Gaining widespread popularity in the US during the craft beer revolution of the 1970s (at a time when craft brewers wanted to distinguish themselves from the big-batch brewers of the country, who typically sold lager varieties), American pale ales trace back their roots to the other side of the Atlantic, drawing their main inspiration from the pale ales of Albion. The term ‘pale ale’ also originates from England, denoting the contrast between the deep brown or black colour of porters that dominated the taps of English pubs, and the newer, lighter beers brewed with the improved malting technology of the late 18th century. As opposed to the earthy, herbal hops of their English counterparts, the hop character of American pale ales present bold, citrusy, and pine-like flavours, stemming from the American hop varieties used during the brewing process.

The colour spectrum of APAs varies between straw-like pale golden to deep amber, while the beers themselves have a very clear look to them, with white, medium heads. Characterized by a medium body, a moderate to strong aroma, a very smooth mouthfeel, and an alcohol content of around 5%, this highly carbonated beer type can be the perfect pairing to your roast or grilled meats, cheddar platter, or homemade apple pie, making it the quintessential American variety. Now that you’re familiar with the basics of yet another brew type, let us present you with two exquisite APAs to soak up during your next night out.

SPIRIT BREWERY: APACHE WARRIOR

The first ginseng-infused beer of Hungary, the reddish-coloured, robust Apache Warrior has an alcohol content of 6%, and a unique, earthy flavour character, with notes of beetroot and malty caramel. Recommended drinking
temperature is between 7-10 degrees Celsius.

VANDAL BREWING: KAYAK RAFT BEER

Invigorating as getting splashed in the face with the ice cold water of a crystal clear rapid, Kayak Raft Beer is full of energy, tropical flavours, crispy maltness, and refreshing gassiness. Brewed with Simcoe and Azacca hops, it is a prime thirst quencher.

Anker’t

The season of beer drinking won’t end with the arrival of autumn nights as our passion for the golden potion is a permanent state of mind. Beer is the refreshment after a hard day at work, the trigger of long conversations with your friends, the key to a memorable weekend fun. Downtown hangout Anker’t knows the drill: they serve unpasteurized Pilsner Urquell that comes from Plzeň, Czech Republic in tank. Tankovna (tank in Czech) is much more than a regular beer as it is fresher, richer and sold on tap for only 7 days after its arrival. The regulars of Anker’t are reliable beer drinkers, so arrive in time to make sure you don’t miss out this special opportunity.

Cactus Juice

Situated just a few steps from Oktogton, Cactus Juice Gastro Pub brings a little piece of the Wild West into the heart of downtown Budapest. The American cowboy culture is evoked with an underground restaurant area decorated with wooden pieces of furniture typical of the age. The wide range of beverages, which consists of more than 30 different kinds of whisky, pálinka and craft beer, makes Cactus Juice the perfect place for office parties, bachelorette and bachelor fun, and birthday celebrations. Seasonal offers such as burgundy sour cherry soup, baked salmon with black mussels and citrus salad, and salmon tartare with dill and pickled vegetables will blow your mind for sure.

Black Cab Burger

Far away from the Foggy Albion, there’s a unique burger joint in the heart of the capital city that brings a piece of England to Budapest. It offers an incomparable experience with an amazing flavour fusion. Since it’s opening, the name Black Cab became the synonym of dreamy home-made brownies, juicy salads and tasty burgers like this month’s special: Cheesy Soho Burger. We all know that burgers and beer go hand in hand, hence the drink menu is also worth checking out. One can choose from beverages including ciders, and a refreshing bottled ginger beer called Crabbie’s, but an authentic, characterful draught brew, Fuller’s London Pride is also available, if you’d want to test its burger taming bitterness. Extra point: Black Cab actively promotes recycling – both restaurants collect waste and left-overs in selective bins, making the burger joint a stand-out in the Hungarian fast food scene.

Hops Beer Bar

Once upon a time (5 years ago), Hops Beer Bar was opened in the heart of the infamous party district where one can make good friends and create fun memories. The atmosphere is magical, beers are bomb, and the list of draught lagers is as impressive as can be: 250 different choices guarantee that you’ll find the beer of your dreams even if you are gluten intolerant. Alcohol-free alternatives, crazy fresh cherry-cheesecake flavoured sour wheat beer – Ma Chérie essence – and amazing Imperial Stouts (15% alcohol content) are all waiting to be chosen. And the list goes on and on like a fairy tale. To ensure the “happily ever after”, Hops Beer Bar organizes weekly tap takeovers, with unique beers and live performances stealing the spotlight. It’s good to know: Hops Beer Bar is operated by Beerside.hu, meaning that prices are friendlier than in most pubs. For takeaway, visit Ráday utca’s Beer To Go!

