Beercation Post: A Journey through Slovenian Craft Beers
Apr. 22, 2015
Every now and then, even hoppy lawyers need vacations. Last week, I took one that included a few days in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Why Slovenia? Because they have dragons, and mountains, and, to my delight, some pretty great craft breweries. Slovenia must have known I was coming, because the day I arrived just happened to coincide with the first day of Ljubljana’s craft beer and burger festival. Except for all the people speaking Slovenian, I could have sworn I’d been dropped back into Minneapolis; the square was packed full of hipster-type twenty somethings, bikes, and an amazing selection of local gourmet burgers and craft beers.
Slovenia’s beer market is largely dominated by their two most popular beer brands, Lasko and Union, and the accompanying debate as to which is better (I’ll admit to being a Lasko girl). However, the smaller Slovenian craft breweries are nothing to sneeze at. At the festival, I had the chance to try these great local beers:
Human Fish (Vrhnika, Slovenia), Combat Wombat IPA: refreshingly fruity and hoppy IPA with a citrus taste and low ABV, making it a great option for a sunny day in the square.
Pivovarna Pelicon (Ajdovščina, Slovenia), Out of China Hoppy Red: very smooth hoppy red ale, with fruity apricot aroma.
Reservoir Dogs (Nova Gorica, Slovenia), Warrior Pale Ale: dry, crisp pale ale, mildly sweet with fruity notes and a slightly bitter finish.
I doubt we’ll be seeing these guys in the states anytime soon, but be sure to check them out next time you’re in Slovenia-they won’t disappoint!