Berlin Craft Beer Bar: Hops and Barley
Imagine a traditional German pub with modern sensibilities, popular with locals and visitors, and with their own brewery. Berlin craft beer bar, Hops and Barley, is all of these things in one brightly lit location.
Hops & Barley, not far from Boxhaganer Platz, has been serving up their own craft beer and cider to thirsty locals since 2008. Homemade cider and several types of beer on tap make it worth a visit.
This is definitely a laid back pub with excellent beer and cider. Check out Hops & Barley craft beer bar in Berlin’s Friedrichshain neighborhood.
Hops and Barley is a great craft beer pub in FriedrichshainWhere to stay in Berlin
Berlin has lots of great neighborhoods for you to stay in and explore. If you’re visiting Berlin for the first time, it might be best for you stay somewhere central.
Many of the attractions are in Mitte or easily connected to Mitte by Berlin’s public transport, so you should stay somewhere in that region. Here are a few hotels we recommend.
For a more detailed look at the different neighborhoods and our hotel recommendations, check out our guide to where to stay in Berlin.
Or read my full review of the 25Hours Hotel in Charlottenburg with fantastic views of the Zoo and Tiergarten.
Hops and Barley craft beer bar in Berlin
Here’s what you can expect from Hops and Barley, including types of craft beer, food options, location, and more.
>>Read: 15 Best Beer Gardens in Berlin
Basic Details
Type of place: Brewery, Taproom
Allows smoking?: Not in the main room, but there is a separate smoking room
Food options: Flammkuchen, occasionally other bar snacks
What kinds of craft beer does Hops and Barley have?
In Short: Several taps of their own brewed beer including their own cider
Hops & Barley enjoy trying different ingredients and different types of hops to brew unique beers, and you’ll find something new there almost every week. Their beer is not filtered, which enhances the beer’s natural taste.
They have four standard beers on tap: a pilsner style, a dark beer, a wheat beer (weizen), and their own cider. Beyond this they have several taps for seasonal beers. On our visit, the seasonal beers included an amber and a stout. I tried both and very much enjoyed them.
The blackboard menu lists the taps along with alcohol percentage and the BE values. BE stands for Bitter Units in German, and the higher the number, the more bitter the beer is supposed to be.
>>Read: Staying at 25Hours Hotel Berlin: Hotel Review with a Fantastic View
Non-Beer Options
Hops and Barley has their own brewed cider on tap. This is unique as often bars offer only bottled cider. Like their beer, it’s also unfiltered, so it’s a bit cloudy.
Beyond this, they have a menu of wine, spirits, and soft drinks. So if you’re bringing a friend who doesn’t drink beer, there are other beverage options to enjoy.
Hops & Barley’s own ciderPrice?
At the time of writing, it was 3.80 euro for a pint of their own standard beer including the cider. The seasonal specialties were a bit higher. On average, you can expect beers to be somewhere around 4 or 5 euros.
What is Hops & Barley like?
This is a place to enjoy beer with friends and almost everything aims toward this purpose.
Two front rooms have a handful of tables and windows that look out to the street. Behind the fairly small bar area the place goes back to more seating.
In warmer months, you’ll also find several tables outside on the sidewalk where you can sit and enjoy a beer.
The decor is not fussy with clean green walls and white trim. This might be the most German of places. Functionality and purpose take a back seat to overdone decoration.
We counted a rough 20 tables. Some are big enough to share with other visitors. Lighting is bright and welcoming, especially on a dark winter evening.
Although I’m sure you could order at the bar, we were served at the table by an efficient and pleasant guy. There wasn’t any music that we could notice. It was quite filled with people, so it wasn’t silent at all, but we could still easily have a conversation.
Hops & Barley often shows certain football (soccer) games on projection screens. They also sometimes offer brewery courses and brewery tours. Check their site for more information.
Overall this is just a really nice laid back place to have a good beer with some friends. Try the long table outside in the summer.
Hops & Barley in Friedrichshain brews some tasty beersWhat makes it unique?
- Cider on tap
- Bright lighting
- Laid back vibe
How to Find Hops and Barley
URL: hopsandbarley.eu
Open: Monday–Friday from 5pm, Saturday/Sunday from 3pm
Address: Wühlischstr. 22/23, 10245 Berlin
Closest transport: Wühlischstr./Gärtnerstr. on the M13
Berlin craft beer tour
Are you interested in learning more about Berlin’s craft beer scene? A beer tour like this one will help you experience more craft beer in Berlin at several locations.
Berlin Travel Resources
I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this review of Hops & Barley craft beer bar in Berlin is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!
- 101 Best Things to do in Berlin
- 23 Impressive Castles in Berlin (And Nearby)
- 27 Best World War II & Cold War Sights in Berlin
- 29 Fun Day Trips From Berlin
- 75 Things to Know Before Visiting Berlin: Essential Berlin Travel Tips
- What to Wear & What to Pack for Berlin, Germany: Your Ultimate Berlin Packing List
- How to Get Around in Berlin: An Easy Guide to Berlin Public Transportation
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Ali is originally from the US, but she’s been living in Germany since 2011. In 2015, she and her husband moved to Berlin where they now live with their small dog. They even bought an apartment in Berlin in 2021 – Berlin is definitely home now! Ali’s goal is to show you everything you need to know for enjoying a trip to Berlin.
