A Beer Tourist’s Guide to…Berlin
“Craft” beer in Berlin is a little ironic (well, isn’t everything?) given that bottles of German Lagerbier from any corner shop are delicious, with plentiful choice and at half the price of something more “indie”. You want Kellerbier, Helles, Dunkel? It’s all there, in those slightly oversized glass bottles in all shapes and sizes, staring out of the fridges like puppies looking for an owner, but priced at only two Euros and way cuter.
Regardless, we set out to assess the scene of the more intentional independent craft beer establishments in Berlin, with a plethora of options scattered around the city that we have listed out for you here. Prost!
Straßenbrau
As far as breweries go, Berlin doesn’t have too many in the city centre itself. Straßenbrau is one of the most accessible, on the edge of Friedrichshein and a stone’s through from Ostkreuz train station. The beer is top notch and the vibe is chilled out and sociable. It’s a very small taproom, though if it’s not winter then the outdoor seating on the street is perfect for some hipster-spotting.
Braugier Ostkreuz
This outpost of Braugier Brewery is literally down the street from Straßenbrau and it’s a treat. A big, airy, cafe-style taproom with plenty of their own beers on tap, some from other Berlin craft neighbours, along with varying pour sizes and good wifi for some WFB (Work From Brewery) time.
Protokoll Taproom
On the other side of Friedrichshein, Protokoll serves its own beers and many from other Germany indie brewers that span all sorts of styles in a small, minimalist taproom with exposed brick and high tables – you know the sort.
Biererei Bar
For a suave Berlin hipster vibe, this your place. Right in the Kreuzberg mixer, it has a comforting darkness without being grungey and the staff are actually pretty friendly by local standards. Their 15 taps can sometimes prioritise foreign beers but you’re not here for that, so choose a small batch German lager and enjoy. They also have a shop across the road that looks a bit like a regular off license but is full of German and international craft, albeit not cheap.
Hopfenreich
At the more extreme end of the German beer hipster spectrum, Hopfenreich is a very low key, uber-cool haunt with a full selection of German independent craft on tap that also ranges across a wide variety of styles. If you want German non-lager to sip while you people watch, this is your place, evidenced by the Teku glass in the pic above.
Heidenpeters
In the same area as Hopfenreich and Biererei Bar, nestled inside Markthalle Neun, a large bustling (and slightly touristy) food market, sits Heidenpeters. Choose something to eat, go get a beer from their kiosk brewery in the corner, and enjoy.
Berliner Berg Brauerei
Further South-East near the ridiculously cool Neukolln, Berliner Berg is one of 2 gigantic breweries (along with BRLO, see below) that dominate the Berlin scene. Berliner Berg is worth a visit for the fun, family vibes and huge beer garden more so than the beer, which is still decent, but not necessarily superior to the corner shop bottles.
BRLO
Probably the most famous craft beer export from Berlin, BRLO boasts a huge industrial taproom that is in the middle of a park, making for a slightly nicer outdoor scene than your usual car park. The atmosphere is loud and jovial, the crowd is often big groups of younger locals, and the beer is decent without being extra special.
Dolden Madel
Upping the ante a bit is Dolden Madel, a great choice for a vibrant atmosphere with food and other drinks options too. While it is a touch touristy, the array of styles ranges from German classics to things that taste of hops.
Der Bierladen
Right across the road from Doldenmadel, this substantial bottle shop is rife with fresh German craft beers from little known breweries around the country, with 3-4 taps of local Berlin stuff too. You can chill at the big shared table in the middle if you feel like making friends, otherwise get a bottle to go as drinking outside in Berlin is not only legal, but almost encouraged.
Brauerei Lemke
Right in the centre of the centre, Lemke is a brewery based on the UK model of railway arches and in-house brewing. They have a phenomenal hopfen-weiss and a few other exciting concoctions along with the usual array of crowd-pleasers, though expect to pay premium for the location.
Pfefferberg
North of Lemke in the higher end Prenzlauerberg area, this is a suitable higher end brewery and beer hall with a bougie and delicious food menu to go with the beer. If it’s summer, head out to the huge rooftop, if not then enjoy their suave, classic interior.
Manifest Taproom
Just south of Mauerpark on that street with the beautiful houses, one of the fun looking establishments is Manifest Taproom, which has possibly the largest taplist of German indie beer in the city. Try all sorts of styles from all sorts of breweries around Germany in this cosy little bar.
Eschenbrau
If you are feeling adventurous, head to the north-west of the city to find Eschenbrau and Vagabund Brauerei (below). Eschenbrau has been around a while and combines an old school beer house aesthetic (pretzels!) with new school beers and atmosphere.
Vagabund Brauerei
The final entry on the list, Vagabund fills the gap that has so far been left of “brewery in an industrial estate”. Vagabund is worth the visit, even if the car park view leaves something to be desired, and they brew up a few German styles but focus on international crowd-pleasers (read: IPAs). The interior is very spacious and nicely decked out with mismatched chairs and sofas, and they have frequent events on, so this is well worth a visit if you have time.
Berlin will always be a city where your instinct is to screw the bars entirely, pick up some delicious bottles and go sit and sip on the canal. While we do hugely condone this behaviour, trying out a craft beer venue is also a way to indulge in the culture of cool.