Protokoll holds a corner of Boxhagener Straße 110 in Berlin's Friedrichshain, steps from Simon-Dach-Straße and Boxhagener Platz. It pours 24 rotating taps of craft beer behind a wall of bright yellow tiles, backed by a long bottle list.
Who would love it: a beer drinker who wants rare, experimental and sour pours and staff who let you taste before you commit. Who would not: a spirits or cocktail drinker, since the program here is taps and bottles, with only a few wines on the side.
The room is a small, rustic taproom rather than a brewpub. The 24 taps run against the tiled back bar, the bottle list reaches into limited and obscure releases, and a few tables sit outside for the warmer months. Protokoll ranks among the city's best beer bars on Tripadvisor, where it holds a 4.7 of 5 across 57 reviews, and the reviews single out the rarity of the list.
The pour is the whole point. The taps carry sours, experimental brews and beers that rarely surface in the city, and the staff are known to recommend and pour samples so a drinker can read the list before settling in. The bottle list runs deep into Scandinavian and American sours and saisons that the taps cannot always hold, and the staff will open and split a bottle if a table wants to compare styles. From Thursday through Sunday there is a short food program of pelmeni, cheese and meat boards, nuts, olives and nachos, and owner Vadim Kamkalov is happy for guests to bring their own food the rest of the week.
Marcus Webb's read for the discerning drinker: work the board like a tasting flight. Order in halves or thirds and ask the staff to steer you toward the freshest sour or the rarest tap rather than committing to a full pour blind, since the value here is turnover and obscurity, not familiar names. Two or three small pours read the cellar far better than one large glass.
The crowd is Friedrichshain locals, visiting beer enthusiasts and Simon-Dach regulars looking for something better than the strip nearby. It runs busier in the evening, calmer early, and keeps a relaxed, conversational feel rather than a loud bar buzz. The outside tables fill first when the weather holds.
What guests flag, across Tripadvisor and beer guides, is consistent. The depth and rarity of the taps, the friendly staff and the fair prices for a capital city earn the praise, while the only real caution is that a rotating list this deep means your favorite may be gone next week. Come for the range and lean on the staff to choose.
Best time to go: early evening on a weekday, when the newest lines are on and the room is full enough to feel alive but not packed. The list changes constantly, so ask what just landed rather than expecting a fixed menu. Protokoll earns its reputation on the turnover behind the bar.
It earns its place among the city's beer bars on the strength of the tap wall, not the decor. See where it sits among the best craft beer bars in Berlin, and read our wider guide to the best bars in Berlin for the full picture.
Pair this bar with
For a brewpub a short walk away, compare Hops and Barley Berlin. For another deep tap list, try Muted Horn Berlin in Neukölln. And for a brewery taproom, Vagabund Brewery Berlin makes the natural second stop.
Sources
Protokoll official site · Tripadvisor: Protokoll · With Berlin Love: Protokoll Taproom · Google Maps reviews (2026)
Reviewed by Marcus Webb, barsforKings. Published Dec 10, 2025 · Last reviewed Jun 13, 2026.
