Did you know that there is a place in the world whose public fountain, from where, instead of water, beer comes out? This place actually exists, and it is in the Slovenian town of Žalec.
My curiosity about this place was tremendous since I first read about the possibility of drinking from a public fountain that gives beer. This has been possible since 2016 in this small town in central Slovenia.
Due to the novelty of the place, together with the fact that the visit requires almost an exclusive day, it deserves a post dedicated solely to it.
Unfortunately, it is not a place that is well known by travelers. However, I have to admit that I am very happy to finally come. It is the perfect destination for beer lovers.
Date of the visit: October 2021
As happened yesterday in Škofja Loka, returning to Ljubljana on the bus I find myself writing my experience today in Žalec. Again, and as in any place of interest, the town is well served by bus. It takes just over an hour and a half from Ljubljana Central Station. The ticket costs 6.90 € (one way).
As the bus approaches the town, you can see in the region the fields of hops (an essential ingredient for brewing beer, which gives it the aroma). These plantations are easily recognizable from a distance due to the high poles they require (hops are a seasonal, climbing plant, and an installation of wooden poles about 4 meters high is necessary to be able to develop).
The collection season begins in March – April, and ends in August – September. That is why the sticks do not have plants, since my visit was in October.
As soon as you arrive, from the small bus station in the town, it takes only two minutes on foot to get to the town square where the Beer Fountain is located. There the traveler is received and offered the possibility of tasting beers brew with hops produced exclusively in the area. Of course, the experience is not free, and there is a stand a few meters away where you have all the information. It is important to note that it is a municipal initiative, and not of private origin.
The facility offers a tasting of 6 different beers (all of them Slovenian, made with local hops, and ordered from softest to strongest), in 6 different dispensers. The basic experience costs 8 €, and there is the possibility of trying the 6 beers that are offered.
There is also a small stage, because in summer there are performances that accompany the attraction.
The system is electronic, and the price includes the jug (which is shaped like a grain of hops), which contains a chip at the bottom. When the experience is over, the jug can be kept as a souvenir. Of course, if you wish, you can always add more drinks by paying an additional price.
The way to proceed is as follows: leave the beer glass under the dispenser, and it automatically fills up. Later, when the drinking is finished, there is a seventh tap where only the jug is cleaned before serving the next drink. The way of serving the beer is perfect. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, you can watch the following videos:
The process is identical for all 6 types of beer. There is always a municipal manager watching that customers are served correctly, as well as checking that everything is in order. As you can see in the videos, the pitcher is only half full. As the municipal guide informed, it is only a tasting of different types of beer. The goal is not actually to drink the more beer the better. Because I like strong beers, the ones I liked the most were both red and black.
Later, and taking advantage of the thematic visit, I went to the nearby hops museum. It is ok to talk about it,… but what is actually hops?
Hops is a climbing plant that can reach up to 8 meters in height and comes from different origins. It is evergreen, heart-shaped. Its flowers are small and are grouped in inflorescences, recalling its appearance to a small pineapple. Its use in brewing beer has been known since the Middle Ages. Hops, despite its bitterness, began to be incorporated into beer for its preservation and antiseptic properties that helped preserve the drink.
In fact, the female flower present in hops, when dry, gives off a greenish-yellow powder when shaken: lupulin. It is the active principle that is used in the production of beer. And it is this substance that contains the alpha acids that will give the beer its characteristic bitterness, as well as its flavors and aroma.
The hops museum in Žalec is located about 600 m from the fountain. It takes 5-10 minutes to get there and you have to cross the train track (level crossing). It consists of a building that back in the days housed an old factory, and today is converted to house the exhibition. The entrance costs 5 €. Inform that card is not accepted as a form of payment.
In my particular case, I already knew it, since, due to personal circumstances, I had seen several hops plants. However, it is always interesting to remember, and observe the cultivation and harvest in other countries.
There is an explanatory exhibition, with information in Slovenian and English, where the whole process is explained. The most interesting thing about the visit are two explanatory videos. The first of them shows the importance of cultivation in the region’s economy, how it began at the end of the 19th century, and where it is today.
In the second one, the traveler puts on virtual reality glasses, where he immerses himself in a representation of how the collection was done before the arrival of the machines, and how it was an event of great importance in the region each year at the end of August. For me, it was the most interesting and visual of the visit.
One hour is the approximate time to visit all the facilities. Throughout the visit, hops are referred to, metaphorically, as “green gold” (Zeleno Zlato in Slovenian language), referring to “black gold” as pre-oil was formerly called.
Afterwards, and with a feeling of hunger, I headed to the nearby Gastro Kolodvor Pub restaurant, located just a 5-minute walk away. Good food, pleasant staff, and little wait time (although the restaurant was practically empty at the time).
After lunch, I went back to the beer fountain, where I decided to taste those that I had liked the most. There, I was again talking with the person in charge of the installation, and I showed him how to proceed with the hops plants in my region in Spain. Seeing a video of it surprised him, to the point that he decided to give me away a bottle of beer.
The fountains are illuminated when night falls, and their maintenance is underground. However, it is not open to the public.
However, and with little time before my last bus was to leave, I made my way to the bus station. Once on the bus, heading back to Ljubljana, I started writing this post, while listening to my favourite Jethro Tull album, “Living in the Past”. Another great day had ended, but with the feeling of having visited a unique place.
Despite not being the biggest attraction, nor the best known place in Slovenia, the visit is worth it.
Related Links
Tourism Official Sites
Beer Fountain Official Information (Available in German, English and Slovenian)
Hops Museum
Žalec Tourism Information
https://www.turizem-zalec.si/en/2/welcome
Slovenia Travel Information
Slovenia Bus Information
https://www.ap-ljubljana.si/en
Useful Information
It is important to inform that the beer fountain is not open all year round. It only works during the season. Generally from April to October.
While looking for Žalec at the bus site, take into consideration the special character “Ž” at the beginning.
When you are about to get on the bus, make sure you go towards Celje.
Did you know that…
… hops are a plant in the same family as marijuana?
Map of Locations
Credits
All photos taken with Motorola One Vision.