The brief history of Hungarian beer, as presented by Pub Crawl Budapest

Beer is considered to be one of the oldest manufactured drinks. While Hungary is not particularly well known for its beer. Beer has been brewed here for over a thousand years. Let’s take a closer look at the history of Hungarian beer culture.
 

Domestic brands

oday, Hungarian breweries produce mainly light lagers. The best known domestic brands are Dreher, Borsodi and Soproni. Although these are mainstream breweries, you can still find good tastes among them.

Dreher

Dreher is the most popular Hungarian premium beer. Dreher Bak is a full-bodied dark beer with a taste of malt and caramel. Arany Ászok, another brand from Dreher, belongs to a lighter pilsner type category, and it has a distinctive bitter taste.

Soproni

The Soproni Brewery, now a member of the Heineken group, is the second most popular beer in Hungary. If you are looking for a brown beer with a distinguishable and calling aroma, you should definitely try Soproni Fekete Démon.

Borsodi

Borsodi Brewery is a relatively new brand. If you are found of strong lager beers, then Borsodi Bivaly is something definitely worth trying.

Artisan beers from Pécs

Pécs Brewery is the oldest brewing company in Hungary, founded in 1848. The brewery is located in Pécs, the capital of Baranya county in southwestern Hungary. This beer is brewed from the karst water of Mecsek. Szalon Sör is considered to be the flagship of Pécs. It is a pale ale with an alcohol content of 4.6%. If you are looking for some Mediterranean vibes, Szalon Sör is your choice. However, do not get surprised when the Hungarians will not clink beer glasses with you. It is believed that in 1849 the Austrians celebrated the execution of 13 Hungarian patriots by clinking their beer glasses. So Hungarians have traditionally promised not to do it for 150 years. The time may have passed now, but the old habits die hard.

Back