Ведение блогов, посвященных пивоварению в Юго-Восточной Европе

Beer blogging in South-Eastern Europe reflects the level of beer culture in those countries. By default, Bulgaria and Greece were considered as wine lands, ex-Yugoslavian republics and Romania - as paradise for hard drinkers and Turkey (if not banned), as one of the birthplaces of raki (anis flavored hard alcohol).

Both political, economical and social changes over the last 20 years and rising globalization runs beer drinking straight ahead. The public acceptance of the beer was modified: from some kind of basic low-quality drink to the good marketed everyday's «choice of the new generation». The beginning of the democratic changes in my country –Bulgaria- had some beer-related rock'n'roll songs for hits sung in the street marches for liberty. Even a Beer party was created - of course, without the political weight of the Czech's one.

The breweries were the only economic sector where the privatization was clear, the rules - correctly done and as result, 90% of the Bulgarian breweries are owned by 3 of the world major producers. The situation in the region is quite similar in terms of owners, logic of the product’s offer and even the design of the bottles and the labels. Worst of all - the taste also became the same bland euro-lager. It was quite normal that this mass-marketed light beer was associated with mass public watching football on the TV at home with friends. For that reason sells of2 lpet-bottles is the biggest in that region, even the numbers last years are less important than 5 years ago.

In the same time, a kind of middle class appears with aspiration for wine tasting and other gourmet-oriented trends. The freedom of moving, mainly studying and working in Europe and the low-cost flights open the mind for all kind of differences, including the existence of Belgian and other top-fermented beers, never released before in South-easternEurope. Fortunately for all of us, this increasing interest occurs in the same time with the development of the social medias.

The passion for the good, the new, and the different beer is now easy to became public exposed, attractive and followed by our brothers in (beer) arms.

When I've finished my beer book «The Beer Language» in my country exists only 1 beer dedicated website (beer2beer.org). My idea use facebook to promote the book opens a chain of interaction mainly with people asking news from the beer world in the optic of the good word's diffusion. My journalistic background and all my trips for my current occupation helps me take the decision write the new chapters of my book in a blog.

In this time one of the breweries launches the first industrial top-fermented beer (Bolyarka Weisse) and our collaboration in the presentation of my book in crucial points of interest across the country was as natural as passionate. The few microbreweries (Pri Kmeta, Luc’s) also discovers the mutual benefit same as the first appearing importers of good ales (Lindemans, Chimay).

This kind of synergy begins some 2 years ago, now we have in Bulgariaat least 3 different beer blogs mainly posting info about the new beers in the market with basic info and some photos. The owner of one of those blogs (Tihomir Stoev) begins several months ago writing reviews for all tasted beers and his activity is admirable. This is more or less the actual situation with the main beer blogs in Greece (all4beer.com) and Romania (bancadebere.wordpress.com) – see captures attached. My known beer blogs in Turkey (Ilker Kara (BirraMania) and Serbia (Sima Dermanov) are more related with his owners' breweriana collections but also reflects the status of the beer industry and beer market in their respective countries.

As more «developed» market, oriented also for his numerous West-European tourists with their drink habits, Greece offers the biggest choice of good foreign ales and even with new opening microbreweries, followed by Bulgaria and Romania.MacedoniaandAlbaniaare the only countries in the region far away from rising beer culture and beer writing.

The reflection of this situation is clearly visible in the quantity and the quality of the beer blogs in the other countries (CroatiaandSlovenianot included). But, finally, if 2 years ago someone was told me that today in my own country I’ll find some good UK and Belgian ales at competitive prices for their quality, I'll never think about how this will be happened and what kind of excellent symbiosis with the newcomers in the beer writing will be done.

If one valuable explanation have to exists, I'll prefer call it passion. The really good ales are reflected in the blogs and are received by a small part of the consumers. Maybe not so small, because the only kinds of beer with rising beer consumption are the specialties even produced or marketed by majors. An excellent example for this statement is the «introduction» to the real good beer made by the AB-InBev Leffe and Hoegaarden in all South-East European countries were the company was operated. Now his business is owned by another big one – Molson-Coors, but I’m quite confident that this general trend to diversify the offer is irreversible as our engagement as representatives of the social medias as the more credible channel of communication about till we aren’t paid by «the bigs» nor by the «indies» in any matter.

For sure, our dedication became opinion makers for the good quality isn't so complicated. I wasn’t so surprised that the Union of Brewers in Bulgariahas the initiative to invite all bloggers and journalists writing about beer to taste all upcoming beers and have the possibility to talk directly with the head brewers and big bosses of the breweries. As panelist in the first European beer bloggers conference (EBBC, Leeds, May 18^th-20^th 2012) I can only confirm that the weight of the consumers opinion reflected essentially by the beer bloggers become impressive as the attention paid to us by the joint-venture SAB-Miller/Molson-Coors and their «relatives» Pilsner Urquell (as big brand) and Blue Moon (as created «microbrewed» ale). And last but not least, I’ll express my hope that South-eastern brewers can only subscribe to the opinion of Stuart Howe, the head brewer of the Sharp brewery, acquired by Molson-Coors. In his keynote address to all of us in EBBC he just said «They bought us because we were so innovative, and although globally they aren’t having a good time – we are their shining light.» I can’t forget his admiration from the way bloggers can’t be influenced, and that brewers do make alterations based on constructive criticism and his final words »Making anonymous fluid makes you learn a lot about consistency».

As my own blog ludmiljazz.wordpress.com is a cross-culture channel, reflecting my favorite things called jazz and beer, I don't offer the mainstream and in my own, many surprises have to come. And not obligatory in the easy paths of summer radlers and shandies transforming the major breweries in producers of freshes as this summer is the offer of both Bulgarian, Serbian and Romanian brewers or the announced «return» to the 100% malt by the Turkish, Romanian and Bulgarian representatives of the same «major». No surprise in the «not-so-positive» (if even reflected) opinion about in the existing beer blogs.

Instead of this – I hope transitory situation – the main question for me remains: where are we going for? Just snobing and regrets the good old time with few connoisseurs and decent prices or betting in the exorbitant value for the next trend of gourmet-beers?