Pivovarna Pelicon, d. o. o.

Matej is a self-taught brewer. He began brewing out of his own enthusiasm for beer, particularly the kind that was then not then available on the Slovenian market. “For five or six years I made beer at home in marmalade jars. And then I decided to take a step forward. I said I wanted to open a brewery, my family supported me and so we began,” is how he remembers the beginning.

In 2012 they attempted to obtain the necessary investment funds through a campaign on Kickstarter, but with little success. “We were very naive about it. Just because it was interesting,” Anita explains. “But our efforts didn’t go unnoticed. The response we got from the media and from the market was surprising. We received many calls, invitations and questions about our beer... We started the company with our own savings and the help of our families. We found a spot for it and then we began.”

Matej adds: “We didn’t know a thing. We learned through trial and error. And we asked a lot of questions.” They both point out that they mostly followed their gut feeling and that is still how they make their decisions today. They are persistent and not easily satisfied. They always wonder what can be improved and how it can be made better.

The company that the owners consider to be a family business now employs six people. Matej Pelicon is the Head Brewer and in charge of the entire brewing process. Anita Lozar, who has a degree in Graphic Design, acts as a link between different processes and takes care of all the company’s administration and marketing. Two additional family members are involved in the business -  Matej’s sister-in-law Anita Pelicon (Head of Sales) and Anita Lozar’s father, who is in charge of assembling draft beer systems and supervising deliveries.

“Family members are the most reliable people. When you’re in doubt over hiring people, how to manage a team... as we were when we started out... you just call up your dad to help you out,” as they both admit and add: “We ask our families for their opinions but in the end we always do what feels right to us.”

The parents of both used to be entrepreneurs and the local climate surrounding Ajdovščina has, for the past decades, been very much business oriented. Because of this they are both aware of how much sacrifice and effort goes into having your own company and they point out that you really need to put 100% into your idea. “You can’t just give it a shot while having two more jobs on the side,” Anita explains. Matej follows by adding: “We still spend a lot of time at the company. It’s our way of life.” It is clear that they are both extremely proud of their story. 

“We brew beers that are unfiltered, unpasteurized and full of flavor; beers that we like to drink ourselves. Our main focus goes towards quality of product and the creative development of new recipes. We want to become better with each new brewing process and we would like to get as many people as possible excited about this new beer wave.”

“When you’ve had one beer you’ll want another,” the owners explain and add that everything is connected to the beer drinking culture itself. “You taste different varieties of beer, enjoy the company of other people and you drink responsibly - you listen to what your body tells you.”

They currently offer 16 varieties of beer. As Anita puts it, until now they have been working on a standard, classic collection. They are most recognized for The 3rd Pill (India Pale Ale) which won two awards in 2014 and was also named best Slovenian beer. Out of China (hoppy red ale) has a name whose pronunciation is similar to that of Ajdovščina. This red beer is made of water from the Hubelj river, barley malt, oatflakes and Slovenian hops. “Quality ingredients and good suppliers are a must. Our basic ingredient is water from the spring of the river Hubelj. Most of the hops come from Slovenia and are prepared according to the highest quality standards - one of the suppliers even grows biodynamic hops. The rest of the ingredients we get from different countries where they already have an established brewing tradition. By doing this we are able to get unique flavors.”

They want beer lovers to be surprised, not bored. That is why they make Summer Ale, a beer with ginger and coriander, annually just before summer, to accompany warm-weather relaxation. Another example is the Winter limited edition, released on 1 December, which is a classic dark winter-brew and comes gift-wrapped by hand. There is also Imperial Coffee Stout, a dark beer containing Marcala Honduras coffee. These are just a few from the list of special beers.

“The flavors are very different. From lighter varieties to more caramel, bitter, fruity, coffee-flavored and also some with a fresher flavor. It’s quite difficult to get the balance between the bitterness, alcohol and acidity,” Matej explains. Anita adds that one of the best feelings is knowing what you want and getting it. “Although we have very different personalities we are completely in sync when it comes to beer. We both immediately know when a beer is drinkable.” It takes time to develop a new flavor and then to put it onto the market. Besides having cutting-edge equipment, the company also has very good quality control.

Matej and Anita put it like this. “We want to be a good company and not just a good brewery. We aim to take care of our clients, our beer, we want to be accessible. We want to do all of that and we want to do it in the best possible way and at the same time differently from everyone else.”

And different they are. Via the company’s website, beer lovers are provided with the option of a monthly subscription, which includes a box of 24 bottles, delivered free. They can also buy tickets for Pivomania, an annual festival first organized five years ago to showcase their beer and celebrate the company’s birthday.

Social media, events, on-line sales, specialized stores, small buyers and export with the help of friends, together form the promotional and sales story of Pivovarna Pelicon. They have decided to grow at a slow pace. For five years they have built their sales mainly by servicing selected hotels, restaurants and shops specializing in craft beers. Only this year they decided that they could begin supplying beer to big supermarket chains such as Spar and E. Leclerc.

“We are young. The internet and social media provide a way of communicating that we can relate to. And it’s also very available,” says Anita. “People comment and like to post which beer are they having and where, so they send their regards from the seaside or from picnics. That kind of connection is more personal, relaxed and inclusive, and it helps to build a community. Good people drink good beer.”

Craft beers form approximately 2% of the Slovenian beer market. As Anita sees it, the Slovenian beer market provides many opportunities for the expansion of craft beer. “Craft brewing is a collection of styles that come with certain rules, which can be broken. You can change one of the ingredients, make hybrids; it depends on the creativity and vision of the brewer.”

Five years ago, when the company was starting out, there were a few craft breweries already present in Slovenia. They all know each other and socialize together. The founders do not agree that they started the company at just the right time. “We feel that the trend was started by small brewers and beer lovers. We showed them our vision on one hand and they were willing to try something new and different on the other.”

This year, as they celebrate their fifth anniversary, they have begun to collaborate with other brewers from the Vipava valley, as well as with some from Poland and New Zealand. “These are friendly connections. Business has to bring you joy, otherwise the beer isn’t good. What I like the most is seeing people who are content, are drinking our beer and just having a blast with others,” Matej Pelicon concludes.

Summary

Pivovarna Pelicon in five words: quality, commitment, persistence, difference, inclusion.