Csapház

Enthusiastic beer fanatics, curious brew adventurers, you need to get familiar with Csapház’s assortment immediately. According to its concept, Csapház serves the thirsty wanderer with local draft beers from all over Hungary, produced without preservatives, using only the best natural ingredients. Have you ever asked for takeaway draft beer? Go straight to Csapház or opt for home-delivery! Thanks to advanced technology, now it is possible to buy freshly draught quality beer, cold straight from the tap (there are 13-15 taps) so that you can enjoy the flavours only freshly draught beer has at any venue, should that be your own home, a grill party, or anywhere else. It’s a perfect gift for friends.

iF Cafe Jazz Club

Known for its world-class jazz concerts, iF Cafe Jazz Club is located in downtown Budapest. Why are we telling this to a beer person, you might ask? Well, culinary geeks say that music has an effect on the taste of food and drinks, so give it a shot and keep your stomach happy and your throat moist while listening to enchanting tones and creative jazz melodies. The list of draught beers is as impressive as the food menu, especially if you are looking for specialties produced by small-scale Hungarian beer makers. The jazz club features craft beers on 3 taps, two of which are constantly changing to satisfy the unquenchable curiosity of beer adventurers. On the third tap, legendary German-Czech lager, Wernesgrüner entrenched itself.

Neked Csak Dezső! 

Named after Dezső the Pig from the Communist-era Hungarian movie classic The Witness, Neked Csak Dezső! started out as a tiny pub selling their own beer on Dohány utca. In 2017, however, they had moved into a slightly more spacious place, on the corner of Rákóczi út and Gyulai Pál utca. Able to house up to 170 people, Dezső features 32 local and international craft beers on tap, an open brewery with seven beer tanks, countless bottled beers, and its very own kitchen, led by Chef Tibor Tóth of Laci! Konyha! fame. Dishes available at the downtown’s biggest gastro pub include mac ‘n cheese, tom yum with carp fillet, goulash soup, Angus burger, and hummus.

Kandalló Pub

Kertész utca is one of those streets where it’s impossible to stay thirsty. A myriad of pubs battle for your attention, including Kandalló Pub, a fantastic fireplace shop-turned-beer bar, which is equally famous for its prize-winning burgers, and 16 beers on tap. Opened back in 2012, Kandalló has been around enough time in the Hungarian craft beer pub scene to know its stuff: the constantly changing beer selection ranges from refreshing, easy-to-drink items, like Wicked Water’s T-Rex Biceps and the aptly named Easy Peasy Apricot Squeezy to more heavy types, such as Balkezes brewery’s Baltic porter, the Bagoly. In addition to burgers and beers, Kandalló offers a respectable assortment of wines, cocktails, and spirits, and the faint crackle of fire.

Hopaholic

The Akácfa utca venue swears on one thing and one thing only: the supremacy of beer over anything else. Consequently, you’ll find here no fancy cocktails, high-proof shots, and award-winning wines, only delicious draft and bottled beers, and the hermelín (Czech marinated camembert) that goes along with. Hopaholic welcomes experienced beer aficionados and those who just want something more than what large-scale beer companies can offer on three floors with ten beer taps and more than 400 different kinds of bottled and canned beer specialities, showcasing some of the best brews of Hungary, Belgium, England, Spain, the Czech Republic, Germany, the USA, and more.

Krak’n’Town

Budapest’s first steampunk pub transports you three hundred years into the future, to a post-apocalyptic world where steam power has become the main source of energy once again. Blending together the best of British gastronomy with exciting Hungarian craft beer varieties, gastro-pub Krak’n Town awaits visitors in a unique environment, evoking the atmosphere of the novels of H.G. Wells and Jules Verne. Offers include classic English breakfast, soups, sandwiches and salads, besides such rarities as Coconut black mussel soup with curry, Baby octopus with hummus, ribbed needles and cucumber beer, British Pie, and Zwack Burger, served with Unicum Plum onion jam!

Stouts are texturally different from most other beers. They are thick, grainy, rich and genuinely creamy, with easily recognizable notes of vanilla, dark chocolate, and coffee present in every mouthful. The Oxford Companion to Beer describes stouts to have an opaque deep brown or black colour, and a distinct roasted smell that is often perceived as dark chocolate or coffee. Porters, which are often mentioned in the same breath as stouts, in contrast, have a lighter body, a smoother, sweeter taste, and in general a lower alcohol content.

The history of porter and stout beer is closely intertwined, stout being a stronger (or stouter) version of a porter. The story goes that in early 18th century London, a barman at an unnamed pub blended together lighter, hoppier beers, with older aged ales. The resulting concoction quickly became the go-to-beer amongst porters (hence the name). After a while, brewers started experimenting with the recipe, adding a few different ingredients, switching from malted to roasted barley, and boosting the alcohol content – and thus, stout was born.

