We return with our Croatian craft beer series this week introducing you to San Servolo, an Istrian beer hailing from the town of Buje.
San Servolo opened in the beginning of 2013 as the only brewery of such a type on this Croatian peninsula. The brewery claimed its name after saint San Servolo, the proclaimed guardian of the town Buje. From there, the rest is history.
San Servolo brews their beer according to the German Beer Purity Act of 1516, meaning that you only use 4 ingredients: barley malt, hop, yeast and water. They use natural spring water from the source of St. Ivan, located in the valley of the river Mirna, guaranteeing you quality freshness and a refined, unique flavor.
San Servolo currently carries 6 different beers, ranging from light to an American pale ale. Here’s a deeper look.
Image by citypal.me
San Servolo light beer is golden yellow in color from pilsner malt, uses two types of Bavarian hops to give it some bitterness, and the smell of freshly cut grass is sure to help you scream summer. This beer has a well rounded body and a low alcohol content, pairing well with hard cheeses and pizza.
Moving along to the San Servolo premium red beer, a caramelized and roasted barley flavored beauty. This beer gets its ruby red from the combination of two types of malts, also giving it an expressed bitterness. This beer pairs well with anything spicy, and is a great thirst quencher.
The San Servolo dark beer screams chocolate, and is velvety and creamy while maintaining a certain lightness. This dark beer uses 4 types of malts, has two types of exotic hops, and a strong citrus tone, making it perfect for the winter and desserts.
Next we have the San Servolo gold, using twice the malts and double the hops, aging twice as long as your standard beer.
The San Servolo India pale ale is brewed from the finest type of English malt and hops, has a robust body with floral aromas, and contains a much higher alcohol percentage than the rest.
Lastly, we have the San Servolo American pale ale. Produce by the model of an English IPA, this beer uses specially grown hops from North American Indian tribes, giving it an aroma of lime and tropical fruit. With a very unique taste, you won’t find a beer like this one anywhere else.
The San Servolo Brewery is a treat to visit in and of itself, offering specialties such as beer soup (yes, you eat this drinking your San Servolo). They also serve perhaps the most favorable dessert on the planet, how about a "beeramisu"? Today, you can find San Servolo throughout Croatia, with a definite heavier prominence in the larger cities.
