AN AGE-OLD LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE LIQUID GOLD

The Farsons Brewery Experience celebrates the intimate link between Farsons and Malta’s history. EDWARD BONELLO explores how.

Few businesses can boast multiple links to the cultural identity of a country. Fewer even manage to maintain that link for many decades, developing it into an unmistakable testament to local history, widely recognised and loved by the entire population.

Of course, we are referring to the distinctive Farsons Group, together with its many iconic brands such as CISK and Kinnie – as Maltese and evocative of home as pastizzi and the Maltese Cross. And it is precisely this bonanza of Maltese culture that the newly-opened The Brewhouse celebrates.

Starting from the building that houses The Farsons Brewery Experience overlooking the historical aqueduct – itself a feat of early 17th-century architecture and engineering – it has, over the past few years, undergone a complete transformation. With the construction of a brand new, state-of-the-art brewery close by, the five-storey Art Deco landmark is now home to a buzzing social setting, as it is quickly becoming a social hub this side of the island.

You can expect to have more than just a great time with friends here. You can also take a trip down memory lane and learn about how your favourite beer came to be.

In fact, Farsons wasn’t always the entrepreneurial giant we know today. Our journey begins at the start of the 19th century when the British introduced beer to the Maltese islands. A refreshing beer and the Maltese summer sun were a match made in heaven, so soon enough, Malta had its first locally-produced ales and lagers.

The Farsons story is intrinsically linked with that of three entrepreneurial families – Simonds, Farrugia and Scicluna – and a story that’s intimately intertwined with that of the Maltese islands and the entire region; from the First World War which saw Malta famously becoming the Nurse of the Mediterranean, receiving hundreds of injured soldiers, to the 1919 Sette Giugno riots (when the Maltese people revolted against the British administration and demanded some form of representative government for the island) which were a major game-changer for all.

The Simonds and Farrugia families merged in 1929, and were joined by the Scicluna family in 1948 to form Simonds Farsons Cisk, effectively giving birth to one of Malta’s industrial powerhouses.

Apart from the historical aspect of Malta’s love affair with the liquid gold, you will also see relics of an age gone by, such as the original Scammel Scarab which up to the mid-20th century used to do the rounds delivering beer and happiness around the island – reportedly even down the dodgy Strada Stretta steps of Valletta!

Next it’s time to learn more about beer and the magic behind it: how four humble ingredients –malt, hops, yeast and water – come together in an age-old recipe, to become a long-time favourite.

If after the visit you find yourself hankering for the brew, fear not, as the good folks at The Farsons Brewery Experience have you sorted. In fact, what better way to conclude the trip than to head up to the Cisk Tap to savour some award-winning CISK or Blue Label, or whichever potion you prefer!

Before leaving, make sure to visit the Farsons Brandstore and get your hands on some exclusive merchandise to remember your visit by. Take Farsons and its iconic brands back home with you, and you too will carry a small piece of Malta wherever you go!