and tavernas in Lefkada and Zakynthos, and several places in Athens (cellars, supermarkets, and delicatessens).

“We are trying to increase production year after year to expand our distribution network,” said Nikos.

“However, as our product is fresh—therefore, it also has an expiration date—we cannot easily travel our beers abroad, even though there is constant demand from the Greek diaspora in Germany, America, and Australia,” he concludes.

With two products on the beach or at the table

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Premium Lager, with 5% alcohol, is a light, medium-bodied beer with a malty character. Its taste stands out for its slight bitterness. Its aroma is also characteristic, moving to the soft notes of freshly cut citrus.

“It’s an easy-to-drink, clean beer that you can easily enjoy on its own, even on the beach,” explains Nikos.

The other product of Kefalonian Beer is Red Ale, which has a slightly enhanced alcohol index compared to Lager (5.8%), a deep red colour, aromatic, medium body, and a slight aftertaste of caramel.

It is produced from three different varieties of hops and is ideal to combine with meat and restaurant dishes.

“It’s not the beer you’ll enjoy drinking leisurely, alone, on an afternoon at the beach,” Nikos explains.

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Soon, a new product will enter the market as long as the three Kefalonian brewers complete their taste tests. It will a beer with marjoram, which, due to this special edition, will be very aromatic and will automatically remind anyone who tastes it of the aromas of the island.

This effort will be further strengthened by transferring their brewery to larger facilities and by “opening” to agritourism.

“We want to strengthen the profile of our products by accompanying them with tastings inspired by the island’s local culture and culinary tradition,” points out Nikos.

Until then, the family will continue to refresh the local community and tourists on the island with its beers and fill our glasses with summer flavours and aromas.

Info: Samis – Agia Efimias, Karavomylos, tel.: 6946952951, www.kefalonianbeer.com

Loukia Chrisovitsanou is a columnist for Cantina. Translated by Paul Antonopoulos

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