Brewing, and drinking beer, is not a new thing in Gothenburg. Ever since the city was founded in 1621, there have been breweries around. One important explanation to the success of Gothenburg breweries was the booming export market which came with the rapidly growing globalization during the 18th century. In Gothenburg, the Swedish East India Company had a tremendous importance to the economy and lots of goods were shipped to and from the far east.
Around year 2000, Gothenburg’s beer scene experienced a down period and the largest brewery, Pripps, which had also bought up many of its competitors was taken over by Carlsberg and closed.
Gothenburg is the beer capital of Sweden
During the early 2000s, a new era began in Gothenburg’s beer history. Since the start with Dugges brewery in 2005, there has been a renaissance for small-scale and local craft breweries, and the number is constantly increasing in Gothenburg.
There are around 40 breweries in Gothenburg and the surrounding region and many of them also run restaurants, brewery pubs and tap rooms where you can try the local and freshly brewed beer. On the Gothenburg Brewers Guild’s website you will find many of the Gothenburg region’s small-scale craft breweries.
Craft breweries in Gothenburg
Spike Brewery
Spike Brewery is located in the old slaughterhouse area in Gamlestaden, where the urban winery Wine mechanics is also located. Spike’s tap room is open Friday and Saturday, serving a rotating selection of their fresh beers on tap, great food and music.
Dugge’s Brewery
Dugges is one of Gothenburg’s most well-known breweries, and the one that started the city’s rich flora of craft breweries. Nowadays Dugges is located in Landvetter east of Gothenburg, but they also have the beer pub Dugges Pils on the steet Plantagegatan in central Gothenburg. At Dugges Pils, there is beer both in the taps – and in the interior, where, among other things, crushed glass bottles have been used for the mosaic on the bar counter.
Beerbliotek
Beerbliotek is located in an industrial area on the outskirts of Majorna and is run by six friends from different parts of the world. Their philosophy is to, in addition to having a fixed range, constantly brew new varieties – many only once. This has led to the development of an entire library of beers. Their tap room is open Fridays and Saturdays.
Stigbergets brewery
Stigberget’s brewery started its business to make tasty and local beer for the restaurant Hagabion. Now the brewery has grown considerably with production both in Partihallarna and on Ringön – where they also have a brewery bar. The brewery also has its own restaurant and beer pub in Majorna – Stigberget’s Shangri-La.
Majorna’s brewery
Majorna’s Brewery is a small-scale craft brewery in the Majorna area. Here you can enjoy craft beers from their own taps along with well-prepared vegetarian dishes. They also organize beer tastings and brewery tours where you can learn more about beer making.
Oceanbryggeriet
Oceanbryggeriet is one of Gothenburg’s most well-known breweries. The name gossips about the founders’ inspiration from the sea and the labels often bear Gothenburg symbols such as fishermen and harbour cranes. Oceanbryggeriet has a restaurant in Mölndal south of Gothenburg, where you can try their range and munch on pub food.
Vega bryggeri
At the brewery Vega’s restaurant and beer bar, you can experience lots of exciting beers and barbequed eats in all its forms. The brewery has a tap room with the it’s own beers on tap. The restaurant also has a popular live music venue with everything from local to international bands.
Två feta grisar
The brewery’s name comes from two happy pigs that frolicked around in a paddock next to the brewery’s first premises. Today, the brewery is located on Ringön and visitors are welcomed here for lunch, evening service and beer tastings.
O/O Brewing
O/O Brewery (named after the founders Olle and Olof) is one of Gothenburg’s most hyped breweries. If you want to taste their beer, you can head to the brewery’s own beer bar at Bangatan 22, a stone’s throw from Stigbergstorget.
Poppel’s
Poppels is growing like crazy. In addition to its tap room and restaurant in Jonsered’s historic factory environment, it has also opened the restaurant close to Gothenburg’s train station. This central beer pub and restaurant seats 170 seated guests and serves a sustainable and mostly vegetarian menu.
Göteborgs Nya Bryggeri
When Pripps in Gothenburg closed, some of the former employees started a brewery in the same premises in the form of Göteborgs Nya Bryggeri. Right next to the brewery is Gothenburg’s Brewery Museum, which displays an exhibition about the city’s beer history with lots of historical objects.
Sad Robot Brewing
Sad Robot brews an exciting mix of beers (for a post-apocalyptic future, they say). Step into the brewery at Hisingen and order a dystopian beer and a bite to eat from the bar, which is located in between yeast tanks and brewing equipment.
Craft breweries in Gothenburg’s archipelago
Gothenburg’s archipelago consists of islands both north and south of the estuary of the river Göta älv, which flows through Gothenburg. You can reach the northern islands by car ferry from Lilla Varholmen in in northern Gothenburg. The southern islands are reached by passenger ferry from Saltholmen.
Barlind Beer
Barlind Beer is a small-scale brewery that was started in 2015 by Jonas Barlind on the island Björkö in Gothenburg’s northern archipelago. After working for several years as a chemist, he became a brewmaster. Barlind sometimes holds beer tastings in collaboration with Restaurang Seaside in Björkö harbour.
Hönöbryggeriet
Hönöbryggeriet is a craft brewery on the island Hönö in Gothenburg’s northern archipelago. Both the beer and its bottle design should feel, and taste, exactly like the archipelago with its sea, seagulls and the smell of tarred marl.
Rörö öl
Rörö öl is a small brewery on the island of Rörö in Gothenburg’s northern archipelago. The brewers want to make use of the archipelago’s tradition of craftsmanship and at the same time pay tribute to those who love Rörö’s rugged cliffs and unique nature. On the brewery’s website, for example, there is a guide with tips for visitors to the island.
Craft breweries just outside Gothenburg
Beerium
Take the shuttle ten minutes north from Gothenburg and explore the Surte brewery Beerium. Their brewery bar is open between February and November and you can also book a private after work event or beer tasting.
Electric Nurse
Electric Nurse is one of the pioneers among Gothenburg craft breweries. Their story – and name – started in 2012 when a nurse and an electrician met in their love for beer. Their craft beer is now brewed in Landvetter and can be tried at several beer pubs in Gothenburg.
Odd Island Brewing
Odd Island Brewing is located in Lindome south of Gothenburg. The brewery was started by Daniel Svensson and Peter Iwers from the metal band In Flames after they had both left the touring life behind. Odd Island’s tap room and restaurant is open Friday-Saturday with visits from various local food trucks.
En Aleigen Brewery
En Aleigen is a family-owned and family-run brewery with its heart in Kungälv north of Gothenburg. Their tap room The Mothership is open one to two Saturdays a month, keep an eye on their social media.
Rådanäs bryggeri
The craft brewery Rådanäs is located in an old helicopter hangar east of Gothenburg. Beer of many different kinds and variations is brewed here, and if you want to try the range, you can book a brewery tour with beer tasting.
Ahlafors brewery
In the old 19th-century spinning mill in Ale, north of Gothenburg, is the Ahlafors brewery. Ahlafors has a tap room in the form of the Rulleriet, which serves unique beers that may only be offered on a single occasion. Rulleriet also collaborates with various food trucks.