Today there exists several varieties of stout, from dry (or Irish) to milk, oatmeal, and even oyster stout! Contrary to popular belief, stout is not a seasonal beer and can be enjoyed just as much during the winter months as in summer. Now that you possess the necessary knowledge for identifying and enjoying every note present in the roasty and dense drink, here are two delicious stouts to quench your thirst with.

First: Chocolate Vanilla Imperial Stout

A strong, hand-milled dark beer with a 8% alcohol content, brewed using Indonesian and Ugandan vanilla, resulting in a pleasantly bitter taste and a sweet, woody scent. Perfect with some hot and spicy goulash soup!

Fehér Nyúl: Stout

Made from Challenger hops, this creamy and light oatmeal stout carries a subtle chocolate and slight coffee flavour, and is characterized by mildly malty, bitter aromas. At 4,5% ABV, it tastes the absolute best on 10-12 °C.

The initials stand for Indian pale ale, and despite the name, its country of origin is not found on the subcontinent, but rather on the British isles. Although known for their love of tea, the Brits also had a fancy for beer. Since there was no way to brew their own batches in the hot climate of Colonial India, beer makers at home had to come up with an ingenious solution to allow their ales to pull through the four-months long journey from Britain to India without spoiling.

A London-based brewer called George Hodgson is among the first people to successfully export beer to India. Due to lucky circumstances, his heavily hopped ales (containing around 6.5% ABV) arrived to India in a prime condition, having underwent a similar aging process as wines do. As Hodgson’s prototype IPA was imitated by larger brewers, it gradually became paler and more refreshing in taste, to better suit the Indian climate. Historically, it was drunk ice cold, and was enjoyed by the English upper class who settled in the Empire’s South Asian colony.

(Almost) Lost but Found

With the arrival of widespread refrigeration technology, IPAs have all but disappeared from the face of the planet – until one fine day in 1976, when American craft brewers started to rediscover forgotten British recipes. From then on, IPA has been gaining popularity on both sides of the Atlantic, and is one of the most sought-after beers on the market.

Now that you know the story behind the category, here are two delicious IPAs to wet your whistles with.

Vandal Brewing: Revrik

A gold-coloured West Coast IPA with a 6% alcohol content and the best hops of the United States: Columbus, Simcoe, and Mosaic blend together in a whirl of citrusy, tropical flavours. Serve between 8-10 °C.

Fehér Nyúl: Imperial IPA

An intense, bitter brew with a strong, hoppy scent, Fehér Nyúl’s Imperial IPA is composed of Amarillo, Centennial, Chinook, and Simcoe hops. At 8% ABV, it tastes the absolute best on 12-14 °C.

Since its opening in last November, people go into raptures over BrewDog’s crowd pleaser brew alternatives, delicious array of burgers, chicken wings, hot dogs, irresistible snacks and modern punk-ish interior, making us more and more stoked to check it off our bucket list. Fuelled by curiosity, we decided to visit the local BrewDog Bar on a cold winter afternoon, ready to learn how to taste craft beer like a pro.

After crossing BrewDog Bar’s doorstep, we found ourselves at a spacious venue of more than 400 square meters. In front of us, over BrewDog’s enormous bar (it boasts 25 taps, serving an incredible line-up of local and international beers) we discovered the bar division’s signature cinema styled board presenting headliners, seasonals, and small-batch beers available on the ever-changing brew menu. Eventually, other inevitable design pieces such as the neon skull caught our eyes, and we also noticed some colourful underwater creatures spray-painted on the otherwise dark grey walls. Our booth was situated in a more secluded corner, with wine red leather applied on the comfortable seating surface and a massive wooden table in the middle.

To experience more of the punk spirit, we listened to our risk-taker selves and let our hosts decide on what we are going to eat. While punk rock songs were playing in the background, we were patiently waiting for the mysterious meals to arrive. Soon four 1 dl tasting glasses landed on our table, with beer specialties personally selected for us. Little did we know that BrewDog’s professional beer experts also took our food choices into consideration when picking that foursome.

The bar’s qualified staff obviously knows how to stun a new guest: first, we were served a tasty-looking slider board with 3 juicy hamburgers (Patriot with a beef patty, smoked bacon and pickles, a vegetarian alternative called Buffalo Cauliflower Burger with buffalo cauliflower steak & gorgonzola sauce, and my absolute favourite, Cluck Norris, the southern fried chicken and avocado burger with sweet potato fries), complemented by BrewDog’s Punk IPA, a light coloured American brew with tropical notes and reduced bitter aftertaste. Our second and third beer “shots”, Elvis Juice (its colour reminded me to Aszú, a sweet Hungarian dessert wine, with grapefruit notes and caramel) and Indie (a rather girly pale ALE with notes of pear and cookie crumbs) also enhanced the unique flavour harmony of our burgers.

