Best Beer in Budapest Hungary

What is the best beer in (Budapest) Hungary?

The best beers in Hungary opening phrase is a great way to stir an enthusiastic debate in a pub. That being said, most Hungarians like drinking more affordable local beers, especially pilsner-style lagers. And unfortunately, Hungarian beers did not make into the best beers in the world, like the Belgian Westvleteren, the Swedish, Närke Kaggen Stormaktsporter or the American Cigar City Bourbon Barrel Aged Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout or another American the Three Floyds Oak Aged Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout. What long bubbling beer names!

But some of the Hungarian beers did win awards at the Belgian Monde Selection International Institute for Quality Selections in 2010: Arany Aszok beer and Dreher Bak beer got golden medals (Grand Gold). Soproni beer and Dreher Classic are both reliably good, they received the International Excellence title (as they were awarded gold medals in their own categories for several years. Soproni for 3 years consecutively while Dreher Classic for 9 consecutive years!) (source MTI via Bumm.sk)

BEER is called SOR (say: shir) in Hungarian.

Most beer-drinkers enjoy Dreher, Aszok, Kobanyai from the Hungarian beer palette. Dreher has been more or less the leading beer in Hungary – since 1862.

Aszok is a fermentation method including storing the liquid in a barrel for secondary fermentation. Typical Aszok beers in Hungary include

  • Aranyaszok (golden aszok)
  • Soproni Aszok (named after Sopron town)
  • Borsodi Aszok (named after Borsod river).

Further beers: Kinizsi is also a well-known brand (named after Pal Kinizsi, a famous soldier fighting with King Matthias in the 15th century. Kinizsi did in many a Turkish guys during the Hungarian-Turkish battles). Kanizsa (sounds similar to Kinizsi, but Kanizsa is a Hungarian town)

Nevertheless, you will find all the major beer brands in Hungary from Belgian beers through German beers to American beers: e.g. Holstein, Rolling Rock, Coronita, Edelweis, Pilsner Urquell, Guinness, Abbey, Leffe, Stella Artois, Heineken, Gosser, Amstel, Zlaty Bazant, Schlossgold, Buckler, Steffl, Gold Fassl, or even Delirium Tremens and other less well-known beers, if you go the right pub in Budapest.