Estonian Breweries
Brewpubs, Microbreweries and their Beers

Introduction
This is a list of all the breweries in Estonia and all the beers they brew.

The Estonian beer market is one of the few in Europe to be showing healthy annual growth. Unfortunately, this hasn't been reflected in a microbrewery boom.
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Brewing Industry Structure

The three largest Estonian breweries account for 95% of beer consumption. All are foreign-owned.. In total, there are a mere 9 breweries. They break down as follows:

Brewery No. Details
Saku 1 The largest brewery. Owned by Baltic Beverages Holding, itself owned 50% by Carlsberg and 50% by Scottish and Newcastle.
A. Le Coq Tartu Õlletehas 1 Estonia's number two. Owned by Finnish independent Olvi.
Viru Õlu 1 The third largest brewery in Estonia. Owned by the Danish brewery Harboes Bryggeri.
Independents 2 Nigula Õlu and Puls Brewery. Both appear to be struggling to survive.
Brewpubs 1 Beer House in Tallinn.
Microbreweries 3 Saaremaa Õlletehas, Sillamäe Õlletehas, Taako OÜ.

Statistics

Market share
2000 2002 2003 2004 2005
Saku 49% 47% 42.5% 41.6% 44.6%
Tartu Õlletehas (A. Le Coq) 34% 37% 35.4%   36.8%
Viru Õlu 7% 6% 10.2%   13%
Pärnu Õlletehas (Puls Brewery)   3% 2.4%   0.6%
Nigula Õlu   2% 0.8%   0.2%
Saaremaa Õlletehas   0.5% 0.4%    
Sillamäe     0.1%   0.1%
imports   4.6% 8.3%   4.7%
Sources:
Saku brewery website.
Eesti Õlletootjate Liit (Estonian Breweries Association)


Beer comsumption
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
volume (1,000 hl)   920 958 970 1,104 1,260
per capita (litres) 64 67 70 70.7 81.7  
Sources:
Saku brewery website.
Eesti Õlletootjate Liit (Estonian Breweries Association)


Beer sales by package type
Package type 2003 2004
Glass bottles 64% 51.7%
plastic bottles 14% 34.1%
cans 15% 14.2%
draught 7%  
Source:
Saku brewery website.

Notes:
2004 figures exclude draught

Brewers' Organiation

Eesti Õlletootjate Liit (Estonian Breweries Association)
69104 Karksi, Viljandi maakond
Estonia
Telefon: +372 43 54 022
Faks: +372 43 54 022
E-mail: info@eestiolu.ee
http://www.eestiolu.ee



Estonian Breweries
Brewery Listings

Beer House
Dunkri 5,
10123 Tallinn.
Tel: 644 2222
Fax: 631 3371
Email: info@beerhouse.ee
http://www.beerhouse.ee

Founded:
Annual production:

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Pilsner Gold 4.5% 12º Pils. Unfiltered.  
Märzen Speziel 4.4% 12.5º Amber lager. Unfiltered.  
Dunkles Extra 4.7% 13º Dark lager. Unfiltered.  
Helles Light 4.8% 12º Pale lager - Helles. Unfiltered.  
Medovar Honey 4.4% 12.5º Amber lager. Flavored with honey. Unfiltered.  
Vana Viini 4.85% 13º Dark lager. Unfiltered.  
BH Premium 5.2% 16º Dark lager. Unfiltered.  

Brewpub.


AS Karme
69104 Karksi.
Tel: 043 - 55033
Fax: 043 - 55030
Email: as.karme@neti.ee

Founded: 1975 **** CLOSED 2002 ****
Annual production:

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Foogt 7%   Pale lager. Pasteurised.  
Jõulupruul 5.6%   Dark lager. Seasonal - christmas. Pasteurised.  
Kange Vaadi Õlu 7%   Pale lager. Pasteurised.  
Karksi Hele 4.6%   Pale lager. Pasteurised.  
Karksi Nui 6.9%   Pale lager. Pasteurised.  
Karksi Premium 4.7% 13º Pale lager. Pasteurised.  
Karksi Tume 4.6%   Dark lager. Pasteurised.  
Ordumeister 6% 15º Dark lager. Pasteurised.  
Tume Vaadi Õlu 5.4%   Dark lager. Pasteurised.  
Vaadi Pilsner 4.3%   Pils. Pasteurised.  
Vaadi Õlu 4.7% 14º Pale lager. Pasteurised.  

