Best Beer and Brewery Tours of Russia

You may know Russia as the motherland of vodka. But the truth is that the country is also brewing beer for centuries. Rather, Russian beers, especially porters and stouts, are popular in the international beer market. 

There are so many brewers across Russia producing some amazing and sultry varieties of beers in the world.

If you’re willing to go on the best Russian breweries tours, two main cities to visit Moscow and St Petersburg.

Who’s who of the Russian Local Craft Beer Scene?

Here are the three most popular breweries to tour to know more about the local craft beer screen in Russian. 

AF Brew

AF Brew (AF stands for “Anti Factory”) was launched in 2012 as part of a DIY initiative by some self-claimed beer aficionados, who formerly worked at Baltika. Over the years, AF Brew has established itself as one of the most popular breweries offering the finest Russian craft beers that are exported to the bars of London and Berlin. 

The most popular brews of AF Brew are Redrum IPA, which is hoppy and malty with a deep ruby-red hue. They also produce the Black Magic American porter that’s produced with roasted barley with a high coffee aroma. Then, there’s I Got Mango Worms IPA and Double Chocolate Banana Cake stout. 

Vasileostrovskaya

Situated on Vasilyevsky Island, Vasileostrovskaya, established in 2002, began as an independent brewery in St Petersburg. This brewery first produced its non-filtered cloudy lager, which became so popular. It’s now among the most beloved Russian craft beers. 

This St Petersburg brewery has pioneered the process of fermentation in the bottle, which further led to the formation of many innovative beer styles and flavours. The classic brew at this brewery is Vasileostrovsky Dark – a premium Bavarian-style beer made with rye. For keeping their brand fresh, they still produce seasonal beers like Toffee Popcorn, Russian Imperial Stout with Truffle or Pumpkin Ale. 

Bakunin Brewery

Bakunin Brewery’s name comes from a small bar in St Petersburg. Their experimental ales are quite popular in the country. When on a tour, you need to try their Red Maniac smoked chilli IPA that has citrus and fruity flavours. On reaching your throat, it comes to life with delicate spices and smoked malt. If you want to try something less dramatic, then go for Peach up peach milk shake IPA made from oatmeal flakes and peach pulp. 

Even today, Bakunin releases over 150 different types of beers. Their founders often travel across Europe to gain more knowledge of the art of brewing and come up with more innovative flavours and styles. They have so many varieties of beer that you may feel overwhelmed when deciding which brew to try first.

On sampling the brewery’s wide range of brewed delights at its taproom on Gorokhovaya Street, you’d feel like being in a completely different world. It is a happening place, where you’ll also find the brewery’s signature brews, along with gourmet burgers to enjoy with their ales. 

Conclusion

Although 10% of the Russian beer market includes dark beers, the Russian breweries offer something for everyone. So, you won’t feel disappointed during your beer tasting tour. If you’re wondering where to start, do visit the breweries we have mentioned above. We are certain you’ll find so much about the art of brewing, as well as how these breweries started their journey. 

After exploring the local craft beer scene in the country. You’ll realise that Russia is producing some innovative and flavourful craft beers. Even the bars and micro-breweries are serving some of their popular and seasonal beers. But to find out about their traditional brewing procedures, you need to visit a few Russian breweries for detailed information.