Among the array of surprise meals lining up on our table, the ultra-rich goulash soup winded its way into our hearts too. It was everything we wanted: tasty, colourful, and perfectly balanced, presented in a lovely, red enamelled-steel stock pot, a nice hunk of bread (and additional hot green paprika slices on the tray, just in case), bringing back sweet memories of our grandmother’s soups. The next meal on our plate, namely the hot sauce marinated chicken wings coated in honey glaze, was hot as fire, but luckily we don’t mind a spicy dish. However, to be honest, we really appreciated the taming vegan mayo dip it was served with. Thankfully, we could also rely on a glass of refreshing, dark coloured brew called coffee stout that we both picked as our ultimate favourite.

Full belly or not, leaving without testing at least one of BrewDog’s snacks would be considered a capital crime. Truly, our culinary experience wouldn’t be complete without the butter soaked, cajun rubbed corn on the cob that is an absolute dream. One more thing in conclusion: if you don’t want to miss out on BrewDog’s now available assortment, rush off to the bar like there’s no tomorrow, because their beer taps change constantly.

Follow them on Instagram!

1061 Budapest, Anker köz 2-4.

Photos: Krisztina Németh

Nowadays, it’s virtually impossible to not find a bar serving amazing brews within a 500-meter radius in downtown Budapest, but it doesn’t hurt to know some of the most iconic places of the genre. Without further ado, let us give you the Funzine ale trail!

Élesztőház

1094 Budapest, Tűzoltó utca 22.

Located in a former glass factory, Élesztőház is the alpha and omega of the craft beer revolution: in the 5 years since its foundation it has become a true institution, now comprising of Central Europe’s first cask ale bar, a butcher’s kitchen, a coffee shop, a brew studio that hosts beer-tasting and brewing classes, an apartment-restaurant, a hip beer hotel, and a wine and tapas bar, besides the original craft beer bar. Offering a wide selection of Hungarian artisanal brews as well as ingenious beer cocktails, Élesztőház should be the go-to place for every beer buff.

Léhűtő

1076 Budapest, Holló utca 12-14.

Situated just behind buzzing Gorzsdu Courtyard, Léhűtő offers around 60 beers to choose from, its selection ranging from porters to lagers and malt brews produced within and outside Hungary. In addition, this popular venue (consisting of two adjoining bars) also functions as a tapas bar awaiting guests with enticing beer meals such as the onion chutney burger or the Spanish ratatouille.

Neked Csak Dezső!

1088 Budapest, Rákóczi út 29.

Named after Dezső the Pig from the Communist-era Hungarian movie classic The Witness, Neked Csak Dezső! started out as a tiny pub selling their own beer in Dohány utca. Last year, however, they moved into a “slightly” more spacious place, on the corner of Rákóczi út and Gyulai Pál utca. Able to house up to 170 people, the new location features 32 beer taps, an open brewery with seven beer tanks, countless bottled beers, and its very own kitchen led by Chef Tibor Tóth of Laci! Konyha! fame. Dishes available at the downtown’s biggest gastro pub include black mussels, goulash soup, lamb gyros and beef brisket sandwich.

Belgian Brasserie Henri

1011 Budapest, Bem rakpart 12.

The only member of our list of beer bars found in Buda, Henri is also the oldest of the bunch, having opened its doors back in 1996. Founded by a group of beer enthusiasts, the pub drew inspiration from the founding members’ travels in Belgium. Today they import more than 80 different type of beers from the country (offering 150 bottled beers and 11 draught beers in total), which are accompanied by an exhaustive menu focusing on Belgian and French gastronomy. From cheese plates and mussels to creamy escargots and tender shoulder of lamb with green pepper sauce, Henri is one for the gourmet crowds.

Tompa Angyal Bistro & Café

You are surely familiar with the term „local tourist” which refers to people who has one simple goal: to experience the fascination of a tourist while feeling the comfort of a local. The key to discovering Budapest as a local tourist is to go a bit further from the busy city centre, and visit the favourite spots of residents including Tompa Angyal Bistro. Thanks to its wallet-friendly prices the drink bar/eatery is very popular among university students, but the venue’s welcoming atmosphere and great selection of quality beer (nearly 50 types of small-scale and craft beer are available) and tasty snacks (tuna cream, hot sandwich, quesadilla) definitely add to its charm too. Hesitate no more, head to Tompa Angyal, where the most expensive beer (Liquid Cocaine) costs only 4€! Cheers!

1094 Budapest, Tompa utca 14.

Gellért Söröző & Brasserie

Buda’s best gastropub, Gellért Söröző & Brasserie is the temple of beer fans known for outstanding quality. It watches over one of the world’s most beautiful bridges at the foot of Gellért Hill, nestled inside the Art Nouveau Hotel Gellért. The breathtaking view is part of the amazing package that Gellért Söröző & Brasserie offers to its visitors, including a carefully assorted selection of quality Hungarian craft beers and wines complemented by a seasonally changing beer kitchen. For an unforgettable experience, have a pint of Gerardo (one of the house’s craft beers) while nibbling on some toothsome snacks: pork cheek bruschetta with the sun dipping is a must-try!

