Editorial
Beirut's craft beer scene is small and honest about it. Lebanon's pioneers, 961 Beer and Colonel, brew outside the capital, and several rooms that once poured local craft have closed. Two bars still carry the flag for homegrown beer in the city. We verified both against current listings and their own taps before publishing.
Smoking Bun keeps it loose in Mar Mikhael, a burger room that treats its beer as seriously as its patties. The tap list rotates Lebanese craft alongside imports, and the kitchen runs late. Order a burger and whatever local brew is freshest on tap, take a stool on the street side, and let the Mar Mikhael crowd spill past. Best after 9 PM.
December 22 is Hamra's craft beer hold-out, a pub built around a strong rotation of Lebanese independents while most of the street pours the same lagers. The room is small and the regulars know their beer, so ask what is new on the board. It rewards a curious drinker over a quick pint. Best on a weeknight, when Hamra's students and writers settle in.
The big names brew elsewhere. 961 Beer and Colonel built Lebanon's craft scene from Mazraat Yachoua and Batroun, so the capital leans on a couple of dedicated bars rather than brewpubs of its own.
Time it for after 9 PM, when Mar Mikhael and Hamra wake up. Go to Smoking Bun for the late street energy and December 22 for a slower, beer-led night.
Yes, though it is small. Lebanon's pioneering breweries, 961 Beer and Colonel, are based outside the capital, so Beirut's craft beer culture lives in a handful of dedicated bars like Smoking Bun in Mar Mikhael and December 22 in Hamra.
Smoking Bun in Mar Mikhael and December 22 in Hamra both rotate Lebanese independent brews on tap. Both lean local rather than import-heavy, which makes them the most reliable spots for homegrown craft beer in the city.
Mar Mikhael and Hamra. Mar Mikhael is the city's main nightlife strip, home to Smoking Bun, while Hamra, the old university quarter, holds December 22 and its rotating Lebanese taps.
After 9 PM. Mar Mikhael fills late, so Smoking Bun is best once the street crowd builds, while December 22 in Hamra is calmer on a weeknight when you can talk beer with the bartender.