Mamos Beer

Mamos Beer (Greek: Ζυθοποιία Μάμος) is a historic Greek brewing brand associated with the Mamos family, an industrial dynasty active from the late 19th to the second half of the 20th century. The family originated from Zakynthos and conducted business mainly in Athens and Patras. While the family's primary activity was carriage and automobile manufacturing, it also entered the brewing sector. In 1876, Lorenzos Mamos opened the family's first manual brewery and beer hall in Patras, encouraged by his wife Eliza, daughter of brewer Ioannis Fix, and his father-in-law. In 1879, Lorenzos moved his business to Athens, where he established a carriage factory that later evolved into an automobile body factory. In 1898, Lorenzos Mamos and Georgios Livert founded and operated a brewery and ice factory on Neofytou Vamva Street in Kolonaki, Athens, named "Gavrinos". That same year, the L. Mamos - G. Livert brewery won a gold award at the Prague International Exhibition for the purity and taste of its beer, and a corresponding gold award at the Trieste International Exhibition. In 1901, Lorenzos Mamos opened a new brewery in Ilisia, Athens, and in 1903 the Mamos Brewery received the First Prize – Distinction (Diploma of Honour with Gold Medal) at the Athens International Exhibition. In 1906, Lorenzos Mamos was forced to suspend brewing due to ruinous competition from the two large breweries of the era, those of Karolos Ioannis Fix and the Klonaridis Brothers, who sold beer below production cost. He abandoned brewing and focused exclusively on his main business, the "Athina S.A." automobile company. His son, Petros Mamos, born in Athens in 1880, became the best-known family member in brewing. In 1898, his father sent him to study at the Brewing Academy in Munich, where he graduated as a brewer, becoming the first Greek certified brewer. He remained in Germany until 1901, working at breweries to gain experience, including the Benedictine monastery brewery in Andechs (1898–1900) and Löwenbrauerei – Luis Sinner A.G. in Freiburg (1901). Returning to Greece in October 1901 at age 21, he temporarily took over the family factory in Athens. In 1903, Petros Mamos was awarded a gold medal at the Athens International Exhibition for his "Melachrini" (dark) beer, made according to his own recipe. Due to increasing competition, the factory closed in 1905, and Petros returned to Germany, initially managing the Gebrueder Kessler brewery in Bad Brueckenau, Bavaria. He then succeeded in being hired on 16 September 1906 at the famous Bürgerliches Bräuhaus Pilsen in Czech Pilsen as a maltster, aiming to learn the secrets of the Pilsner method developed by Bavarian brewer Josef Groll in 1842. The Mamos Beer brand remains a subject of historical interest, and the official website mamos.gr exists, though it currently requires age verification and country selection to enter. The brand is recognized as a brewery in Greece.