1114 Budapest, Szent Gellért tér 2.

Beer Tasting in Etyek

Would you like to know more about how „liquid bread” is made? Bring your friends or family members along and head to Etyek Craft Beer Manufactory (around 25 km away from Budapest), where they give insight into the whole brewing process while you are pampering your taste buds with refreshing drinks right from the barrel, complemented by tasty snacks. The gastro attraction includes an introduction to the basics of beer production as well as some behind the scene secrets you wouldn’t hear about anywhere else. Access the Etyek-Buda Wine Region via City & Wine’s (wine tour company) organized tours or by public transport from Etele tér’s bus station. Cheers!

2091 Etyek-Botpuszta, Kolumbusz utca, Hrsz. 1511/1.

Kuzin Bar

All you craft beer fanatics out there, we’ve got great news for you! Kuzin Bar offers an amazing selection but the Dohány utca locale is a lot more than just your regular craft beer bar. It’s central, it’s lively, the Kuzin’s have 10 taps flowing with the best that Hungarian craft beer has to offer (including the award-winning new wave craft beer, Horizont) in a cozy, stylish space. You’ll also find your favourite Czech beer on the drink menu, as well as specialties such as draught Budweiser CVIKL, which is only available here in the country. What is more, Budweiser is actually on three taps! Named after the mysterious “Kuzin”, the founder of the place, the bar’s charm lies in its classy, black & white interior, fun quiz nights, delicious culinary delights (incredible street food, too), and quality beer offers that will draw you back like a magnet from time to time. Thanks to its great food, refreshing beer, friendly atmosphere and excellent service, Kuzin Bar is the perfect spot for any occasions, let it be a birthday party, or a chill night with friends or colleagues. Test it yourself!

1074 Budapest, Dohány utca 7.

Black Cab Burger

Being an eatery where you can make your own burger (guests can build their desired burger from top to bottom), Black Cab is one of the most popular burger restaurants in town. Their monthly offer, Black Cab ‘s Blue Burger Bleu d’Auvergne (with blue cheese) is a must-try, but house specials are also worth a shot. Even though the restaurant is known for its juicy salads, fantastic hot-dogs and full chocolate, home-made brownies, Black Cab’s drink menu is also worth checking out. Choose from a decent list of ice cold beverages including the Crabbie’s refreshing bottled ginger beer and test the authentic, characterful draught beer, Fuller’s London Pride’ burger taming bitterness!

1095 Budapest, Mester utca 46.
1088 Budapest, Rákóczi út 19.

Anker’t Bar

Budapest’s biggest ruin pub/outdoor beer bar is located in the heart of Budapest (Paulay Ede utca), and its friendly vibes are simply irresistible. With several flat screens and the greatest variety of beer imaginable, Anker’t is the perfect venue to watch the events of the football world cup at, especially if you enjoy being surrounded with enthusiastic but civilized fans and the biggest expat community in the capital city. With such circumstances, no match is unexciting, right? In case you get hungry, we highly recommend you to try Ankert’s delicious vegan pizza or other street food offers. Don’t forget to book a table in advance, because Anker’t is very popular at this time of the year!

1061 Budapest, Paulay Ede utca 33.

Neked Csak Dezső Brewpub & Bistro

Having 32 local and international craft beer on tap plus several flat screen TVs, Rákóczi út’s Neked Csak Dezső (Call me Dezső, in Hungarian) remains a really attractive venue for beer enthusiasts during the football world cup too. The Budapest beer bar carries the who’s who of Hungarian brews (Mad Scientist Brewery’s Smooth Hoperator and Dip Me Baby) including products from breweries such as Hübris and Horizont. When beer and snacks get together, only good things happen, and Neked Csak Dezső’s beer bites are only the tip of the iceberg. Check out the bistro menu’s specialties or choose from a list of street food offers! They have a brunch menu, too!

1088 Budapest, Rákóczi út 29.

There are over 400 different types of beer, with Belgium being the home for the most individual beer brands in the whole world, with around 400 brands to their name. Not bad for a small country of 11 million people, right?

The oldest known written recipe was for beer, found on stone tablets from 5,000 years ago. The thirst for beer was actually one of the main reasons behind Neolithic people abandoning their wandering, hunter-gatherer way of life in favor of settling down and starting farming, so that they could grow grain for brewing beer, thus changing the course of human history for ever.