Independent brewery.


A. Le Coq Tartu Õlletehas
Tähtvere 56/62,
50050 Tartu.
Tel: 744 9711
Fax: 744 9775
Email: info@alecoq.ee
http://www.alecoq.ee/

Founded: 1826
Annual production: 463,580 hl (2005)

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
A.Le Coq Pilsner 4.2%   Pils.  
A.Le Coq Premium 4.2%   Pale lager.  
Tõmmu Hiid 4.5%   Dark lager.  
A.Le Coq Premium Extra 5%   Pale lager. In a silly bottle.  
Alexander 5.2%   Pale lager.  
A.Le Coq English Ale 5.6%   Amber Ale. Top-fermented.  
A.Le Coq Special Stout 6%   Stout. Top-fermented.  
A.Le Coq Porter 6.5%   Porter. The brewery says "A.Le Coq Porter is a strong dark beer that can rightfully be considered to be the successor of the world-famous Imperial Extra Double Stout"  
Double Bock 8%   Pale Doppelbock.  
Saaremaa X 10%   Pale lager.  
A.Le Coq Pilsner Special Brew 4.2%   Pils.  
A.Le Coq Disel 5.2%   Pale lager. The brewery claims "Disel is a powerful light beer that distinguishes real men from the others. Men just can`t get enough of good thing. They want more and more. The two litre Disel is particularly great for taking along with you when you`re going to do some manly stuff with men. Big beer for big men. For men who don`t cry." I´ll remember to pick up some Disel next time I´m off to do manly stuff with men.  
A.Le Coq Turbo Disel 7.5%   Pale lager.  

Owned by Finnish independent Olvi. The second largest brewery in Estonia.

It was bought in 1913 by the A.Le Coq company which had been founded by the Belgian Albert Le Coq in London in 1807. It then started brewing Coq´s legendary Imperial Extra Double Stout in Tartu. Not for long, though, as the Russian revolution soon intervened and put an end to Stout production.


Nigula Õlu
Viru-Nigula
44001 Lääne-Viru maakond
Telefon: 032 - 21 941
Fax: 032 - 21 942
Email: nigulaol@estpak.ee

Founded: 1975
Annual production: 2,230 hl (2005)

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Haista Vänge 4.5%   Pale lager. Pasteurised.  
Hele Laks 4.9%   Pale lager.  
Jää Õlu 5.2%   Pale lager.  
Jõuluporter 8%   Baltic Porter. Seasonal - christmas.  
Kõva Laks 7.5%   Pale lager.  
Nigula Pilsner 4.5%   Pils.  
Nääri Laks 5.5%   Dark lager.  
Sarve Õlu     Pale lager.  
Spetsiaal Pilsner 4.5%   Pils.  
Swing 7%   Pale lager.  
Tagaaetav 4.5%   Pale lager.  
Tume Laks 7.5%   Dark lager.  
WBG Pilsner 4.5%   Pils.  
WBG Porter 7%   Baltic Porter.  
WBG Premium 4.9%   Pale lager.  
WBG Swing 6.5%   Pale lager.  

Independent brewery. Did they close in 2005?


Puls Brewery
Suur-Jõe 10/12,
80042 Pärnu
Tel: 4472701
Fax:
Email:
http://

Founded: 1869
Annual production: 50,000 hl (2006)

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Puls Pilsner 4.2%   Pils.  
Puls Extra Lager 5%   Pale lager.  
Puls Tume Lager 5%   Dark lager.  

Independent brewery. Formerly Pärnu õlletehas. After disastrous years in 2003 and 2004, the company is doing much better under its new name and plans tobuild a new brewery on the outskirts of Pärnu.


Saaremaa Õlletehas
Pihtla tee 30,
93815 Kuressaare.
Tel: 045 - 36 664
Fax: 045 - 36 667
Email: saareolu@tt.ee
http://

Founded: 2001
Annual production: 1,800 hl (2003)

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Hell Hunt Hele 4.5%   Pale lager. Brewed for the Hell Hunt pub in Tallinn.  
Hell Hunt Tume 5.2%   Dark lager. Brewed for the Hell Hunt pub in Tallinn.  
Saaremaa Oma Õlu 4.9%   Dark lager.  
Saaremaa Tömmu 6%   Dark lager.  
Tehumardi Kange Lahinguõlu 8%   Pale lager. "Battle Beer". Sounds like Chesters Fighting Mild.  

