"Zagorka! Big!"

It has been said that you can survive in Stara Zagora quite nicely once you master the words "Zagorka! Big!" holding your hands about a foot apart, as you speak. I know there are better brews here in Bulgaria (Shumensko Red is a favorite of mine) but Zagorka is a pretty good beer and it's hugely distributed. Not to mention it is a native to Stara Zagora, hence the name.

Zagorka is a former state-owned beer that was privatized in 1994, when the Dutch producer Heineken bought an 80% share. Zagorka is the first and only brewery in Bulgaria that was granted the international standard for management and control of quality. The company holds 25 per cent of the beer market in the country. (A great foreign investment sucuess story!)

And for some reason, Bulgaria ups in beer drinking. The total amount of beer consumed in the country was 294 million litres in 1997, reaching 425 million in 2003 and 473 million in 2004, according to an investor website. Furthermore it is said that beer drinking is expected to see further boosting in the upcoming years.


Maybe its the boost in tourism and travelers, or maybe it is people like me who cant afford much else. But, really, who wouldnt want a huge beer for less than 1.50 leva (thats only about a buck to our standards.)

Cheers mate!!!