Travel and taste, taste and travel. A credo I stick to wherever I am, be it Holy Saturday or not. Not the Nicene Creed, not in unum deum. Credo in unum mundum, perhaps. Or rather: Credo mundum unum esse. So much for contemplation, I am in a country where Easter is yet to come anyway. Let’s get back to traveling and tasting. To a country where more than a single god dwells, and when it comes to producing their offspring, they are quite generous. Yes, let’s get back to Greece, to Blame the Sun.
The beer culture in Athens pleasantly surprised me. We, my love and I, came across interesting craft beer literally at every turn, right from our very first pit stop at a little café just across the street from our apartment. I wouldn't be surprised one bit if they had some stashed in a tucked-away fridge at that semi-legal souvlaki hole-in-the-wall, where they took pity on us in the middle of the night and fed us for free. We must have looked absolutely desperate and starving! I think that might have even been on our way back from Blame the Sun.
Not that we were actually starving that night, having treated ourselves to a nice dinner before delving into beer tasting. And why this very one among the other great Athenian breweries? We spotted its bottles and stickers in the dive dearest to our hearts, Τα Κανάρια. A true no-brainer!
Not being in the mood to inquire about the tastes and stories behind the place, I left the bartender to her friends and their dog, enjoying my own company. And the beer, obviously. Blame the Sun has been around just for a few years, starting as a gypsy brewery originally and turning into a real one just recently. The taproom’s tiny, and you can easily mistake the staircase up to the even tinier office for the path to the bathroom.
Enough words, it’s time to taste!
Coconutsky; Coconut Stout
Blending stouts with various flavors seems to be an emerging trend, and better to go with the flow, or perhaps jump on the wave than a surfer brewery? A Creamy, dark stout with distinct coconut aroma, this time not from exotic hops, but an actual coconut. When you’re going nuts, why not go coconuts, huh? I am particularly keen on these experiments, but it still felt like a great beach drink. After you’ve savored your caffe freddo, that is.
Starati; Hefeweizen
A good wheat beer is something I can hardly resist. Regardless of the weather, country, or even my mood, I simply have a soft spot for these, dating back to my youth. The local Hefeweizen would not please a hardcore fan of the style. While it is definitely bready and yeasty, it comes with a bit of unexpected fruitiness; not the common banana-like one. And something I couldn't really name, which we can attribute to the Greek spirit. Still, a pretty good, modern variation on a traditional brew.
A Pint of Plain Porter; Porter
Sometimes, just appreciate it when things are simple. A porter that simply tastes like a porter. Nothing but portery porter. Then this is the beer you should go for, just like my love did, even though it was in a can. Yes, the charm of such breweries is that you get your favorite beverage straight from the keg… But sometimes… Yeah, simplicity, I am repeating myself. A great, conservative take.
I’d love to invite 
