{"title":"Slovenian beer","description":"\u003cp\u003eSlovenian beer is all about hops: the country has grown them for centuries and has a young craft scene that is growing fast. At Hoptimaal you'll find Slovenian beer from Clef Brewery, with sour beers full of fruit and dessert flavours, from mango and passion fruit to cherry and cheesecake.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!--verhaal--\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrom Laško and Union to more than a hundred breweries\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCommercial beer production in Slovenia began in 1825 in the small town of Laško, where Franz Geyer started a brewery. At first he brewed Steinbier by dropping red-hot stones into the mash kettles. In 1864 the competing Union started up. Both brands now belong to Heineken and are still the country's dominant beer brands.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe craft beer boom came relatively late. The first microbrewery opened in 2008: Human Fish in Vrhnika, founded by the Australian Matthew Charlesworth. There are now more than a hundred small breweries. Ljubljana is regarded as the beer capital, with breweries, brewpubs and bars focused on craft beer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eA hop country that started brewing for itself\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSlovenia is best known for its hops. Hops have been grown for centuries in the Savinja Valley, around the town of Žalec, and it is one of the largest hop-growing regions in Europe. The hop fields cover about 1,700 hectares and up to 98 percent of the harvest goes abroad. Classic bittering varieties such as Aurora, Celeia, Savinjski golding and Bobek dominate, but the hop institute in Žalec, active since 1952, is working on new, more aromatic varieties. Žalec is also home to the first beer fountain in Europe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe new brewers use those hops for pale ales and IPAs, but also for more experimental styles. Reservoir Dogs brews a sour gose with mango and passion fruit and Lobik makes a Strawberry Cheesecake Sour. Breweries such as Tektonik and Pelicon are known for their hoppy beers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSlovenian beer at Hoptimaal\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFrom Slovenia we stock Clef Brewery, a brewery for sour beer lovers. Clef's sour beers are heavily fruited with a sweet accent, in the style of a pastry sour. Think Clef Mellow Yellow, Pastry Sour With Mangos, Passion Fruits, Cheesecake And Vanilla and Clef Cherry Bomb, Cheesecake Sour Ale With Cherries, Tonka and Red peppers. Clef Lambada Pastry Sour With Pink Guava, Mascarpone, Coconuts And Vanilla also falls into this category.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEvery brewery in our range has its own page, including Clef Brewery. There you can see everything we have in stock from them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!--faq--\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat is typical Slovenian beer?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe beer market is dominated by the lagers from Laško and Union. Alongside that, the craft scene is growing fast, with pale ales, IPAs and sour beers. Hops from the country's own Savinja Valley play a big part in this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhich Slovenian breweries are well known?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLaško and Union are the big brands. Among the craft breweries are Human Fish (the first, from 2008), Tektonik, Pelicon and Reservoir Dogs. At Hoptimaal you'll find Clef Brewery.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow much Slovenian hops are exported?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUp to 98 percent of Slovenian hops go abroad, mainly to other European countries. The hop fields cover about 1,700 hectares, mostly in the Savinja Valley around Žalec.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"clef-brewery-lambada-pastry-sour-with-pink-guava-mascarpone-coconuts-and-vanilla","title":"Clef Lambada Pastry Sour With Pink Guava, Mascarpone, Coconuts And Vanilla","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eLambada from Clef Brewery brings together pink guava, mascarpone, coconut and vanilla in a sour that leans closer to dessert than beer.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the nose, expect ripe guava and creamy coconut, layered with a soft vanilla note. Mascarpone lends a fuller, almost silky mouthfeel, while the tart sour base keeps the sweetness in check. The finish stays fruity and lightly creamy.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBrewery\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eClef Brewery has been brewing since 2019 in the Slovenian village of Arja Vas, right in the hop fields of the Savinja Valley, with music woven into its name and identity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clef Brewery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59356677669209,"sku":null,"price":6.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/0076\/4249\/files\/IMG_0505_processed.png?v=1789049479"},{"product_id":"clef-brewery-cherry-bomb-cheesecake-sour-ale-with-cherries-tonka-and-red-peppers","title":"Clef Cherry Bomb, Cheesecake Sour Ale With Cherries, Tonka and Red peppers","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eCherries, tonka bean and red pepper isn't the most obvious pairing, yet Clef Brewery turns it into a dessert-leaning sour ale with a cheesecake twist.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the nose, expect bright, tart cherries layered with the warm, almond-like sweetness of tonka bean. A subtle red pepper heat surfaces underneath, giving the creamy cheesecake impression an unexpected edge. The finish stays crisp and sour with a lingering spiced note.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBrewery\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eClef Brewery operates amid the hop fields of Slovenia's Savinja Valley, where music and beer have been intertwined since the brewery's founding in 2019.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clef Brewery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59356677701977,"sku":null,"price":6.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/0076\/4249\/files\/IMG_0503_processed.png?v=1789049505"},{"product_id":"clef-brewery-mellow-yellow-pastry-sour-with-mangos-passion-fruits-cheesecake-and-vanilla","title":"Clef Mellow Yellow, Pastry Sour With Mangos, Passion Fruits, Cheesecake And Vanilla","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp\u003eMango and passion fruit meet a slice of cheesecake in this pastry sour from Clef Brewery, blending dessert flavors with Slovenian brewing tradition.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the nose, expect bright tropical notes of mango and passion fruit, layered over a creamy, cheesecake-like sweetness rounded out with vanilla. The finish stays tart and refreshing, with a gentle pastry-like sweetness lingering underneath. At 5.2% ABV, the beer remains light and easy-drinking despite its layered flavor profile.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBrewery\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eClef Brewery is a family-run microbrewery from the Slovenian village of Arja Vas, set among the hop fields of the Savinja Valley, blending musical inspiration with experimental brewing since 2019.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Clef Brewery","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":59356677734745,"sku":null,"price":6.5,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0728\/0076\/4249\/files\/IMG_0504_processed.png?v=1789049535"}],"url":"https:\/\/hoptimaal.com\/en\/collections\/slovenian-beer.oembed","provider":"Hoptimaal","version":"1.0","type":"link"}