Beer has been serious business ever since Hammurabi has written his ancient laws in 1750 BC: his Babylonian Code called for the death penalty for anyone found guilty of watering down their beers. Compared to our time, it sounds like a good world to live in, doesn’t it? By the way, the expression “honeymoon” has Babylonian roots, too: back then it was customary for the bride’s father to supply his new son-in-law with all the honey beer he could drink, because they believed that it increases the chance of a male progeny. And since the calendar of the ancient Babylonians was lunar based, they called this period the honey month, from whence came today’s “honeymoon”.

One of the lesser known benefits of beer (besides preventing kidney stones) is its amazing mineral conent. No wonder it was a staple of many diets during Medieval times! Beer provided laborers, farmers, and even their children with much needed calories and minerals, as well as quenched their thirst on long and hot summer days.

Black Cab Burger 

One of the forerunners of the gastro revolution that hit Budapest in 2011, a name that soon became the synonym of juicy, tasty burgers, Black Cab operates on Mester utca and on Rákóczi út with two classic, London-style burger joints that also serve hot-dogs as well as English ales, soft drinks and ciders. Seasonal specialties are also worth a try: ask for the Smoky Ranger in toasted buns if you want to recall the feeling of the best BBQ parties of this summer. If you’re more of a gourmet type and have a thing for hot spices, go for the Chilli Burger that will surely captivate your senses! While supplying Budapest with hellishly good burgers, Black Cab also actively promotes recycling – both restaurants collect waste and left-overs in selective bins, making the burger joint a stand-out in the Hungarian fast food scene.

Léhűtő

Léhűtő Craft Beer and Tapas Bar warmly awaits desert-throathed visitors with altogether eleven taps – 7 of which can be found in Léhűtő 1, while Léhűtő 2 offers 4 of them – dedicated to an ever-changing variety of quality Hungarian craft beers, ranging from the newest stars of the scene to the most popular delicacies. In addition, they serve about 30 types of IPAs, wheat beers, doubles and stouts in bottles, with juicy hamburgers and bitefuls of Spanish tapas dishes on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, the courtesy of Léhűtő’s chef who had spent a considerable amount of time perfecting his cooking in restaurants in Spain. Get lost in the whirl of amber brews in one of their pubs located exactly seven and half steps from one another and discover your inner beer aficianado!

Pepin Craft Beer Pub

Named after Bohumil Hrabal’s beloved Uncle Pepin, this craft beer pub is located in the recently refurbished pedestrian street of Tompa utca in the 9th District: the tiny but all the more homely venue represents a common ground between literature and beer, serving products made mostly by Hungarian microbreweries (although you can find a number of Czech and Belgian brews as well), in bottled versions and on taps. At Pepin, you can snack on biteful of meets from Püski Manufaktúra, and munch on cheese plates from cheese-master Mária Hóka, while sipping on a delicious draught from your own engraved pitcher.

This romanticized view of brewing quickly dies when one finally sets foot in brewery. Instead of dealing with a 5kg of grain, it’s multiple 50kg sacks at a time. The simplest of problems, a stuck mash, a clogged tube, mere trifles at home, are a disaster on a larger scale. Infected homebrew means thirty gushing bottles one needs to open over the sink. Yet on a commercial scale, such a thing can ruin a brand if released, or spell financial disaster if dumped. The off-the-cuff experimentation of home, is impossible when the demands of the market forces one to make the same beer again and again and again. And the cleaning. So much cleaning. The stark realities of a brewer’s life can quickly kill a beer lover’s dreams, but two Budapest men have found a balance between both worlds. They still get those blissful weekends of tinkering recipes in their garage, yet they get to see their great beer on the store shelves. Sometime they don’t even need to step foot in a brewery. Attila Deres and Tamás Nyaras own Balkezes, among the highest rated beer brands in the country. They are guerrilla brewers.

Their business plan is simple. About once or twice a month, they ask a local brewery to produce a recipe for them. They invade the business, train the staff to make their recipe, and once they feel confident in the competence at completing their conceptions, they are free to escape to their garage to formulate their next big hit. If the breweries can’t deliver, produce an infected or inferior product, it doesn’t get released. Fortunately, this has never happened.

This method may not result in big profits, but it is lower risk than owning their own brewery, where they might be forced to brew every day. With such a small production, they don’t have to worry about their beer sitting on the shelves for long. This also helps them maintain a consistent quality. Plus, it allows them to produce beers that may be too costly for full-time brewers to make.

“We don’t really care how much of an ingredient goes into the beer. Taste first, then everything else…and if it is not stable on the market, then we have to take it away(sic)…If you are buying it from us, then a high percent is ingredients. We don’t even count our own work in to.” Nyaras says. The fortune of their situation is not lost on them. “This is our hobby. This is not our living.” He adds, “the money just has to be in a better place than it was in the bank.”

