Where are the Craft Breweries in Chania & Rethymno Crete? Find out in our beer guide...
- Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours
- Jul 6
- 5 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
At Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours,
we’re big fans of great beer & travel.
Being pioneers in the craft beer tours of Greece since 2021 ( by creating the First Craft Beer Tours Ever ), we've done the legwork to present the talented & passionate local breweries, to the travellers of Crete Greece.
Award-winning Travel Agency that proudly created by two beer & travel aficionados who joined forces to present the Greek Craft Beer scene to the world travellers.
A joyful French-Canadian Montreal gal sharing her joie de vivre & her love for great beer joined forces with a cosmopolitan Cretan-Athenian man with a sharp sense of how travelling can evolve for the better.
Based in Chania, Crete, Greece & specialized in craft beer, Cretan food & local culture tours, always in small or private groups in a non-touristy way.
On each of our beer tour, we carefully select beers from all over Greece, curating the beer menu to present an impressive variety of styles from the passionate brewers in our booming community.
We set out to create a positive impact in the modern Travel sector of Greece, on a human, sustainable & Earth-friendly scale, showcasing Crete's authentic character.
CRAFT BEER on CRETE island, GREECE
In Crete, the largest of all Greek islands, until 2017 there were only few breweries (4-5). Just in three years that number jumped to 12 & today we count more than 15 independent breweries. Find them all in our craft beer guide of Crete!
THE CRAFT BEER GUIDE OF CRETE
CHANIA BREWERIES
LAFKAS BREWERY
Belgian-Greek Fusion. Family. Beer-patio.
Visiting the Lafkas Brewery is a casual beer hangout with a playful twist. Picture a bright space with picnic tables & a state-of-the-art arcade tower.
Since 2017, Michalis & Aurélie brew their go-to Triple Hop Pale Ale which has become a standard craft brew in Crete. Through the years they have built a stellar core lineup with a refreshing Witbier (Chaniotissa ), an alcohol free beer & a lager.
With the aim to bring locals to enjoy craft beer, Lafkas continues to broaden beer appreciation with accessible styles & a friendly brand.
XAOS BREWS
Hop aficionados. Crew. Beer collabs.
📌 Chania Suburbs
This beer-loving squad has been turning heads since 2016, when they introduced their first full-scale brew, an IPA, in a local collaboration. A couple of years later, they opened their own microbrewery & continue to make waves in Chania but not only. Meeting the fellows behind Xaos (pronounced “Ha-os”, meaning "chaos" in Greek) is always a refreshingly down-to-earth rendez-vous with a passionate beer chats.
Their New England Pale Ale '' Locki'' has become a game-changer in the local beer scene & an absolute must-try beer on Crete.
CRETAN BREWERY (Charma)
Fresh. Draught. Vision.
📌Zounaki
The Cretan Brewery, a.k.a. Charma (pronounced “Harma”), is one of the first pioneers of Cretan brewing. It began in 2007 with a vision of providing a high-quality, flavourful local option for Cretan beer drinkers. In 2024, they took a smart turn & began bottling their Lager, Dunkel, Cretan Ale & Pilsner in 750ml.
Charma has successfully implemented their Fresh Lager as the staple draught beer in a majority of restaurants & local bars in Crete. A fantastic accomplishment & a big win for a local beer!
LYRA HANDCRAFTED BEER
Tradition. Local. Dedication.
📌Kissamos
Located in Kissamos, in the Western part of Chania region, Lyra has been a synonym of the local beer. The word Lyra, referred to a four-string instrument from the traditional Cretan music; its sound evokes memories of gathering & celebration.
Their hand-crafted production is focused on their signature beer: the Lyra Golden Ale.
A tasty 5,8% ABV with a dry finish & a satisfying hop but also malt character.
Since 2015, this ale has established itself on the island for locals & visitors as an alternative to the mass-produced beers.
Lyra is a gateway into the world of great beer; freshly brewed & independently owned.
AZATIS BREWING LAB
Beer lab. Brew-geek. One man show.
📌Chania Suburbs
"Freedom is a state of mind" defines Azatis' brewing. In 2020, it was the newcomer to the craft beer scene of Chania. This one-man show is the fruit of a handy engineer with a passion for nothing less than beer. His small brewing space is impeccable, clever, creative & a true beer-lab.
Their beers have a classic refreshing German-style approach with local ingredients & a modern branding which makes them accessible to a new generation of beer drinkers. Enjoy their refreshing Falconi and Agrimi honey wheat brews.
APOKORONAS BREWERY
Sea. Dreams. Soul.
📌Plaka
Welcoming the first brewery of the Apokoronas region, to the Cretan Beer Scene! Their first beer Karga inspired by a small islet just opposite of the brewery: "We didn't just brew a beer, we put our soul into creating a beer full of flavor, character & authenticity."
Their brewery based in the village of Plaka & has taken a very local approach to introduce their beer to the local people & visitors of Apokoronas by partnering with a selection of small scale businesses.
ΧΟΠΣ (HOPS) BREWERY
Summer. Drinkability. Vision.
📌Vamvakopoulo
The newest brewery in the Cretan craft beer scene, HOPS or ΧΟΠΣ in Greek, created on October 2025 & it is located at the suburbs of Chania, just a few kms. from the city centre. Created by two friends that are sharing the same beer vision: quality locally made beer, with high drinkability, for all Cretans & visitors of the island.
For the moment they are brewing a refreshing Summer Ale that you can find in Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion & Athens but they have plans to create more brews.
Welcome guys.
RETHYMNO BREWERIES
BRINK’S (RETHYMNIAN BREWERY)
Organic. Pioneers. Holy water
📌Armenoi
Located in the outskirts of Rethymno, Brink’s is the new name of Rethymniaki Beer, which was updated due to the law that does not allow names given by geographical areas. They are the longest-standing brewery in Crete since 2001, making beer according to the German Purity Law (Reinheitsgebot). Brink's were the first to produce a Greek Biological Beer!
With a German influence on their styles, their flavours are accessible & well appreciated by most palettes. As a nice beer-loving touch, their Blonde and Dark are enjoyed with the classic flip-top bottles.
RETIMI MICROBREWERY
Independent. Teamwork. Fun.
📌Gonia
In 2024, we welcomed Retimi into the Cretan brewing scene.
The name stands for Rethymnian Independent MIcrobrewery. A team of beer lovers behind this passionate microbrewery brings quality beers & forward-thinking to the Cretan beer stage. They prefer to make small & solid steps in order to have a sustainable development.
After years of improving their recipes in homebrewing they finally became an official brewery around March 2024. Their Red Ale might be the best Greek beer in its style.
The reviews for this beer from our guests during our Craft Beer City Tour in Rethymno Old Town are just great. Try it !!
We hope this will make your travels in Crete highly enjoyable. Support the local breweries & drink true Greek Beer!
For an evening of great craft beers & a full menu of Cretan food pairings, join us in one of our Craft Beer & Food Tours in Chania & Rethymno, Crete.
Find The Craft Brewers of Heraklio & Agios Nikolaos, Crete:
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Love & beer !
- Bonnie and Clyde Urban Tours
