Although beer (sör in Hungarian) has been produced for over a thousand years in Hungary, its beer scene has traditionally been dominated by mass produced brands like Borsodi, Soproni and Dreher (named after a man who was instrumental to the development of pale lager). While these brands can produce pretty good beers – I’m quite a fan of the dark Dreher beer – the country has been far more famous traditionally for its wines than its beers (you can read our guide to Hungarian wines here).
The Hungarian beer scene, however, has joined in the craft beer revolution in recent years with breweries heavily experimenting and creating some astounding results. The modern Hungarian craft beer scene reminds me of the beers from our native Wales, with very interesting creations that nail intriguing flavours and parallels can be drawn between the fantastic Hungarian craft brewery Mad Scientist and the Welsh Tiny Rebel.
When you come across a beer labelled as having some bizarre flavour, it’s natural to be sceptical. This scepticism was blown away by the quality of Hungarian breweries, like chocolate mint porters, vanilla milk stouts and mango milk shake lagers. Like other craft brewing scenes, Hungary is looking far beyond its own borders for inspiration and now produces excellent Belgian style wheat beers, English style ales and dark ales.
The Hungarian beer scene really took us by surprise and is brimming with a youthful innovation. Having visited Prague before Budapest, the contrasts were clear. While Czech beers have traditionally been, and continue to be, of excellent quality, the historic success of the big Czech names and styles seems to have led to a situation where there’s little need for innovation. A radically different situation in Hungary seems to have allowed for a booming craft beer scene. Explore and enjoy.
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