Like many of the nation’s brewers, they began at home in 2012 upon the legalization. Their beers were popular gifts among their friends and they slowly started scaling up more and more. After their Dusseldorf Altbier placed second in its category at the 2013 Házisörfőzők Nemzetközi Versenyén, they began producing 400-500L batches at local breweries, selling their alt as Der Fehler. It was popular enough, but due to the steep price of production, they felt that they couldn’t compete with similar, cheaper beers from Germany, many of which have been around for hundreds of years. So they switched directions.

“Hops are hip,” says Nyaras. “They’re way different from what people are used to…and it’s something that excites the senses.” Now Balkezes produces three of the most popular hop-forward beers in Hungary, one of which, GreyJoy, is the nation’s top rated beer on Untappd. And rightfully so. Greyjoy is an experimental double IPA, with Earl Grey tea and bergamot, that sits at “only” 9% alcohol-per-volume. It pours with a beautiful orange color. It’s a rich, hoppy beer, full of juicy, citrus and tropical fruit tones, yet the bitterness is in control. The beer has a strong, but balanced sweetness, with some notes of caramel (they actually make their own caramel for the beer). Other tea beers can have strong tannins, but Greyjoys’s tea and bergamot flavors are smooth, an impression after swallowing that sits at the tip of the tongue. It especially comes out as the beer warms. The whole thing evolves in the glass, tasting a bit different with every sip.

Nyaras agrees. “I don’t know if you ever have that thing at home, drinking your last beer…and you fall asleep. GreyJoy is a beer you want then. You wake up and the tea is coming out and it’s way different. It’s still good warm or without bubbles. Most beers taste like piss in this form.” It’s been a huge hit for the company, but success has not gone to the brewers’ heads. “It’s a bit pressure, you know, everyone wants to beat it, but this is good…I don’t want GreyJoy to be at the top all the time. There are people who are putting all their effort to making really nice beers…So, just go ahead beat it. If this can be an inspirational thing, we are more than happy. We don’t need to be at the top all the time, just inspire.” GreyJoy should inspire people. Balkezes took a tired style and gave it a new twist. It would be tempting to call them experimenters, but their success comes more from their perfectionism. “We are homebrewers by default. Until we have the perfect recipe, we’re not going to scale it up,” say Nyaras.            Both GreyJoy and Hopster, their version of the quintessential IPA, went through nearly 10 iterations in the garage before they scaled up.

Occasional, they’ll release their more experimental creations as “White Labels”, which are simply numbered with a flavor wheel. They refuse to mark these with a style. Since these are basically a trial run, they want customers to give honest opinions about the product, uninfluenced by labels. Hopster had its roots in #2.

Their current offering is #4.1. They’d prefer to leave it undefined, but I’d call it an India Brown Ale. It has all the hallmarks of a great brown ale: aromas of chocolate, toffee, and a nutty, malty flavor, but with an intense spicy hop kick and a touch of smoke.

#5 has already been planned, but they are keeping mum about the details. They had another beer in the works. Nyaras didn’t say much, but he revealed that they’ve been tinkering in their garage brewery, building upon the ideas of New England IPAs to best enhance hop flavor. The new beer, LD50, was released at the 2^nd Kraft Festival. Nyaras was right, it was a beautiful celebration of hops, but not bitterness. It focused on a single variety, Amarillo. If all goes according to planned, it will be the first in a series, each dedicated to a singular hop. This won’t be their first foray into single-hop beers. Peeping Tom is an American Pale Ale with only Simcoe hops. Even though their name is derived from Hungarian slang for “bumbling” (“Kétbalkazes” or literally “two-left hands”), there is nothing clumsy about their skills, a perfect marriage of two minds. Though they develop most recipes together, Tamás describes himself as more of a theoretical guy, whereas Attila focuses on the practicalities, especially scaling up. Making a commercial-sized batch from a home recipe is never just simple multiplication.

Their creative process has its fair share of arguments, even fights, but nothing that has ever threatened their twenty years of friendship. Ultimately, they understand that development of great beers involves a lot of time, work, and emotions. It would be impossible for them dedicate so much effort modifying recipes had they a different business model. This is not to say that full-time brewers can’t experiment or refine their beers, but Balkezes has both the time and freedom to perfect their recipes before they get released into the market. “We won’t deal with something we don’t have faith in,” Nyaras says. This attention gives them a lot of confidence in their products. Nyaras adds, “there were a couple beer with which I wasn’t so confident in. They were small batches, and I wasn’t able to sell them.” Now their beers sell themselves. Balkezes seems content with this. Their marketing is minimal. At the Kraft festival, where every brewery had their own logo-printed glasses, Balkezes instead sold plain glasses, which the brewer’s autographed. They’ve avoid official competitions, except for the national homebrewing contest. Honestly, it really doesn’t seem as if they care at all what people think. They just want to do what they do and “be in places where people are interested in beer itself, not where it’s only some side thing.” They care only about making good beer, and as homebrewers and guerrillas, that’s about as close to those Saturday afternoon dreams as one can get.

