The story of beer

The rich tradition of brewing beer in the Karlovac Brewery dates back to 1854, although beer had been produced in Karlovac even earlier (the oldest known document referencing it dates to 1779). The brewery's founder on Dubovac Hill is considered to be Baron Nikola Vranyczany, who built a dedicated building for the new brewery, naming it “Perhovo.”

Modernization of beer production in Karlovačka pivovara began in 1960. As technology advanced, beer production increased; in 1971, annual output surpassed 500,000 hectoliters, and by 1985, it had grown to 850,000 hectoliters.

In cooperation with the City of Karlovac, the brewery launched the “Beer Days” folk festival in 1984. Just like the brewery itself, this cultural, entertainment, and business event has become a symbol of Karlovac, attracting over 200,000 beer lovers every year.

In 1992, Karlovačka pivovara became a joint-stock company owned by its employees. In 1994, it was acquired by the Luksic Group from Chile. Since 2003, Karlovačka pivovara has been part of HEINEKEN, Europe’s leading beer producer, and currently brews around 1 million hectoliters annually.

To ensure premium quality, Karlovačka pivovara selects only the finest ingredients: water, barley (malt), hops, and yeast. By combining top international standards with over two centuries of brewing tradition, the brewery's mission is to produce beer of the highest quality. This commitment has been recognized through numerous awards, including a gold medal at the European Beer Competition in Sweden (2009) and another gold medal for lager beer at the prestigious Monde Selection (2011).

The brewery’s vision is to become Croatia’s best brewery, leading the market in sustainable development while embracing core values: respect, enjoyment, passion for quality, responsibility, efficiency, and open communication.

Karlovačka pivovara offers a wide selection of beers to suit all tastes and occasions. Their lineup includes:
Karlovačko Lager, Karlovačko Radler, Karlovačko Rally (non-alcoholic), Heineken, Gösser Dark, Kaiser, Edelweiss Snowfresh, and recently, a premium blend of beer and tequila – Desperados.

Header Photo: Darlene Alderson