Quick answer
Hamburg is Germany's craft beer capital — a 1,000-year brewing history now fused with a thriving indie brewery scene. The Schanzenviertel neighborhood packs 5+ craft beer spots within a 10-minute walk. Beer runs €4–€7 per half-liter, and the vibe is industrial-chic, unpretentious, and very Hamburg.
- Best overall
- Ratsherrn Brauerei
- Best for food
- ÜberQuell (pizza + beer)
- Best bottle shop
- Beyond Beer
- Best budget
- Landgang Brauerei
- Last verified
- 2026-03
Top verdicts
- Ratsherrn Brauerei: Hamburg's flagship craft brewery — the anchor of the Schanzenviertel beer scene with an on-site shop and adjacent restaurant.
- ÜberQuell: The best brewery-restaurant combo in Hamburg. St. Pauli waterfront, wood-fired pizza, and a stunning summer beer garden.
- Beyond Beer: Germany's premier craft beer bottle shop — 1,000+ bottles from around the world, plus rotating taps.
Hamburg's craft beer scene offers diverse experiences, with prices ranging from €4 to €9 per drink, and Ratsherrn Brauerei stands out as a top recommendation. The best time to explore is during the summer when outdoor seating is prevalent in neighborhoods like Schanzenviertel.
Hamburg has a 1,000-year brewing history — and for most of that time, the Reinheitsgebot (beer purity law) kept things traditional. Pilsners dominated, big brands like Astra and Holsten ruled, and innovation was limited. But in the last decade, a wave of independent breweries has quietly made Hamburg one of Europe's most interesting craft beer cities.
We dug through Reddit threads on r/hamburg, r/beer, r/CraftBeer, and r/Untappd, cross-referenced with local beer blogs and guides, to find where actual beer lovers drink in Hamburg. The Schanzenviertel neighborhood is the epicenter — you can hit 5 world-class craft beer spots without walking more than 10 minutes. Here are the 12 best.
Craft Beer Map — Hamburg
1. Ratsherrn Brauerei
🕐 Hours
MonClosed
Tue12:00–8:00 PM
Wed12:00–8:00 PM
Thu12:00–8:00 PM
Fri12:00–8:00 PM
Sat12:00–8:00 PM
SunClosed
What to order: Ratsherrn Brauerei, a 4.5-star brewery in Schanzenviertel (Lagerstraße 30a), offers beers for €4–€7. Start with their flagship Ratsherrn Rotbier (red ale) and the seasonal IPA. The brewery shop sells bottles and growlers to take home.
"If you're in Hamburg, check out Ratsherrn. They make fantastic seasonal brews. They also have their own shop (the Craft Beer Store) in the same building."
— r/germany · 2022
"Ratsherrn is one of the city's most popular and successful craft brewers — they brought in well-known American brewer Ian Pyle to revive the brand."
— r/CraftBeer · 2026
tabiji verdict: Hamburg's flagship craft brewery and the anchor of the Schanzenviertel beer scene. The on-site shop is one of the best curated craft beer stores in northern Germany.
💰 €5–€8 per beer, €12–€22 mains
📍 Lagerstraße 28b, Schanzenviertel
📌 Google Maps →
🕐 Hours
Mon12:00 PM–12:00 AM
Tue12:00 PM–12:00 AM
Wed12:00 PM–12:00 AM
Thu12:00 PM–12:00 AM
Fri12:00 PM–1:00 AM
Sat12:00 PM–1:00 AM
Sun10:00 AM–10:00 PM
What to order: Altes Mädchen, a 4.3-star Braugasthaus in Schanzenviertel (Lagerstraße 28b), serves beers for €5–€8 and mains for €12–€22. Their grilled meats pair perfectly with the Ratsherrn beer selection. Try the tasting paddle to sample multiple brews, and don't skip the pretzel.
"Altes Mädchen is the go-to brewpub in Hamburg. Adjacent to the Ratsherrn brewery, great food and an impressive array of local and international beers."
— r/hamburg · 2023
"Best craftbeer bars: Altes Mädchen for the full brewery restaurant experience with great food."
— r/beer · 2022
tabiji verdict: The Ratsherrn brewpub — think industrial-chic beer hall with serious food. One of Hamburg's most popular restaurants, period. Go early on weekends or expect a wait.
