Scan Magazine
|
Culinary Profile |
Fat Lizard Brewing Co.
Outstanding beers from one of Finland’s top craft breweries Nearly ten years ago, Fat Lizard Brewing Co. brewed its first commercial beer, 101 California Pale Ale. 2025 will be a year of celebration for this praised brewery in Espoo, including a recreation of the original recipe. By Malin Norman |
Photos: Fat Lizard Brewing Co.
Fat Lizard Brewing Co. was founded by four friends who came together to brew American-style beers, from the West Coast specifically. Initially, brewing was a fun hobby but the friends soon realised that they were onto something special. Things have certainly gone well and almost ten years on, Fat Lizard is amongst Finland’s top craft breweries with one million litres brewed per year and a team of over 20, including production, packaging, 32 | Issue 173 |
December 2024
marketing & sales, and distribution. The brewery even has its own lab, with quality control being a key factor in its brewing process and, ultimately, in its success. “There are around 100 craft breweries in Finland these days and Fat Lizard is currently number three,” says Topi Kairenius, co-founder and creative director. “It hasn’t been easy though, partly due to Finnish alcohol regulations. The four of us who started and grew the brewery are childhood friends and share the same values, based on quality as well as human, environmental and animal welfare. Everything is still done in-house, and we all bring useful experience from our previous careers.”