The route of artisan/small-scale industrial beers in Békés county

Békésszentandrás is considered by many people as the most beautifully situated village of the Great Hungarian Plain. The fifth largest stagnant water of Hungary can be found here, the Kákafogi backwater of Hármas-Körös where a plenty of people go on for holiday from the neighbourhood. A real, cosy holiday region, to which another “themost” belongs: The oldest artisan brewery of Hungary works in Békésszentandrás, the ‘Szent András’ (Saint Andrew).

In the beginning of the 1990s a lot of people started a small-scale brewery but most of them already failed in the following years due to tough competition and the unfavourable excise environment for small-scale industry, only some smaller companies managed to survive. The one in Békésszentandrás belongs to them too, which was established in 1991 and had a great role in producing the “artisan brewery-revolution” later. One of their big hits was the invention of the cherry then other fruity nectar – they were the first who used real fruit for beers. Once you’ve tasted, probably you’ve never forgotten...These and the other “fruits” of the never ending experimental mood – IPA, Belgian wheat, the various ales and the others – can be tasted on the spot, next to the brewery. The ‘Rózsa Sörkert’ (Rose Beer garden) is a regularly open pub in the best sense of the word where we can drink quality drinks from ten taps and bottles, and sometimes – mainly at weekends – we can listen to concerts as well. (There are always fresh details on the Facebook page of the place.) Visiting the brewery is also possible which is a great experience but you must register in advance, at any rate!

We find the ‘Viharsarki Sernevelde sörfőzdéje’ (Beer Corner) established in 2017 in Gyula which in addition can be watched even inside – without following any special hygienic rules. As in the two-storey building of the Beer Corner the brewery and a cosy restaurant work together, from the loft of which you can perfectly see the stainless steel tanks, the precise instruments and the busy brewers. While we are having a decent lunch – the variety is wide from the beer snacks through more serious dishes to pub foods –, we can keep an eye on the process of making our favourite beer. We can drink the specialities of the brewery on the spot but we can even order from them here. There is green apple radler, quince imperial gose, German wheat beer called ‘Verőfény’ (sunglare) and the others on offer: we will hear from the small-scale enterprise currently running with five people.

The Andrássy-Wenckheim castle of Gyulavár built in the first half of the 19th century also stands in the periphery of Gyula. Besides the exhibition, a surprising attraction, spectacle brewing and a pub also welcome the guests. This is the centre of Első Magyar Bio Sörfőzde (The First Hungarian Organic Brewery) launched in 2018 and artisan beers distributed under the Elixbeer brand. Besides conventional items, special ingredients – ancient cereal grains, einkorn wheat and emmer wheat (don’t confuse it with spelt wheat), special malt, hop products – are used to make beer. The process is exciting and spectacular, and visitors have the opportunity to take a look at it. In good weather the beer garden is really a great experience: we can rarely sip excellent beers next to a genuine castle.

The next place introduced here is a real survivor. The Szarvasi sör (Beer from Szarvas) was first made in 1995, but in the beginning of the 2000s they couldn’t compete with their large scale industrial rivals and they suspended production for a while. In 2010 they started over – for beer drinkers’ pleasure. Maybe the dear reader has also met their nectar called ‘Favágó’ (woodcutter) – these and other types can be bought at their place on the spot. If we buy 0.33 packaging, we will donate to the protection of bustards in Körös-Maros National Park! You can really make this sacrifice – to do good by drinking beer –, can’t you?