Craft Beer Bars

Berlin's craft beer scene brings local breweries and international styles to the taps.

Next to Pils and Berliner Weisse, the tart local wheat beer traditionally poured with a shot of fruit syrup, Berlin has built a full craft beer scene of its own. Friedrichshain, Neukölln and Kreuzberg carry the most specialized bars and taprooms, with rotating taps that swing between IPAs, stouts, sour beers and one-off batches from small local breweries. Staff generally expect to talk you through the board, so you do not need to know anything about beer before walking in.

Some breweries pour what they brew on site and combine the taproom with tours or small tastings. If you want to cover ground, ask for a tasting flight, several small pours lined up so you can compare styles side by side. The atmosphere is usually casual and stripped down, closer to a neighborhood bar than a showroom, which makes it an easy way to spend an evening with friends. Since many taprooms change their lineup weekly, the chalkboard by the bar is the only menu that counts.