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Gothenburg is the 2nd largest in Sweden, and the largest on the country’s West Coast. The city has a bit of a hipster reputation, with great restaurants, shopping, and culture. This of course includes craft beer, which is growing in popularity all over Sweden, but especially in such a cool city as Gothenburg. I spent a week visiting Gothenburg earlier this year, having the opportunity to drink beer in several places in the city. Here are my favorite places to drink craft beer in Gothenburg, including breweries, tap rooms, & beer bars.

The best craft beer bars in Gothenburg

Haket

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Haket was the first beer bar I visited in Gothenburg, and it was a great place to start. It’s on the western edges of the city at the end of the popular nightlife areas of Järntorget and Långgatorna. It’s a pleasant walk in nice weather, or there is a tram that passes right by the bar. Many of Gothenburg’s craft beer bars are located in this neighborhood.

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When I arrived at Haket, the sunny patio was busy, so I stayed inside for a bit before moving outside later. The bar has only seven taps, but hundreds of high-quality bottles from Sweden, Europe, and the USA will give you plenty to drink. They support the local craft beer scene, so much so that I had a DIPA from just 700m away. There is also a full bar for those who are not beer-inclined.

If the weather isn’t suited for sitting in the sun, the bar is great inside as well. They have a pub quiz and also show sporting events. I watched a Euro match between Wales & Portugal in the bar’s side room while having some sushi from the restaurant next door. It’s a fantastic place with friendly, knowledgeable staff.

Hops

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Hops is located just a block from Haket, making it a great place to continue a crawl back toward the rest of the city center. The bar has an excellent outside patio, a few taps of local beer, plus plenty of cans and bottles. This is a great spot to enjoy Sweden’s nice summer weather.

Book your hotel in Gothenburg now!

Ölstugan Tullen

Ölstugan Tullen (which translates to Alehouse Customs) is a small chain with several locations around Gothenburg. I visited their location in Långgatorna, which is across the street from The Rover.

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The bar features 13 taps of beer, bolstered by hundreds of other bottled Swedish beers. Go here if you want local beer!

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Ölstugan Tullen is busy, but not to the point of being overcrowded. I visited on Thursday & Saturday evenings and had no issue getting a seat at the bar. Bar seating can be hit or miss in many countries, so this is a friendly beer bar for solo travelers & those looking to meet some locals.

Brewers Beer Bar

Brewers Beer Bar is another popular bar in Långgatorna. The bar has 14 taps along with a selection of bottles. You can get half pours of the beers on offer.

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While there is some inside seating, in the summer months the street outside is transformed into a giant patio. There is an interesting rule that you can’t carry beer outside because you have to cross the sidewalk, which isn’t theirs, but the staff will help you out to the counter if you haven’t gotten a table. As far as the tables go, you’ll likely find yourself sharing with others, which is a nice way to meet friendly locals. I learned a few Swedish phrases (which I have since forgotten, of course).

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On a Friday night the place was crowded, so although it’s friendly, service can take a while due to how busy it is.

They also have a 2nd location in Magasinsgatan.

Ölrepubliken

Ölrepubliken is located in a different area from most of the other Gothenburg beer bars on this list. It’s in a quieter area of the city center, but it’s worth seeking out.

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It features about 30 taps plus plenty of bottles, making it one of the largest selections in the city. While many of the draft selections are traditional European beers such as Kwak, Delirium Tremens, and Budvar, there are plenty of craft beers from Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States as well.

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The bar leans more toward being a restaurant, but there is seating at the bar in addition to two levels of tables. All of the food I saw looked good. I had the charcuterie board, which was a nice addition to the beer I had.

3 Små Rum

3 Små Rum is a gem of a beer bar where you will instantly feel at home. Located in a basement in Vasastan, just south of the old city centre (but with an outside patio as well), the name translates to “three small rooms”, which is exactly what it is.

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Even on a Friday night, the atmosphere is chill, with quiet jazz music playing. It’s a fantastic spot for conversation and, oh yeah, quality beer.

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The owner of 3 Små Rum knows his beer. There is an excellent selection of 18 eclectic taps, plus tons of bottles. Not only that, he brews his own beer in the back in small 200 litre batches. These aren’t just bland house beers either. I had a mango chutney IPA that was phenomenal. This was a beer I had no idea I needed in my life, and I enjoyed it so much that I went back again the next night for another visit.

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Between the great selection, passionate staff, and relaxed atmosphere, 3 Små Rum represents everything that is great about Gothenburg’s craft beer scene.

Despite its fairly small size, Gothenburg has a great selection of beer bars. Whether you’re looking for a place to watch a sporting event, an outside patio to enjoy the long summer evenings, or a quiet quality pint with folks who know great beer, Gothenburg is a must-visit destination for craft beer in Sweden.

Do you love craft beer? Check out more of my recommendations for the best craft beer around the world!

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What do you think? Add a comment!

5 Comments

  1. Hi Jonathan. Great article. Gothenburg is a fantastic beer city and it seems you visited a lot of good places. Just one correction if you don’t mind. Tullen, as we call it only sells Swedish Beers. That’s their trademark. You wrote that they had beer from the rest of the world including Europe and the USA. Cheers.

  2. +1 for Ölrepubliken and Brewers’ Beer Bar – although it’s vital that you book a table in the latter!

    Also check out the new Shangri-La bar from Stigbergets – not only great beer but the pizza is awesome too.

    Beerbliotek’s brewery bar is an odd duck – 15cl tastings only for 40SEK a pop – even out of a can, but at least you can have a flight at a slight discount.

    Also I’m not sure if it’s still around but the Sp/ke Brewery Taproom was good albeit out of the way out beyond the Gamlestaden.

    And of course if all else fails there’s always the Bishops’ Arms for a good old fashioned British cask ale in the heart of Lilla London!

  3. Thanks for the recommendations! It’s always nice when a place not only has great craft beer but also great food