The development of a brewery does not happen overnight. Maja and Denis have been enthusiastic about flavours for a long time and they enjoy them. They perfected their knowledge while studying food technology, which fascinated them while growing up in the unspoilt wine-growing country of Bela Krajina. Denis grew up with a large wine cellar “under the house” and so studying this subject was a natural decision. He met Maja, both graduated in winemaking and started thinking about the future together.
BREWERY DEVELOPMENT
IT ALL STARTED WITH A LARGE WINE CELLAR AND WINE
BREWERY DEVELOPMENT
IT ALL STARTED WITH A LARGE WINE CELLAR AND WINE
The development of a brewery does not happen overnight. Maja and Denis have been enthusiastic about flavours for a long time and they enjoy them. They perfected their knowledge while studying food technology, which fascinated them while growing up in the unspoilt wine-growing country of Bela Krajina. Denis grew up with a large wine cellar “under the house” and so studying this subject was a natural decision. He met Maja, both graduated in winemaking and started thinking about the future together.
There are many winemakers in Bela krajina with excellent wines and a long tradition. Capacities were growing and, due to the saturated wine market, they wanted to create another new but different product. So, they started experimenting with beer and developing a brewery.
Another inspiration for making beer and establishing the brewery was the close cooperation with the family business, Mithraeum. They had just started the production of brewing equipment. That meant they were able to test the operation of the new equipment, and Denis and Maja were happy to brew their new beer using it. This was beneficial for both companies, which developed mutually.
Our story comes from winemaking, where you are always looking for harmony in tastes. It should be harmonious, smooth, not sour, so that the alcohol will not dominate. And those were also the fundamental goals in creating beer. We never chose and made the beer, but we focused on the taste and then determined the style of the beer.
Maja
HARD WORK ENABLED GROWTH
FROM BEER FOR SURVIVAL TO A RECOGNISED BREWERY
Beer was originally intended as an additional product in addition to wine, but as the years passed, they produced more beer and less and less wine. To make a living, they started by brewing beer for other breweries and customers as they did not have sufficient quantities for their own sales.
HARD WORK ENABLED GROWTH
FROM BEER FOR SURVIVAL TO A RECOGNISED BREWERY
Beer was originally intended as an additional product in addition to wine, but as the years passed, they produced more beer and less and less wine. To make a living, they started by brewing beer for other breweries and customers as they did not have sufficient quantities for their own sales.
In the process of creating beer for others, constantly learning from mistakes and the selfless sharing of knowledge with other brewers, Maja and Denis contributed a lot to the craft beer scene in Slovenia as we know it today.
Their hard work enabled the growth of the company and the possibility of self-sufficiency by producing only beer, which many small craft breweries had failed to do. And in 11 years, they have come to the point where they are now just a brewery and no longer a wine cellar.
QUALITY AND BREADTH OF FLAVOURS
WE WERE NOT AFRAID OF CHALLENGES, EVEN WHEN PEOPLE SAID IT WOULD NOT WORK OUT
Maja and Denis have created more than 20 different flavours of beer – from simple lagers to the demanding Maximus with 9% alcohol, by way of crazy combinations with potatoes, beans, chestnuts and more. Their guiding principle has always been the quality and breadth of flavours.
QUALITY AND BREADTH OF FLAVOURS
WE WERE NOT AFRAID OF CHALLENGES, EVEN WHEN PEOPLE SAID IT WOULD NOT WORK OUT
Maja and Denis have created more than 20 different flavours of beer – from simple lagers to the demanding Maximus with 9% alcohol, by way of crazy combinations with potatoes, beans, chestnuts and more. Their guiding principle has always been the quality and breadth of flavours.
We were not afraid of challenges. When someone would say it doesn’t work, we did it just to prove it does work.
Denis
And they proved the pundits wrong. They were the first to make cider from plums, and gluten-free beer from buckwheat, the preparation of which was very demanding. And they are still looking for new challenges and perfecting the flavours of beers.
ČRNFEST
CALVADOS
FUN TIME
MAXIMUS
GRINGO
MR. PRIDE
BLACK JACK
SULTAN
MAGIC HONEY
MAGIC CHESTNUT
KORNELIJA
The investment – the creation of the website – is co-financed by the Republic of Slovenia and the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund through a voucher for digital marketing.