When it comes to beers, we like to try different things. We like to try something that you cannot find in the supermarket or the spots here in Berlin. This is why we always go to beer events, and this is how we managed to find a way to visit the guys at Bierfabrik here in Berlin.
We met the guys from Bierfabrik during Braufest Berlin 2015 and loved their beers, and we knew more people needed to know about them.
When people think about beer, the country that comes to their heads is Germany, usually, they picture these scenes from Oktoberfest, where women carry huge glasses of beer. But that is Bavaria, and Berlin is a different place.
That doesn’t mean that Berlin doesn’t have all the beers you can find in Bavaria. It is just different; some people like it, and we are one of these people.
You can find the Bierfabrik in a nondescript low-rise building in Marzahn. But everything started at the Wedding a few years before. Andre Schleypen, Julian Schmidt, and Sebastian Mergel used to get together to brew their own beer.
Sometimes, it was on Sebastian’s balcony; sometimes, it was on Julian’s roof, but over time, it was a success. They could only produce 30 liters at a time and often brought their beers to parties and open-air festivals. The feedback they received was so positive that they became gypsy brewers, going from party to party and producing different beers.
One day, they decided to go nuts and build their own brewery. And this is the place we visited in Marzahn. Finding where they produce one of the best beers Berlin has to offer wasn’t simple. The beer factory is located where the Old Marzahn Market used to be, and this was the place where animals were traded a long time ago. Later, after the end of the Second World War, the area was used by the Red Army to store military equipment. During the GDR era, the terrain was used to practice military parades, and this place has nothing to do with war or anything remotely similar.
The Alte Börse Marzahn, as it is called today, is a beautiful place filled with art and a certain rural charm. Since it opened in 2013, the Alte Börse Marzahn has been home to a vibrant community that houses the Czar Hagestolz club, a harpsichord workshop, a yoga school, and the Bierfabrik. You can also see many sculptures from the metal artists who used to work in the famous Tacheles.
But we are not here to talk about art. We are here to talk about Bierfabrik and its unique beers. And they have a lot of beers to offer. Some are seasonal, some are collaborations with bars and friends, and some are always there.
All of them are great, but we have some favorites. Wedding Pale Ale is the first that comes to our minds, and that is definitely the first one you need to try from the Bierfabrik. Also, you need to test the Red Lager Rotbier. It is not easy to find red beer in Germany, but they have it, which is excellent.
But our favorite one is a smoked bock beer called the Swanson. When Sebastian Mergel showed us this beer, we freaked out for a moment since Parks and Recreation is one of our favorite shows ever, and we love Ron Swanson. So, don’t tell us you have no idea what we are talking about. Please, don’t do that.
If you need to try one beer from the Bierfabrik, the Swanson is the one you need to try. This smoked bock beer is not heavy on the taste like other bock beers, making us even bigger fans of this small brewery in Berlin.
Also, the label proves that Ron Swanson is a god among men.
You can visit the Bierfabrik every Monday to Friday, from 13:00 to 16:00. Everyone gets a small tour that includes a quick look at the brewery, how they make beer, and their production rooms. You can also buy most of their bottles there, and this is a must-do in Berlin for those who love beers. We did it and were writing it here to let you know how cool it was.
But, if you don’t want to go to Marzahn, you can find the beers from the Bierfabrik all around Berlin. In Friedrichshain, you can find beers from the Bierfabrik at Bierlieb, Burgeramt, Getränkefeinkost and Szimpla Kaffeehaus Budapest. You can find their beers in Kreuzberg at Hopfenreich and John Muir Bar. In Neukölln, these bars have beers: IPA Bar and the Mapu Bar.
We strongly advise all beer lovers to go to the factory and see how this small Berliner brewery makes its own beers.
If you are not in Berlin and want to buy their beers, go to berlinerbierfabrik.com and order from there. They ship 8 and 24 beer boxes and merchandise as well. You need it, and we know you do.
Bierfabrik: Brewing Beers in Marzahn
Beilsteiner Str. 51 – 85
House 23
12681 Berlin
