Since 2012 Chios island has its own microbrewery which produces a variety of fresh beers that are very popular all over the island. In 2009, after attending a short brewing workshop, two friends had the idea of founding a brewery on Chios island. Traditionally, on a Greek island like Chios people produce ouzo, wine or citrus fruits. So opening one of the first microbreweries in Greece was something entirely unconventional, but that was what made Chios Beer so successful.

In 2011 the recipe of Fresh Chios Beer was created in a small basement in Chios city and soon the first bottles of beer were introduced to the local market. Due to the great demand and amazing feedback of the customers, Chios beer soon expanded its production and created new flavors. Today, the factory is located in the village of Vavili south of Chios city, where a larger building with modern brewing technology covers the production needs perfectly. Each year the brewery produces roughly 200.000 liters of beer that are not only consumed on the island but also exported to Athens and all over Greece. Most of the beer is produced during the summer months because the demand for the cold, sparkling beverage is much higher during the hot summer season.

But what makes Chios beer so special? First of all the beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized which preserves the beer’s fresh taste perfectly. Furthermore, there is a great variety of special flavors from the classic Fresh Chios Beer to the BBQ Beer and the Smoked Robust Porter that uses smoked malts to create special flavor notes. For the creation of new, unique flavors the team from the Chios Beer brewery also cooperates with famous chefs from all over Greece.

Chios island is famous for its production of mastic gum which not only has a unique taste but also several health benefits. So since the first day, people were asking for a beer with mastic. After a lot of experimenting with the ingredients and the brewing process the team at Kambos created a beer with a velvety texture that convinces with its combination of wheat malt and a subtle touch of chios mastic. The Wheat Mastic Beer is the only beer worldwide with mastic aroma and can be purchased at the web shop of the brewery.

The microbrewery also offers free tours for curious guests who want to see the small production facility, learn more about the process of making beer and try some freshly brewed beer! After the tour you have the chance to purchase different kinds of beers and souvenirs. So during your stay on Chios island you should definitely schedule a visit to the Chios Beer factory! It is located a few kilometers south of Chios city at the address Βαβύλοι 821 00 and opens its doors for visitors every day from 10.00 to 16.00 o’clock.

If you just want to try Chios Beer without paying a visit to the brewery, you can also purchase it in all of the islands supermarkets and in some of the mini markets on the street. Furthermore, the brewery has an online shop where you can purchase all types of beer and ship them to different destinations in Greece.