Beer in Serbia facts for kids
Beer (called pivo in Serbian) is a very popular drink in Serbia.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
People first talked about beer in Serbia way back in the 1400s. This was during the time of a ruler named Stefan Lazarević. It was a new drink that came from nearby Kingdom of Hungary. Back then, people made beer at home, in small shops, and even in the ruler's palace. Beer became much more popular hundreds of years later. Big factories started making it in the mid-1700s.
How Beer is Made and Sold
Serbian breweries make a lot of beer every year. They produce about 523 million liters! This makes Serbia one of the top countries for beer production in the world.
Serbia also sends some of its beer to other countries. About 138 million liters are exported each year. Most of this beer goes to nearby countries. These include Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Hungary, and Croatia. Some beer also goes to places where many Serbian people live. These places include Germany, Austria, the United States, and Canada.
Packaging and Drinking Beer
When you buy beer for home, it often comes in 0.5-liter glass bottles. These bottles can be reused. You can also find smaller 0.33-liter glass bottles and cans. Many breweries also started putting beer in plastic bottles. These can be 1.5, 2, or even 2.5 liters big.
In restaurants and bars, beer is served in 0.33-liter or 0.5-liter bottles. You can also get "draught" beer, which is called točeno in Serbia. This means it comes from a tap.
People in Serbia drink about 60 litres of beer per person each year. This places Serbia among the top countries for beer drinking.
Breweries and Brands
Main Breweries
There are three main companies that make most of the beer in Serbia. They control about 95% of the market. These big breweries are Apatin Brewery, Heineken Srbija, and Carlsberg Srbija.
Other smaller Serbian breweries make up the rest of the market. These include Valjevo Brewery, BIP Brewery, Jagodina Brewery, and Niš Brewery. There are also about 20 other smaller breweries.
Popular Brands
The most popular Serbian beer brand is Jelen. Another very popular one is Lav. Some foreign beer brands are sold in Serbia. Others are made right there under a special agreement.
Most Serbians traditionally prefer a type of beer called Pale lager. Dark lager is also popular, but less of it is made. Some breweries also make a drink called kvass.
Domestic Brands
- Apatin Brewery makes Jelen, Apatinsko, Jelen Cool, and Jelen Fresh.
- Čelarevo Brewery makes Lav and Merak.
- Novi Sad Brewery makes Pils Plus, MB, and Master.
- Zaječar Brewery makes Zaječarsko and Zaječarsko crno.
- Valjevo Brewery makes Valjevsko.
- BIP Brewery makes BIP and Bg.
- Jagodina Brewery makes Jagodinsko.
- Niš Brewery makes Niško.
Foreign Brands Made in Serbia
- Apatin Brewery makes Beck's, Stella Artois, Staropramen, and Nikšićko.
- Čelarevo Brewery makes Carlsberg, Tuborg, and Holsten.
- Novi Sad Brewery makes Heineken and Amstel.
Beer Festivals
Serbia hosts fun festivals where you can try many different beers.
Belgrade Beer Fest
The Belgrade Beer Fest started in 2003. It happens every year for 3 to 4 days. The festival takes place near the Kalemegdan fortress in Belgrade. It's a great place to see and try many different beers. You can find both Serbian and foreign beers at good prices. The festival also has live music performances every evening. It has become very big and popular quickly. In 2005, a newspaper from the United Kingdom called The Independent said it was one of the best events in the world to visit in 2006.
Dani Piva
Dani Piva means "Beer Days." It is another beer festival held in Zrenjanin. This festival started in 1985. It is organized by the Zrenjanin brewery.
