Germany invented beer culture and then spent several decades ignoring the craft beer revolution happening elsewhere. Berlin noticed first. By 2010, Hops and Barley in Friedrichshain was brewing its own Pilsner in a repurposed butcher's shop. By 2015, you could find Vermont-style IPAs in Prenzlauer Berg. Today, Berlin has over 40 microbreweries and the craft beer bar ecosystem that surrounds them. What distinguishes the best craft beer bars in Berlin from their counterparts in London or New York is a residual connection to the traditional German brewing philosophy. The bars on this list, particularly Hops and Barley and Eschenbräu in Wedding, are not trying to replicate American craft brewing culture. They are doing something more interesting: applying craft brewing techniques to the lager tradition that Berlin built its reputation on. The result, particularly at Hops and Barley, is the best craft Pilsner we have found in any European city. The Belgian specialists, Herman and Biererei, operate on a completely different premise: curation over production. Walking into Herman with no agenda and allowing the staff to recommend a progression of Belgian abbey ales is one of the better drinking experiences available in Berlin.
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