Winter is almost over and spring seems to be on its way. As the snows melt and the season draws to its end, what’s new in the world of Romanian craft beer? The year may only be in its second month but the brewers have been busy, keeping our glasses filled with new and exciting beers and concocting all manner of treats.

In the meantime, like a spilt pint on the bar, craft beer is spreading and reaching further corners of the country. Increasing numbers of bars are opening their doors to our favorite tipple and more and more punters are beginning to enjoy the delights of fresh, natural brews. Also, we’ve noticed movements and noises coming from hidden away places, hinting that there may soon be some new breweries entering the fray..

Fill ‘em up!

Well well, 2017 has barely begun and already we’re seeing new beers popping up around the country. There have been some new and exciting combinations as well as some more traditional brews.

• Ground Zero & Bereta start the year of with another collaboration, this time merging two of their most popular beers to make Imperial Juice. It’s a limited, one time brew that is best enjoyed fresh, so get it while it lasts! Find it;
  • Bucharest:
    • Piua Book Bar, Beer o`Clock, Zeppelin Pub, City Blues, Dianei 4, Re:Modelier, FIX me a drink, The Urbanist and The ‘Real Beer’ Shop
  • Iasi: Beer Zone and Bacania Noua,
  • Galati: Gourmet by Delishop
  • Sibiu: St Andrews Scottish Pub
  • Brasov: Croitoria de cafea
  • Timisoara: Viniloteca, Bibliotheka si Reciproc
  • Cluj: Liquor Store Cluj
  • Arad: Cafeneaua Literara Joy’s
  • Online at Berero Store
• Nemteana have stepped things up and have released an amber beer, after exclusively producing their classic pilsner for several years.
• Cazino have kept busy by giving traditional lager a hoppy twist. Their IPL (India Pale Lager) is dosed with five different hop varieties, promising a punchy, flavoursome lager. It can be bought by the bottle at their selling point at Piata Balada, Constanta.
• Hop Hooligans get the year off to a good start with two offerings that are sure to intrigue and delight.
  • Dumpster Bear (7%) Blueberry Milk Stout
  • Emperor (6.5%) Mango Wheat Ale

Both can be found by the bottle in craft beer bars and shops around the country, as well as online at berero. It looks as if it won’t end here either, the supply of new beers looks set to continue with some variety of vanilla, coffee beer. I’d guess it’ll be a stout of some sort, but you never know with these lads!

Rumblings in the pipeline

Aside from some great new beers to enjoy, there is a fair amount of activity in closed off buildings around the country as more craft breweries look set to open their doors this year. We have also seen suggestions of new beers coming soon..

• Oriel have had their equipment delivered and are in the process of installing it now. They’ve already got several batches of their superb Belgian beers bottled and casked for maturation and we hope to see them on the market within a few months!
• Capra Noastra are another new name to look out for. Based in Iasi they will also be producing Belgian style beers. Look out for them coming soon.
• Something wicked this way comes… This weekend saw Wicked Barrel join the guys at Ground Zero to create a monster! We believe Engine Oil is the first gypsy brew we’ll see from these guys, but it certainly won’t be the last! It’ll be some time before it reaches the market as the brew ferments and matures, but keep your eyes peeled, you won’t want to miss this one!

In other news…

That’s what is new now and what to look out for in the not too distant future. There are a couple of other things worth mentioning. For those in Cluj Napoca and Baia-Mare you can now get fantastic, natural Romanian cider at Auchan. You’ve missed out on the free samples, but Harvester Cider is well worth checking out next time you’re getting your groceries.

And finally, even though it’s a little late in the day, we’d like to tip our hats off to Bereta and Ground Zero. Bereta took home two awards from RateBeer at the end of last year, being crowned the Best New Brewer In Romania, with Juicebag being named the Best Beer in Romania 2016. Ground Zero took the prize of Top Brewer in Romania. Nice one folks.