The Mamos family, originally from Zakynthos, became prominent industrialists from the late 19th to the second half of the 20th century, with business activities mainly in Athens and Patras. In Zakynthos, the family maintained a carriage manufacturing factory, and from 1863 to the mid-1970s they developed significant industrial and business activity in Patras and Athens in carriage making, automobile imports, agricultural and industrial machinery, and brewing. The first notable family entrepreneur was Lorenzos Mamos, born in Zakynthos in 1843 and died in Athens in 1932. He began his business activities in Patras in 1866 with a luxury carriage factory. In 1868 he married Elisabet Tarman di Saak, with whom he had two children. After her death in 1874, he later married Elisa, daughter of Ioannis Fix of the famous Fix brewery, and had ten more children. Encouraged by his wife Elisa and father-in-law Ioannis Georg. Fix, he decided to expand beyond carriage making. In 1876 he opened the first manual brewery and beer hall of the Mamos family in Patras. In 1879, Lorenzos Mamos moved his business to Athens, where he initially founded a carriage factory that later evolved into an automobile body factory on Myllerou Street. He also imported automobiles as a representative of various manufacturers. In 1898, Lorenzos Mamos and Georgios Livert founded and operated a brewery and ice factory and a beer hall on Neofytou Vamva Street in Kolonaki, Athens, named "Gavrinos". That same year, the L. Mamos - G. Livert brewery was awarded the gold prize at the Prague International Exhibition for the purity and taste of its beer, and the corresponding gold prize at the Trieste International Exhibition. In 1901, Lorenzos Mamos opened a new brewery in Ilisia, Athens, and in 1903 the Mamos Brewery was awarded the First Prize – Distinction (Diploma of Honour with Gold Medal) for its product at the Athens International Exhibition. In 1906, Lorenzos Mamos was forced to suspend brewing because he was unwilling to follow the competition between the two large breweries of that era, those of Karolos Ioannis Fix and the Klonaridis Brothers. This competition was ruinous, as they had reached the point of selling their beer to beer sellers below the cost of production and distribution. Thus Lorenzos Mamos abandoned brewing and devoted himself exclusively to his main professional activity, the company "Athina S.A." ("ATHINA" - ANONYMOUS AUTOMOBILE COMPANY, Direction and Offices: Stadiou Street 24 - Athens, Factories: Myllerou Street 23 and Syngrou Avenue, Exhibitions and Stations: Stadiou Street 24 and Patision Street 49, Telegraphic Address: "ATHENAUTO", Telephone Number 13-10). Petros Mamos, son of Lorenzos, born on 14 February 1880 in Athens, is the most famous representative of the family. In 1898 his father sent him to study at the Brewing Academy in Munich, where he graduated with a brewer's diploma, becoming the first Greek certified brewer. He remained in Germany until 1901, working in breweries to gain experience. From 16 November 1898 to 15 October 1900 he worked at the Benedictine monastery brewery in Andechs (outskirts of Munich), Bierbrauerei des Benedictiner Klosters Andechs, famous for its various types of beer. There he learned firsthand the techniques and recipes for creating various types of Bavarian and German beer, such as Helles, Lager, Dunkles, Weissbier. He also worked from 9 April 1901 to 30 June 1901 at Löwenbrauerei – Luis Sinner A.G. in Freiburg. Returning to Greece in October 1901 at the age of 21, he temporarily took over the management of the family factory in Athens. Petros Mamos was awarded in 1903 at the Athens International Exhibition with the gold medal for the "Melachrini beer" he prepared according to his own recipe. This factory closed in 1905 due to increasing competition, and Petros left again for Germany, where he initially took over the management of the Gebrueder Kessler brewery in Bad Brueckenau, Bavaria. He then sought and succeeded in being hired on 16 September 1906 at the famous Bürgerliches Bräuhaus Pilsen in Czech Pilsen as a maltster. His goal was to learn the deeper secrets of the method and production process first developed and applied in that brewery by Bavarian brewer Josef Groll in 1842 (bottom-fermentation technology – maturation of beer at low temperatures), resulting in the production of excellent quality beer, which was named after the city as Pils or Pilsner or Pilsener and circulated under the brand "Pilsen Urquell". The Mamos Beer brand continues to be recognized as a historic Greek brewery, and the official website mamos.gr exists, though it currently requires age verification and country selection to enter.

• 1906

  Lorenzos Mamos suspends brewing; Petros Mamos hired at Bürgerliches Bräuhaus Pilsen.

• 1905

  Family brewery in Athens closes due to competition.

• 1903

  Mamos Brewery awarded First Prize – Distinction at Athens International Exhibition; Petros Mamos wins gold for Melachrini beer.

• 1901

  Lorenzos Mamos opens new brewery in Ilisia, Athens.

• 1898

  Lorenzos Mamos and Georgios Livert found brewery and ice factory "Gavrinos" in Kolonaki, Athens; wins gold at Prague and Trieste exhibitions.

• 1879

  Lorenzos Mamos moves business to Athens, founds carriage factory.

• 1876

  First manual brewery and beer hall of the Mamos family opens in Patras.

• 1866

  Lorenzos Mamos begins business in Patras with a luxury carriage factory.

Historic Greek brewery brand with a heritage dating back to 1876, known for traditional brewing and award-winning beers.

• 1903

  Melachrini dark beer

1. 1Mamos Beer official websitemamos.gr
2. 2Wikidata: Mamos Beerwikidata.org
3. 3Μάμος - Wikipedia (Greek)el.wikipedia.org