The Sarajevska Brewery opened in 1864 as the first local industry and shortly became one of the leading producers in Bosnia, with considerable amounts exported to Montenegro, Croatia and Albania. Just before World War I, Sarajevska Pivara was producing 116,000 hectoliters per year, and in 1916 it passed the limit of 150,000 hl.
The brewery survived both World Wars. In 1957, the first automatic line for bottling beer with a capacity of 5,000 bottles per hour was put into operation, and in the following 15 years, all facilities were reconstructed, so the production capacity was increased to 400,000 hectoliters per year.
At the start of the eighties the Sarajevo brewery was in the biggest crisis during its entire history, and in the former Yugoslavia it fell to the 20th place out of a total of 28 breweries in the former Yugoslavia. The decline was successfully stopped by the arrival of Mr. Hilma Selimović as general director. By 1991, the Brewery was modernized, and its production increased by three times, so the Sarajevo Brewery was ranked among the four leading breweries in the former Yugoslavia.
Sarajevo Brewery is the leading B&H brewery. company in the production of beer, carbonated and non-carbonated water, soft drinks and juices. Production takes place at the company's headquarters in the old part of Sarajevo, on an area of about 17,400 m2.
On tap at Guinness Pub Sarajevo, pours a clear pale yellow with a small white head. Nose brings out straw, corn and cereal malt. Flavour is like typical yellow swill, with corn, straw and light cereal graininess. Clean and drinkable, but nothing special.
On tap at HS Pivnicka, pours black with a small tan head. Aroma brings out toasted malt, light toasted nuts and some earth. Flavour is along the same lines, with toasted nut, some toasted malt, and a hint of cocoa. Decently made, just not with a whole lot of depth. Solid for what it is.
On tap at HS Pivnicka, pours a hazy pale yellow with a small white head. Aroma brings out straw, cereal malt and biscuity notes. Flavour is clean, with cereal malt, straw and a bit of yeast. Clean and very drinkable. Good thirst-quencher.
On tap at HS Pivnicka, pours a clear pale. Lines with a small white head. Aroma brings out light straw, cereal malt and biscuity malt. Flavour is clean and crisp, with straw, cereal malt and crackery malt. Clear yellow swill but it's clean and drinkable, and I'm thirsty.
Bottle courtesy of MarkoNm. Pours pale gold with a frothy white head. Aroma of grain, caramel and grass. Medium to heavy sweetness, light bitterness. Medium body, slight oily texture, average carbonation. Finish has more bitterness with a slightly unpleasant metallic end. So so.
Bottle. Pours a yellow color with a small white head. Has a fruity malty grainy weak bready aroma. Fruity malty grainy flavor. Has a fruity malty grainy weak bready finish.
Can. Pours an amber pale brown color with a small off-white head. Has a fruity malty bready caramel aroma. Fruity malty bready caramel flavor. Has a fruity malty bready caramel finish.
50 cL bottle. Pours clear and golden yellow. Small white head. Aroma is grassy, slight straw. Light herbal. Dry, flat grassy and straw. Bitter, slight herbal finish.
50 cL can. Pours cloudy brown. Small tan head. Aroma is grainy and roasted malt. Sweet, breadish. Roasted malt. Caramelish and dark breadish finish. Slight sweet far finish.
Bottled. A golden beer with a lazing beige head. The aroma has notes of malt and straw. The flavor is sweet with notes of malt, caramel, and metal, leading to a dry finish.