But New Year’s Eve was last week. Aren’t you too late to write some random “Best Of The Year” brewery list?
Not yet. In Serbia, according to the Julian Calendar, the Orthodox Old New Year is in two weeks, on Sunday, January 14th. Likewise, the Orthodox Christmas is on Sunday, January 7th. Right now, the country is in high holiday spirits; it’s a fine time to drink good beer. Since the most important holiday in Serbia always falls on the 7th of the year’s first month, it’s an ideal number to list the Best Craft Breweries in Serbia (On Untappd.)
Generally, I hate writing top whatever lists. Often, they are purely subjective and influenced by whoever is nice to the writer. So I let Untappd, the craft beer community’s most well-known app, choose the best. Here’s how it happened:
- First, I chose “Top Rated Breweries.”
- Next, I selected “Nearby,” with Belgrade, Serbia, being the center.
- Finally, I set “Distance” to 75 Miles (120 Kilometers.) At any greater distance, I received results from neighboring Romania and Croatia.
And Untappd showed me the ranking. In addition to the breweries’ general information, I’ve included three beers to try from each place. These are not necessarily the brewery’s best beers. But they are brews that show how Serbia, for having quite a new craft beer scene, has a lot to offer.
The 7 Best Craft Breweries In Serbia (On Untappd)
Crna Ovca Craft Brewery
Stari Banovci, Fruskagorska bb, Novi Sad
Previously, Crna Ovca Craft Brewery operated as brewpub in Zemun, Belgrade. But they closed down and opted for nationwide bottling distribution instead.
Although the brewery is located in northern Novi Sad, their presence is greatest in Serbia’s southern city, Nis. Still, you can recognize Crna Ovca’s colorful, bright bottles in craft beer shops and bars around the country.
On tap their beer it’s harder to find, but they appear frequently at national craft beer festivals in the summertime.
Black Sheep Cascadian IPA, 6.5%ABV: Crna Ovca began brewing right when Black IPAs were at their peak. For those who still love this rare style, look for their bitter, chocolaty flagship brew.
Sixty-Nine IPA, 6.9% ABV: Supposedly clocking in right at 6.9 ABV, this is a classic West Coast IPA, with red berry, mango and banana fruit tones.
Teska Industrija Pilsner, 4.8% ABV: Their newest beer is, ironically, an old classic, crisp unfiltered pilsner.
Crow Brewery
Save Kovacevica 22, Vranovo
Take a break from the city of Belgrade, and visit the nearby village of Vranovo, where everyone knows Boban, the brewer of Crow Brewery.
Boban’s family had a generation of wine and rakija production in their blood, but he went down a different path, and fell in love with craft beer. Now, Crow Brewery is one of the largest craft breweries in Serbia, and probably the most experimental.
Practically every month, Crow releases a new beer – be it with fruit, vegetable, tea or something else. Besides this, they are also one of Serbia’s first breweries to start a barrel-aging program.
Alien Spice Ale, 5.2% ABV: This unusual ale features a herb from the Rtanj Mountain which is commonly used in teas. In beer, it imparts flavors of oregano, parsley and pepper.
Caiman American IPA, 6.5% ABV: It has the hop bill of a classic American IPA – Citra, Amarillo and Mosaic – plus Rakau for a clean bitter beer.
Black Widow Russian Imperial Stout, 9.9% ABV: The Black Widow started Crow’s barrel-aging program. This malty rich, leathery brew, with roasted barley, is now used as the base for Kentucky Bourbon, Cognac, Rum and their other stout varieties.
Docker Brewery
Zorza Klemansova 27b, Belgrade
Anyone who is in Belgrade for the first time will quickly find Docker Brewery. At just a 15 minute walk from Belgrade’s Republic Square, this is the most accessible craft brewery in Serbia. Also, Docker Brewery, with 36 taps, can boast of having Serbia’s largest fresh selection.
Docker has embraced a German biergarden ethic. Inside, it looks like a massive Munich beer hall, with high wooden rafters and large tables where you can share your beer with your neighbors. Outside, if the weather’s warm, you can take a table in their beer garden and order at their outdoor bar.
In a country where “brewpub” is still not in the common lexicon, this place has a full menu of typical German cuisine, and the beer styles favor German lagers and pilsners.
Annette Dark Lager, 4.5% ABV: A classic German Schwartzbier, brewed with five roasted malts that give it a smooth chocolate taste.
Hamato Yoshi Japanese Lager, 5.3% ABV: A take off of Japan’s famous Sapporo beer, with loads of rice and corn flavor that makes it sweet, yet still dry.