💰 €4–€7 per beer, €10–€16 pizza
📍 St. Pauli Fischmarkt 28-32, St. Pauli
📌 Google Maps →
🕐 Hours
Mon5:00–11:00 PM
Tue5:00–11:00 PM
Wed5:00–11:00 PM
Thu5:00–11:00 PM
Fri5:00 PM–12:00 AM
Sat3:00 PM–12:00 AM
Sun3:00–10:00 PM
What to order: ÜberQuell, a 4.5-star brewery in St. Pauli (St. Pauli Fischmarkt 28-32), offers beers for €4–€7 and pizzas for €10–€16. Their IPA and White IPA are flagships. The wood-fired pizza is genuinely excellent — not an afterthought. Try the seasonal specials from the 7-tank on-site brewery.
"For German-Craft-Beer-Brewery-Beer-Garden: ÜberQuell. I like the bar of the ÜberQuell brewery a lot, especially in the summer when you can sit outside. They also make good pizza."
— r/hamburg · 2023
"ÜberQuell is one of the newest additions to Hamburg's craft beer scene. Located in the listed Riverkasematten building on the edge of St. Pauli's fish market."
— r/beer · 2022
tabiji verdict: The best brewery-restaurant combo in Hamburg. The St. Pauli waterfront location with beer garden is stunning in summer. Pizza + craft beer + harbor views = hard to beat.
💰 €2.50–€8+ per bottle, €5–€7 on tap
📍 Weidenallee 55, Schanzenviertel
📌 Google Maps →
🕐 Hours
Mon12:00–8:00 PM
Tue12:00–8:00 PM
Wed12:00–8:00 PM
Thu12:00–10:00 PM
Fri12:00–10:00 PM
Sat12:00–10:00 PM
SunClosed
What to order: Beyond Beer, a 4.7-star bottle shop in Schanzenviertel (Weidenallee 55), sells bottles from €2.50–€8+ and offers beers on tap for €5–€7. Ask the staff for recommendations — they're incredibly knowledgeable. The rotating taps showcase rare German and international craft beers you won't find elsewhere.
"Beyond Beer, one of the biggest craft beer shops in Germany is located there. They carry a huge collection of national and international beers."
— r/beer · 2022
"Beyond Beer is a bottle shop but they also have a couple of beers on tap that are amazing. Probably the biggest craft beer selection in Hamburg."
— r/hamburg · 2024
tabiji verdict: Germany's premier craft beer bottle shop. Over 1,000 bottles from around the world, plus rotating taps. The staff are genuine beer nerds who'll match you with the perfect bottle. Essential for taking craft beer home.
🕐 Hours
MonClosed
Tue4:00 PM–12:00 AM
Wed4:00 PM–12:00 AM
Thu4:00 PM–12:00 AM
Fri4:00 PM–2:00 AM
Sat3:00 PM–2:00 AM
Sun3:00–11:00 PM
What to order: Bar Oorlam, a 4.6-star Buddelship taproom in Neustadt (Kohlhöfen 29), serves beers for €4–€7. Try Buddelship's barrel-aged beers and the rotating sour selection. The French salami and Dutch cheese pairings are excellent. Ask about the genever pairings — the owner's wife is a genever distiller.
"The best craftbeer bars (in my opinion) are as follows: Bar Oorlam — the official taproom for Buddelship brewery. Great selection of barrel aged and sour beers."
— r/hamburg · 2023
"Bar Oorlam has 15 taps constantly changing. Always something for everybody — from IPAs to sours to barrel-aged specials."
— r/beer · 2023
tabiji verdict: The official taproom for Buddelship brewery — Hamburg's most respected craft brewer for barrel-aged and sour beers. The cozy, unpretentious vibe is the antithesis of a beer hall. This is for real craft beer connoisseurs.
What to order: Galopper des Jahres, a 4.3-star craft beer bar in Schanzenviertel (Schulterblatt 73), offers beers for €4–€7. Check the 12 rotating taps — they change frequently. Great selection of German and international craft beers. The venue also hosts live music, pub quizzes, and Meet-the-Brewer events.
"Galopper des Jahres — independent craft beer bar in the heart of Schanze. Great selection, right next to the famous Rote Flora. Rustical and authentic."
— r/hamburg · 2023
"Galopper (independent craft beer bar. Great selection). It's a cooperation between a bakery during the day and bar with club at night."
— r/hamburg · 2023
tabiji verdict: The most authentically Schanze craft beer bar — right next to the iconic squatted Rote Flora theatre. Bakery by day, craft beer bar and occasional music venue by night. The polar opposite of corporate beer culture.
🕐 Hours
MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed5:00–9:00 PM
Thu5:00–9:00 PM
Fri5:00–11:00 PM
Sat2:00–11:00 PM
SunClosed
What to order: Landgang Brauerei, a 4.6-star brewery in Bahrenfeld (Beerenweg 12), serves beers for €4–€6. Try the seasonal Tutti Frutti sour — it's their signature. The 10-tap bar is made from a shipping container clad with wood reclaimed from a Reeperbahn brothel.
