He started to learn brewing at the age of 14 when the young boy was given a task to help his family by bringing brewing water from the well. Through time his involvement increased, leading to official brewing activities and establishing of brewing enterprises through the different state orders and legislations.
When Aarne Trei was production engineer at Pihtla juice and meats cannery, in 1988 beer production was initiated in the facility. In 1990 AS Taako was formed with business partners to produce beer in former juice production facility with equipment that was available. In 1998 Aarne succeeded to register first Saaremaa farmhouse ale production standard with Estonian food office for his company at the time - OÜ Klipsi. In 2015 Aarne and Andrus Viil established OÜ Pihtla Pruulikoda with focus to Saaremaa Koduõlu production. In 2023 Pihtla Pruulikoda reorganized to Saaremaa Pruulikoda.
Beer researcher Lars Marius Garshol visited Aarne´s brewery in 2015, see blog entry:
Aarne Trei, a koduõlu veteran | Larsblog (garshol.priv.no)
Historical outook via written media:
1995 The Finnish Homebrewing Association blog entry: Estonian Koduolu - Homebrewing in Estonia, Part 2 (pcuf.fi)
1999 Saarlased taastavad koduõlle mainet - Eesti Päevaleht (delfi.ee)
1999 Saare nipid niidavad mehi (ohtuleht.ee)
2001 << Saarlane >> - Saaremaa uudised: Saarte koduõllemeistrid ühe tanni alla
2003 Saare õlu on suvel kuum kaup (aripaev.ee)
2010 Parimat koduõlut tehakse Pihtlas - Saarte Hääl (saartehaal.ee)
2014 Üle nelja aasta valitakse taaskord parim koduõlu - Saarte Hääl (saartehaal.ee)
(1988) Estonia's first standard for Saaremaa koduõlu given to the business of Aarne Trei
(2002) Aarne Trei measuring wort at his brewery in Pihtla Saaremaa.