Lime Vs. Cucumber Gose, 4.5%: It’s part of a gose series featuring different vegetables. The refreshing cucumber is great in the summertime.
Mehanika Brewery
Bulevar Crven Armije 11g, New Belgrade
Across the Sava River. at the far end of New Belgrade, is cosey and inviting Mehanika Brewery. After several accolades, including a 2nd Place win in Serbia’s Homebrewing Competition, this team of rock’n’rollers started their own craft pub.
Inside, the pub looks like a miniature Hard Rock Cafe, and they play classic rock music, as well as having live bands, (full disclosure: I’m one) to complement this. But their dozen taps, both their own and other Serbian craft beers, are the real pleasure here. Their IPAs are often the highest rated in Serbia.
A welcoming staff, fun locals and a nice large patio, make this place well worth the trip outside of Belgrade’s center.
Druk Pilsner, 5.5% ABV: This Czech-style pilsner is light, spicy and lemony. Come early in the day, and you may get it garnished with some fresh hops on top.
Jesus American IPA 6.0% ABV: A great go-to beer with medium body and Citrus and Mandarin hops for flavor.
Prototype NEIPA 6.5% ABV: The first of a series of New England IPAs, each with different hop profiles. This one is strong, grassy and has various tropical fruit hints.
Zbir Brewery
93b Futoski Put, Novi Sad
Zbir Brewery, also spelled as 3bir Brewery, is Novi Sad’s destination craft brewery. This large, modern, glass-walled brewpub hosts regular tours of their facilities. After a tour, try their kitchen, with a full selection of classic bar food like burgers, chicken wings and fries.
There’s a dozen taps, with a few beers only available fresh on site. Several of their beers have won awards, so you can order flights if you aren’t sure what to choose. It’s outside the city center, so it’s a good place to start before seeing Novi Sad.
In their own words, “Authenticity, ability and love define everything Zbir Brewery makes.”
Strongboi NEIPA, 7.0% ABV: Currently Serbia’s #1 ranked beer on Untappd for 2024. It has a massive bill of the main three C hops, plus Equinox and Mosiac. Tangerine and Green Apple highlight this surprisingly easy-drinking beer.
Stolen Pine Tree Double Dry Hopped IPA, 6.7% ABV: Zbir’s other big beer made a Beer & Brewing “Best Of 2023” List. Its strong pine taste comes not just from hops, but from actual pine in the mix.
Podriguez Mexican Lager, 4.5% ABV: Perhaps Serbia’s only Mexican-style lager, it has corn flakes to give flavors of tortilla, salt and black pepper.
Hammer Of God (HOG) Brewery
Branka Copica 95, Novi Sad
The Scandinavian-themed HOG Brewery likes to name many of its beers after Nordic gods. They contract brew, so are not available for visits, but their beer is widely distributed on tap and in bottles throughout Serbia.
Their IPAs are their best-sellers, but they make many unique seasonal and one-off brews, including a regular Christmas Ale for the holiday season.
Loki Red Ale, 5.2% ABV: Nowadays, red ales are not a common choice for breweries, but HOG decided to make Loki part of their principle portfolio. Naturally, it’s caramel and sweet, but has a rustic woody aftertaste.
Coco Viking Porter, 5.2% ABV: A light rye porter that starts with bitter coffee, but features sweet tropical coconut.
Freyja Blonde, 4.5% ABV: This golden ale is smooth and malty, but has a strong hoppy backbone.
Zebrew Brewery
74e Brace Jerkovic Grad, Belgrade
Finally, after many years as an in demand homebrewery, Zebrew Brewery opened up their own nanobrewery on a quiet side street in southern Belgrade. Their “Zebrewnica” is a unique bar and arcade game room, which connects directly to their brewery.
The couple who run the place are very attentive to their guests and their beer. They focus on quality over quantity, with a list of no more than a dozen beers at any time.
This priority on quality is evident, as Zebrew is currently ranked the best craft brewery in Serbia on Untappd.
Sansho IPA, 7.0% ABV: The usual choice to add Japanese Pepper to this IPA gives it aromas of mint and green pine.
Double Bubble Pastry IPA, 8.2% ABV: When a beer tastes like bubblegum, it’s often a negative thing. But not in this case, where the addition of actual bubblegum and vanilla make this taste like vanilla peach cobbler in a can.
Sweet Milk Double Ice Cream Marzipan Stout, 8.7% ABV: This big stout has the most Serbian of liquors, vinjak (Serbian cognac,) added to it. This addition, along with vanilla and marzipan, make this a real sweet delicious treat.
For a tour of the best craft beer bars in Belgrade click: here