"Landgang Brauerei — industrial-chic awaits at this small Bahrenfeld-based craft brewery. You can taste the creations at the in-house bar built from a repurposed shipping container."
— hamburg.com · Official tourism guide
"Landgang is a bit off the beaten track in Altona but worth the trip. Great experimental beers and weekend brewery tours."
— r/hamburg · 2024
tabiji verdict: A proper working brewery in an industrial complex — drink among the brewing equipment and bottle stacks. The bar built from a shipping container wrapped in Reeperbahn brothel wood is peak Hamburg.
🕐 Hours
Mon5:00 PM–12:00 AM
Tue5:00 PM–12:00 AM
Wed5:00 PM–12:00 AM
Thu5:00 PM–12:00 AM
Fri5:00 PM–2:00 AM
Sat5:00 PM–2:00 AM
SunClosed
What to order: Craft Bier Bar Hamburg, a 4.5-star multi-tap bar in Altona (Max-Brauer-Allee 275), offers beers for €4–€7. With constantly rotating taps, ask the bartender what's freshest. They specialize in showcasing small German craft breweries you won't find elsewhere.
"Craft Bier Bar Hamburg has probably the biggest selection of craft beer on tap. A nice spot to try different craft beers from different breweries."
— r/hamburg · 2024
"Craft beer bar at Schanze is a nice spot to try different craft beers from different breweries, but not necessarily from Hamburg."
— r/hamburg · 2024
tabiji verdict: The multi-tap specialist — more rotating taps than anywhere else in Hamburg. Not tied to any one brewery, so you get the widest variety of German and international craft beers in one sitting.
🕐 Hours
MonClosed
TueClosed
Wed5:00–11:00 PM
Thu5:00–11:00 PM
Fri5:00 PM–12:00 AM
Sat5:00 PM–12:00 AM
SunClosed
What to order: The Baby Goat House, a 4.7-star craft beer bar in Rotherbaum (Grindelhof 85), serves beers for €4–€7. Well-tempered, balanced beers — they won't overwhelm you with bitter hops. Great session beers and drinkable pilsners alongside stronger IPAs. Vegan food options available.
"Baby Goat is a hidden gem. Two friends who met playing field hockey, went to Edinburgh to study brewing, and came back to open this cozy spot in the university district."
— Robin & the Tour Guides · Hamburg beer guide
"Nice beer garden in front when the weather's good. Well-balanced beers — not just hop bombs. Great atmosphere in the student quarter."
— r/hamburg · 2023
tabiji verdict: The backstory is perfect Hamburg: two field hockey friends went to Edinburgh to learn brewing, got sent on a wild goose chase looking for a bar called 'Baby Goat' in Spain, and decided to make it real. Cozy, authentic, and with a beer garden.
What to order: Alles Elbe, a 4.8-star craft beer bar in St. Pauli (Hein-Hoyer-Straße 63), offers beers for €4–€7. Great selection of local and international craft beers. Strong focus on German craft breweries. The vibe is unpretentious St. Pauli — come as you are.
"Alles Elbe in Hein Hoyer Strasse. Great service and a lot of different craft beers, international and local ones."
— r/hamburg · 2018
"Alles Elbe is a solid craft beer bar in St. Pauli — good mix of local Hamburg brews and international selections."
— r/hamburg · 2023
tabiji verdict: The highest-rated craft beer bar in Hamburg on Google (4.8★). Small, unpretentious, and deeply embedded in St. Pauli's neighborhood culture. The kind of place where locals drink.
💰 €4–€6 per beer, €12–€20 mains
📍 Willy-Brandt-Straße 47, HafenCity
📌 Google Maps →
🕐 Hours
MonClosed
Tue4:00 PM–12:00 AM
Wed4:00 PM–12:00 AM
Thu4:00 PM–12:00 AM
Fri4:00 PM–12:00 AM
Sat4:00 PM–12:00 AM
SunClosed
What to order: Gröninger Privatbrauerei, a 4.1-star historic brewery in HafenCity (Willy-Brandt-Straße 47), serves beers for €4–€6 and mains for €12–€20. Tap your own Gröninger Pils from old wooden barrels in the basement — it's the house specialty. Also try the Hamburger Helles. Pair with classic northern German pub food.
"Gröninger has a brewing tradition going back 225 years — Hamburg's oldest brewery. Down in the basement bar, you can tap your own Pils from old wooden barrels."
