Zrenjanin Beer Museum to open in 2018 – Production to be renewed and Paths of Beer to be blazed again

The brewing facilities of the ruined Industrija Piva Zrenjanin, founded back in 1745, located on the Begej coast, right next to the Cetir' Konja Debela pub, should house the Beer Museum, to open in 2018.

The first phase of the reconstruction, during which the construction works were carried out, along with the reconstruction of the facade and glass replacement, has been completed. Although it was announced earlier that the second phase might be completed and that the museum might open in the spring of 2017, it is clear now that beer aficionados will have to wait in order to take a look at the machines which operated from the foundation of the brewery until 2006 and to taste the familiar Zrenjanin beer again. The opening has been postponed due to the process of acquiring all the necessary permits, Vojislav Cvejic of the Tourist Organization of Zrenjanin says for eKapija.

– We have reconstructed two levels, with another two remaining. The most important thing is that we've managed to keep the old production machinery, which will be exhibited in the museum. This will be a public purpose facility and it will need to satisfy all the criteria, and we thereby need to acquire all the permits so that our future visitors would be completely safe – Cvejic says.

The future Zrenjanin Beer Museum, the third such institution in Vojvodina, will have an area of around 400 m2. A total of RSD 584,000, provided by the city administration, was invested during the first phase. According to our interviewee, the preparation of tender documentation for acquiring the funds for the second phase of the works is in progress, and the opening of the museum should follow in 2018. The production of beer should also start in the next two years, although reduced in scope – only for Zrenjanin and the surrounding area.

According to our interviewee, that such projects require considerable investments is shown by the fact that it took Carlsberg two years to establish the Celarevo Beer Museum.

– This is a very important project and an opportunity to promote Zrenjanin. Together with the Days of Beer event, we will complete and recover the city's brand – Cvejic says.

Apart from Celarevo, Pancevo also has its Brewery Museum Georg Weifert. The plan is for these three museums to connect, once Zrenjanin opens its door to the visitors, our interviewee announces.

– The establishment of the Paths of Beer route is being planned, to the end of attracting as many local and foreign tourists as possible – Cvejic says.

The initiative for opening the Beer Museum was started by the Urban Forum association, one of whose members was Vojislav Cvejic. The project is now in charge of the Tourist Organization of the city on the Begej.

A brief history of beer brewing in Zrenjanin

The brewery was founded by Sebastian Krazeisen, but it often changed ownership. Even so, the beer brewing complex kept the same look until 1878, when it was reconstructed by its owner at the time. Lazar Dundjerski bought the brewery in 1891. It remained in possession of the Dundjerski family until 1945.

Beer production in Zrenjanin remained uninterrupted from 1745 till 2006. The brewery was privatized in 2003, and the bankruptcy proceedings were initiated in July 2010. Following several attempts at selling the company as a legal entity, it was decided in 2014 that the property should be sold in parts. The latest in the line of property (equipment, stock and land) sale ads was placed on February 10, 2017.

K.S.

ZIP industrija piva a.d. Zrenjanin

Turistička organizacija opštine Zrenjanin

Muzej pivarstva Đorđe Vajfert

Industrija Piva Zrenjanin

Zrenjanin beer industry

Zrenjanin Beer Museum

Zrenjanin brewery

Zrenjanin beer

Begej

Cetir Konja Debela pub

Vojislav Cvejic

Paths of Beer

Days of Beer

Lazar Dundjerski

Dundjerski

Carlsbeg

Celarevo Beer Museum

Brewery Museum Georg Weifert

Pancevo beer museum