By far the most recognizable Greek beer, both at home and abroad. Mythos Brewery traces its roots back to 1992 as part of the Boutari Group, with the brewery officially founded in Thessaloniki in 1997: the birth of the first major authentic Greek beer brand. It became part of the Carlsberg Group in 2008, and was later merged with Olympic Brewery in 2015.

It’s a light lager, brewed from selected barley and hops, with a crisp, refreshing finish and 5% alcohol. You’ll find it on virtually every taverna menu in the country, and it travels well too — widely available across Europe, the US, Canada, and Australia.

Fix Hellas

If Mythos is the beer everyone knows, Fix is the one with the better story. Founded in 1864, Fix is Greece’s first major brewery and was once the official supplier to the Greek king. It went under in 1983, then made a successful comeback in 2009, leaning hard into its heritage with both branding and marketing. The beer itself is a traditional lager: full, malty, and built to pair with heavier Greek dishes like souvlaki, moussaka, and lamb kleftiko.

Alfa

A genuinely local product, brewed by the Athenian Brewery, and considered part of Greece’s cultural heritage by many locals. It’s on the sweeter side with a mild, light hops character that keeps it smooth and unbitter for a lager.

Zorbas

Another label from the Athenian Brewery (Heineken), Zorbas is a budget-friendly pale lager at 3.6% ABV. It’s easy-drinking and unpretentious. It’s not winning awards for complexity, but a perfectly reasonable choice if you just want something cold, cheap, and reliable on a hot afternoon.

Marathon

Also from the Athenian Brewery stable, Marathon is a pale, international-style lager at 5% ABV, brewed with the classic combination of barley malt, hops, and yeast. It’s primarily produced as an export beer, so you may actually have better luck finding it outside Greece than in a taverna on the islands.

Vergina

The pride of northern Greece, it was founded in 1996 in Komotini by Greek-American Demetri Politopoulos. Vergina has built a loyal following, particularly in Macedonia and Thrace, though it’s available more widely these days. It’s a smooth lager with a light, subtly sweet character and a clean finish. And yes, it’s named after the ancient capital of Macedonia, birthplace of Alexander the Great. Whether Alexander himself ever had a pint is a question history has, unfortunately, left unanswered.

The craft beer scene

Nowadays, Greece has a craft beer movement worth knowing about. Although, let’s be honest, beer isn’t exactly among the local’s favorite drink (per capita consumption sits among the lowest in the EU).

But, if you’re into craft beer and visiting Greece, here are a few names worth knowing:

Nissos, from the island of Tinos, was founded in 2012 and has positioned itself as capturing the flavor of the Cyclades. It’s light, refreshing, and has picked up a loyal following among locals and visitors alike. It’s arguably the best-known craft option if you only try one.

Septem, based on the island of Evia, is known for naming its beers after the days of the week and producing a genuinely varied lineup: pale ales, IPAs, and more experimental styles using Greek-grown hops.

Corfu Beer, made on the island of the same name, leans into local ingredients and traditional methods, with a small but devoted following among both residents and tourists exploring the Ionian islands.

EZA, produced by the Hellenic Brewery of Atalanti since the late 1980s, has quietly become one of the bigger players outside the big names above, with both a standard lager and a fuller-bodied pilsner.

A quick note: please enjoy these responsibly. Greece’s drinking age is 18, and if you’re driving — especially on those winding island roads — stick to water and save the tasting for when you’re done for the day.