Linas Zakarevičius is the founder of Sakiškių alus , the Lithuanian microbrewery and exclusive brand of Bierothek®. Today he was a guest at our headquarters in Bamberg and therefore couldn't avoid a short interview.
Bierothek® Magazine: The first thing I would be interested in is the name of the brewery. Google Translator does not seem to be fully capable of using the Lithuanian language. What does Sakiškių alus mean?
Lina: It's actually quite simple: our brewery is located in a small village called Sakiškių, about 20 kilometers from the Lithuanian capital. Alus means beer, so the name of the brewery is “Beer from Sakiškių”.
You were initially a hobby brewer. What motivated you to turn your hobby into a business?
Ten years ago I started brewing beer at home and it fascinated me; I was always looking for new recipes. I showed the beers I made to my friends and family. They really pushed me to pursue brewing on a larger scale. In Lithuania, the craft beer movement is still in its infancy, and the selection of good craft beer is very limited there. The fact that we wanted to offer the people of Lithuania good beer was also a reason to turn my hobby into a commercial company.
Speaking of good beer, what makes a beer a good beer for you?
Under no circumstances should it be a standard beer! We are a very creative brewery, we roast coconuts for our beer, we use different types of berries, cucumber and carrots. We are very experimental there.
Which beer from your range is your favorite?
For me it depends on the mood and the weather. When it's cold, I prefer strong beers like imperial stouts and barley wines . After exercise, I prefer sour, light beers .
Which of your beers do you recommend to a craft beer newbie?
The bestsellers from Sakiškių, which the Bierothek® also sells, are all recommended for craft beer beginners. The “ Gose with Raspberries ” or the “ Coconut Milk Stout ” are particularly interesting because they have a very special taste. I think anyone who tries these beers will be surprised!
How do you work when you develop a new beer?
Most of the time we actually think first about what style of beer we want to brew and then what special twist we want to give the beer. For some beers we do experiments on a smaller scale, we also have an electric homebrew system that holds 20 liters. We brew other beers, like the new New England IPA, on a large scale because we know how to make an IPA. We have a trick for naming: we simply name the beers after the beer style in which they are brewed. Then we don't have to think about a suitable name every time (laughs) .
Last but not least: Do Lithuanians have a special taste in beer compared to the rest of the world?
We had a lot of farms that brewed beers with whatever they had on hand, like peas. Stone beers, for example, are also traditional. The mash was placed in the oven to caramelize it. Lithuanian beers are more special than some from other countries.
Thank you for the interview!