Microbrewery.


Saku Õlletehase AS

75 501 Saku.
Tel: 6 508 400
Fax: 6 508 401
Email: saku@pruul.ee
http://www.saku.ee/

Founded: 1820
Annual production: 562,009 hl (2005)

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Saku Originaal 4.6%   Pale lager. The biggest seller in Estonia, so it must be good.  
Saku Kuld 5.2%   Pale lager.  
Saku Rock 5.3%   Pale lager. This is how the brewery describe it: "Rock is something more than just a beer. Rock is a lifestyle. Rock is a badge that expresses your independence and self-confidence and your positive rebellion against everyday routine." So now you know - all you need to be a fashionable rebel is to drink this crappy beer.  
Saku Dlight 2.9%   Lemon-flavoured lager.  
Saku Hele 5.2%   Pale lager.  
Saku Tume 6.7%   Dark lager.  
Saku On Ice 5%   Pale lager. Another gimmicky ice beer.  
Saku Taurus 8%   Pale Bock.  
Saku Porter 7.5%   Bottom-fermented Porter. Seasonal - christmas.  
Saku Presidendi Pilsner 4.2%   Pils.  
Saku Presidendi 8 8%   Pale lager.  
Saku Presidendi 10 10%   Pale lager. For the serious beer enthusiast, the brewery says. More like the serious pisshead - you can get it in 2 litre bottles. That´s enough to have even me crawling around the floor looking for my keys.  
Saku Blond 4.9%   Pale lager.  
Saku Blond Ice 4.9%   Pale lager.  

75% owned by Baltic Beverages Holding, itself owned 50% by Carlsberg and 50% by Scottish and Newcastle.


Sillamäe Õlletehas
Ranna 7,
40231 Sillamäe.
Tel: 0239 - 74 431
Fax: 0239 - 74 431
Email: onistar@onistar.ee
http://www.onistar.ee

Founded: 1992
Annual production: 1,342 hl (2005)

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Sillamäe München Hele 5.5% 12.9° Pale lager. Unpasteurised.  
Sillamäe München Riisi 4.5%   Pale lager. Contains rice. Unpasteurised.  
Sillamäe München Tume 5.8% 14.5° Dark lager. Unpasteurised.  
Sillamäe München Vaskne 6.3% 15° Amber lager. Unpasteurised.  

Microbrewery. The owners, Onistar, also run a distillery


Taako OÜ

94101 Pihtla.
Tel: 045 - 33186
Fax:
Email: taako@solo.ee
http://

Founded: 1997
Annual production:

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Taako Pihtla Õlu 7%   Amber Ale. Uses juniper berries and baker´s yeast - it´s the Estonian equivalent of Finnish Sahti.  

Microbrewery on the island of Saaremaa.


Viru Õlu
Rakvere mnt 7,
45301 Haljala.
Tel: 032 - 95 000
Fax: 032 - 95 001
Email: wiru@wiru.ee
http://www.wiru.ee/

Founded: 1975
Annual production: 164,100 hl (2005)

Beer alc Plato Description score (100)
Bear Beer 4.9% 4.9%   Pale lager.  
Bear Beer 10% 10% 20° Pale lager.  
Bear Beer 4% 4%   Pale lager.  
Bear Beer 7.5% 7.5%   Pale lager.  
Viru Premium 4.5%   Pale lager.  
Toolse 4.2% 10.8° Pils  
Palmse 5.6% 13° Dark lager.  
Vahva Sõdur 5.2%   Pale lager. "Good Soldier".  
Bear Beer Ice 5%   Pale lager.  
Trump Ice Beer 4.9%   Pale lager.  
Trump Classic 4.7%   Pale lager.  
Frederik Pilsner 4.7%   Pils.  
Talveõlu 5%   Dark lager. Seasonal - winter.  

Owned by the Danish brewery Harboes Bryggeri.

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