We travelled to Berlin in late august 2016. It was hot as hell, a heat wave was hitting all Europe for the last couple weeks. Coming from Barcelona it was more of the same and we were grateful the sun was shining over the city while we were there.
We had to pick up our flat key at the (hipster) Café next door and surprise, surprise, they had some craft beers in the fridge. We couldn’t resist tasting one… early morning Citra Ale! Brewed by Häffner Bräu from Bad Rappenau (Germany), it had fruits aromas of lemon and grapefruit, followed by some citric hops. Overall very balanced, smooth and refreshing.
We rented bikes for our stay and started exploring Berlin’s streets and beautiful Görlitzer Park. To clench your thirst stop by Das Edelweiss, with its lovely deck-chaired terrace. We cycled all day around the city, visiting the main attractions and stopped for some record digging for Miber @ The Record Loft. Our day ended with a beautiful sunset at Tempelhofer Feld.
Kaschk
The next morning we woke up early and stopped by Kaschk. This craft beer bar also works as a coffee bar in the morning until 6pm. Even if people were mainly drinking coffee at that time, working on their laptops, we ordered a dark beer on tap to start off the day in a good mood.
Kaschk has a wide selection of local and Scandinavian brews on tap and bottle. The ambiance is cozy with a mixed decor of industrial vintage and wooden tables. They have an additional floor downstairs with a Shuffleboard gaming area. We will need to come back later one day to try the game and see the bar with its night ambiance!
Hopfenreich
Later in the evening we visited Hopfenreich. Located on a street corner, with some tables outside, it offers 22 rotating beers on tap from Berlin, Germany and all over the world.
This craft beer bar has an undeniable local feel, which reminded us some of our favorite spots back home. The service is friendly, so don’t hesitate to ask for some suggestions and tasting. We enjoyed a fresh IPA on one of their tables outside.
Prater Biergarten Berlin
On Sunday, we cycled to Mauerpark for the (un)famous flea market. The sun was sunshine, people were signing, sweating, the mood was cheerful and everyone was having fun. After wondering around for some hours we headed to Prater Biergarten Berlin, the city’s oldest beer garden, to clench our thirst and have a pretzel.
Schleusenkrug
On our last day, the heat dropped and the sky was cloudy. We visited Tiergarten and Berlin’s Victory Column, stopping by our last beer garden of the trip @ Schleusenkrug, by the river, where we enjoyed our last Weißbier and pretzel.
The Pier
Our last stop was The Pier craft beer bar. Offering 15 different beers on tap, it seemed like a perfect spot for after work beers with it’s friendly and casual atmosphere. This American-themed bar has references to Coney Island and kitch American culture.
***UPDATE: The Pier has closed down in early 2017***
Berlin has taken some time to get into the craft beer resurgence of the past years, but it loos like it is catching up quickly with new bars opening in town every month. We will definitely come back to see how it has evolved!
CRAFT BEER BARS IN BERLIN
Here is our list of must-visit craft beer bars and beer gardens in Berlin. Some of them have opened after our trip, but we totally recommend them if you are in Berlin!
Really cool Tess! Having lived in Berlin before I can say you did it right: Berlin by bike and enjoying lots of bars is the best way to fall in love with Berlin.