— Man vs Globe · Hamburg craft beer guide
"Good for a taste of old Hamburg beer culture. Not exactly craft in the modern sense but historically important and the basement atmosphere is unique."
— r/hamburg · 2023
tabiji verdict: Hamburg's oldest brewery — 225+ years of brewing history. Not craft beer in the modern sense, but essential context for understanding Hamburg's beer culture. The medieval basement where you tap your own pils is a one-of-a-kind experience.
🕐 Hours
MonClosed
TueClosed
WedClosed
Thu6:00 PM–12:00 AM
Fri6:00 PM–12:00 AM
SatClosed
SunClosed
What to order: Bunthaus Brauerei, a 4.8-star brewery in Wilhelmsburg (Moorwerder Hauptdeich 33), is known for its wild ales and offers beers for €4–€7. Their wild ales and sours are the draw — try the Flemish beetroot sour, the elderflower wild ale, or the Vietnamese gose with fish sauce and lemongrass. Nothing else in Hamburg tastes like this.
"Bunthaus uses brettanomyces and wild yeasts to produce sour and wild ales — a Flemish beetroot sour, elderflower wild ale, and a Vietnamese gose with fish sauce and lemongrass."
— Man vs Globe · Hamburg craft beer guide
"Only open two days a week but worth the trek to Wilhelmsburg if you're into sour beers and wild ales. Two friends — one brewer, one biologist — making crazy experimental stuff."
— r/beer · 2023
tabiji verdict: The most experimental brewery in Hamburg — a biologist-turned-brewer making wild ales in Wilhelmsburg. Only open Thursday and Friday evenings, so plan ahead. The Vietnamese gose with fish sauce and lemongrass alone is worth the trip.
FAQs
Is Hamburg good for craft beer?
Yes — Hamburg is widely considered Germany's craft beer capital alongside Berlin. The city has a thriving scene with established breweries like Ratsherrn, ÜberQuell, and Landgang, plus excellent bottle shops and multi-tap bars. The Schanzenviertel neighborhood alone has enough craft beer spots for a full day of bar-hopping. While Germany's Reinheitsgebot (beer purity law) historically slowed craft innovation, Hamburg's brewers have been at the forefront of pushing boundaries since the early 2010s.
What is the best craft beer neighborhood in Hamburg?
The Schanzenviertel (Schanze) is Hamburg's craft beer epicenter. Ratsherrn Brauerei, Altes Mädchen, Beyond Beer, Galopper des Jahres, and Craft Bier Bar Hamburg are all within a 10-minute walk of each other. St. Pauli is strong too, with ÜberQuell and Alles Elbe. Altona/Bahrenfeld has Landgang Brauerei. For a craft beer crawl, start at Ratsherrn/Altes Mädchen and work your way through Schanze.
How much does craft beer cost in Hamburg?
Expect to pay €4–€7 for a half-liter (0.5L) of craft beer on tap at most bars and breweries. Specialty or imported craft beers can run €5–€9. Bottle shops like Beyond Beer sell individual bottles from €2.50–€8+ depending on style and rarity. Compared to London or Scandinavian cities, Hamburg's craft beer is very affordable. A solid night of craft beer tasting at 3-4 venues might cost €30–€50.
What local Hamburg breweries should I try?
The essential Hamburg breweries are: Ratsherrn (the city's flagship craft brewery, IPAs and pilsners), ÜberQuell (brewery-restaurant in St. Pauli with great pizza), Landgang (experimental brewery in Bahrenfeld with a shipping-container bar), Buddelship (barrel-aged and sour specialists, served at Bar Oorlam), and Bunthaus (wild ales and sour beers from Wilhelmsburg). Kehrwieder Kreativbrauerei on the outskirts is also highly regarded.
Can I do a craft beer tour in Hamburg?
Yes. The Schanzenviertel area is compact enough for a self-guided crawl: start at Ratsherrn Brauerei for a brewery tour (mostly in German), then walk to Altes Mädchen next door, Beyond Beer across the street, and Galopper des Jahres around the corner. Ratsherrn and ÜberQuell both offer formal brewery tours on weekends. Several local companies also run guided craft beer tours covering 3-4 breweries in an afternoon.
What is the best time to visit Hamburg's craft beer bars?
Most taprooms and bars open between 4-6pm on weekdays and from noon or 2pm on weekends. Thursday through Saturday evenings are the liveliest. Some breweries like Landgang are only open Wednesday-Saturday. Summer is ideal — many spots have beer gardens or outdoor seating. The Schanze neighborhood comes alive on warm evenings with people drinking outside. Avoid Monday and Tuesday when several craft beer spots are closed.
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