Nyaras says it perfectly: “If anybody’s doing this as profession: full respect.”

Their brand can be found around Budapest in popular craft pubs such as Szimpla Kávézó, Élesztő, or Léhűtő. It’s called SHARE – A Jótékony Ser, and the company donates all of its profits to a growing list of Hungarian charities. The founders, Lóci Alvégi, Márton Káldi, and Isu Ádám, had little experience in the beverage world, but now find themselves in charge of a growing craft brand. They’ve already donated 200,000HUF and hope to raise much more by their one-year anniversary. So how did an architect, tour guide, and t-shirt merchandiser get into the barely-existent benevolent beer business? It all started a bit over two years ago with the ordering of a simple pint.

Lóci Alvégi was in Berlin for a business trip and stopped at a local bar for a beer. Unable to choose from a staggering list of unknown brands, the bartender offered him a bottle of Quartiermeister, explaining that all proceeds from the beer go to charity. Having worked with charity foundations in the past, Lóci was no stranger to altruistic pursuits. As he sipped on his pint, he felt great. “Drinking and saving the world at the same time, this is perfect for me.” Afterwards, Lóci told the bartender, “give me that beer from now on, every time I enter this place.”

Lóci realized that such a model would do great in Hungary, one of the world’s largest consumers of alcohol per capita. “Consumption of beer is really high, but the civil sector is small.” So he enlisted two of his friends and got started. It took them a little over six months to get the brand off the ground, eventually launching in September 2016. Much of this time was figuring out logistics and navigating through piles of regulation. It took months alone to find the best brewery to produce their product. They needed a place that not only had the spare capacity to brew for their brand, but could also produce a consistently high quality product. They eventually settled for Ikkona brewery in Slovakia. SHARE must still buy the beer—unfortunately, making a beer for free is an unreasonable financial burden on most small companies—albeit at a reduced price.

SHARE has two products, a pilsner and a non-alcoholic citrus-flavored dark beer. However, they hope to add an IPA and other more craft-focused styles to their portfolio soon. Their lofty goals don’t stop at beer. Someday they’d love to expand their brand to coffee, wine, soft drinks, and other products. At the moment, their two beers have been enough to keep their growing team of over twenty workers, all of whom work completely for free, extremely busy. The charities are spread within six target areas, each getting an equal part of the proceeds. Because Hungary has among the top rates of alcoholism in the world, alcoholism and addictions programs will get twice as much as the other areas. And yes, the founders are well aware of the irony of selling beer to fight alcoholism.

So far they’ve made two 100,000 forint donations. The first was to Káva Kulturális Nevelési Műhely, a theater education group which provides a type of therapy through art. Last week, they sent their second gift to Utca Jogász, who give free legal support to the homeless. Recipients are chosen by six ambassadors, one for each of SHARE’s target sectors. At the moment, they have only found the first three, but they will hopefully be able to fill the final seats soon. Their ideal ambassadors would have both the expertise and public recognition to not only administer the funds, but also bring attention to the group’s work.

The ambassador program was started to remove the founders from any involvement with the handling of donations. Due to tax limits and laws prohibiting charitable foundations from selling beer, SHARE is “officially” a for-profit business. Therefore, transparency is of the utmost importance, especially for the corruption-weary citizens of Hungary. A financial summary of each quarter is posted on their website, and their books will be made public when the fiscal year is complete. Executing the project has not been easy. Even though their noble goals give them strong negotiating leverage, they still have to deal with the same struggles as any small beer company. Many bars and restaurants are locked into contracts with large breweries, preventing the sale of non-affiliated brands. Retailers are still allowed to make a profit from selling SHARE, but the margins will be significantly lower than those for products made by Dreher or Heineken. Large breweries control nearly all of the Hungarian beer market, but SHARE is not deterred. “Even if we only got just fractions of percents, that would mean billions of forints we can give to the civil sector,”Lóci says. “This project can grow quite big if we do it well.”

SHARE is doing all it can to reduce administrative, marketing, and production costs, which use about 50% of their income. Quartiermeister, their German inspiration, actually donates less per beer, which gives SHARE a bit of pride. “It’s easier for us because they were doing it for five years so we can learn from their mistakes,” Lóci says. There may be a bit of friendly competition involved. SHARE has recently started exploring a new, more funds-generating channel for their brand.  They’ve begun to secure contracts with tech companies such as Prezi, LogMeIn, and Coding Sense, to stock their fridges and provide SHARE at company outings, parties, and training events.  With no retailer taking a cut, this means more money for charity.

So if you see SHARE at your local pub, buy a bottle. And if you find yourself being a little too charitable, take solace in that when you wake up the next morning with a splitting headache, feeling sorry for yourself, that you did it all for the greater good.