--- title: "5 Great Places to Drink Craft Beer in Bogotá" description: "Five bars and breweries for craft beer in Bogotá, with addresses and what to try at each one, checked one by one in 2026." url: https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/craft-beer-bogota-best-places/ date: 2017-07-07 modified: 2026-10-18 author: "Carlos Uhart M." image: https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Bogota.jpg categories: ["Opinion"] tags: ["Business", "Colombia", "Opinion", "Travel"] type: post lang: en --- # 5 Great Places to Drink Craft Beer in Bogotá There are records **showing that in ancient Mesopotamia** people were already making beer. History tells us that [beer recipes](https://www.thebeertimes.com/como-disenar-una-receta-de-cerveza-artesanal-paso-a-paso/) written in very ancient languages have been found. If you are looking for where to drink craft beer in Bogotá, these five places are still open in 2026 and I checked each one of them. They are Cervecería Gigante, El Irish Pub, Bogotá Beer Company, Birrería Macha and Hanna Hops, spread across Chapinero, the Zona T, El Chicó and Usaquén. ![Bogotá](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Bogota.jpg)*Bogotá, Colombia* The [Egyptians liked the drink so much](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/first-strike-in-history-caused-by-beer-debt/) **that they adopted it as their national beverage** and quickly learned to make what was considered a “barley wine”. The brewing process [involved mashing the barley](https://www.thebeertimes.com/maceracion-descubre-todos-sus-secretos/) (malted or not), **mixing it with water and boiling the mixture** for a few minutes. They let it ferment for a few days and passed it through baskets **that served as a strainer**, then collected the liquid and stored it in a large vessel called a botijo. At the time they added honey and the odd aromatic herb. I worked for 10 years at the former Cervecería Leona, in which Bavaria **bought a 44.2% stake in 2000** and which ended up merging with it in 2007. Although I was always in the security department escorting the general manager (who was a [brewmaster](https://www.thebeertimes.com/defines-maestro-cervecero/) and a heavyweight in the [quality division](https://www.thebeertimes.com/a-que-nos-referimos-por-calidad-en-cervezas/)), I had the chance to learn a thing or two about brewing science. I admire the English and Irish culture of **not downing bottle after bottle left and right** the way we Latin Americans tend to, but rather enjoying 3 or 4 glasses of beer ([with a higher alcohol content](https://www.thebeertimes.com/abv-vs-abw-cual-es-la-diferencia-en-la-forma-que-medimos-el-contenido-de-alcohol/)), ideally alongside a good meal. Craft beer culture in Colombia **has been on the rise**, and its capital, Bogotá, has been no exception. That is why today I want** to recommend 5 places to enjoy a good craft beer**, with a pleasant setting, good food and snacks to go with it, and a friendly atmosphere for a good time. The original 2017 list had 10 places. I reviewed it in October 2026 and kept only those with verifiable activity, because several have closed or show no signs of life. Contenido - [1. Cervecería Gigante](#1_Cerveceria_Gigante) - [2. El Irish Pub](#2_El_Irish_Pub) - [3. Bogotá Beer Company](#3_Bogota_Beer_Company) - [4. Birrería Macha](#4_Birreria_Macha) - [5. Hanna Hops](#5_Hanna_Hops) - [What Is the Beer Market Like in Colombia?](#What_Is_the_Beer_Market_Like_in_Colombia) - [Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)](#Frequently_Asked_Questions_FAQ) - [1. Where can you drink craft beer in Bogotá?](#1_Where_can_you_drink_craft_beer_in_Bogota) - [2. Who owns Bogotá Beer Company?](#2_Who_owns_Bogota_Beer_Company) - [3. Which places on this list brew their own beer?](#3_Which_places_on_this_list_brew_their_own_beer) - [4. How much beer is consumed in Colombia?](#4_How_much_beer_is_consumed_in_Colombia) - [5. How many craft breweries are there in Colombia?](#5_How_many_craft_breweries_are_there_in_Colombia) - [Recommended](#Recommended) ## 1. Cervecería Gigante Cervecería Gigante started out next to the Lourdes church in Chapinero and today operates at Carrera 14A #83-44, in the Zona Rosa. It is a beer spot I love for its low-key, pleasant and different atmosphere. Its spacious premises, **tasty food and wide variety of beers** will guarantee you a good time. Here the customers feel friendlier, somehow closer. It is without a doubt one of the places **that surprised me most** when I was doing the research for this piece. It opens Wednesday to Sunday from one in the afternoon, according to its [official website](https://cerveceriagigante.com/). On social media it goes by @cerveceriagigante. ## 2. El Irish Pub The first time I went to the Irish Pub **was for a Champions League final** back in 2011. I arrived at the Usaquén location (Carrera 6A No. 117-45) and was struck by its lavish atmosphere. El Irish Pub opened in 2001 in the Zona T and by 2025 had 11 locations in Bogotá, including those in Usaquén, La Candelaria and Parque de la 93, according to [Las2orillas](https://www.las2orillas.co/quien-se-invento-el-irish-pub-la-novedosa-cerveceria-bogotana-que-se-fundo-hace-24-anos-y-le-compite-bbc/). It remains independent of the big brewing groups. Since 2020 it has brewed its own beer, Pola del Pub, at a plant in Tocancipá. Its menu includes a Golden Ale, a Witbier, an APA, an IPA and a Coffee Milk Stout made with Colombian coffee. Although many people still criticize celebrating [St. Patrick’s Day on March 17](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/origin-of-green-beer-to-celebrate-st-patricks-day/) **because it is a foreign holiday**, if you ever feel like joining in, the Irish Pub is the best place for it. ## 3. Bogotá Beer Company For me, Bogotá Beer Company achieved something very important, which is that at last, **when you travel to another Colombian city or another country**, you can bring a gift that represents the capital. The idea of naming beers “Monserrate Roja”, “Chapinero Porter”, “Septimazo”, “Bacatá” or “Cajicá” **was a major branding success**. As a Bogotá native, this company gives me a sense of belonging. ![Guía Práctica Catar Cerveza Amazon](https://www.thebeertimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Catar-cerveza-300x300.jpg) [Guía práctica para catar cerveza: Cómo apreciar correctamente todas las cervezas del mundo](https://amzn.to/3LddZmQ) [Comprar en Amazon](https://amzn.to/3LddZmQ) It has its own pubs all over the city, such as those at Calle 85 #13-06 in the Zona T, Calle 93B #16-32 and Carrera 3 #12-13 in La Candelaria. The full list is in its [official directory of pubs and bodegas](https://www.bbccerveceria.com/pubs-y-bodegas). In 2015 it was bought by Ambev, the Brazilian subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the same group that owns Bavaria. Since then it has also grown through a franchise model called “Las Bodegas BBC”. **Thanks to the franchise model**, there is now an outlet in many more neighborhoods of the city, with the advantage that they sell the beers at a lower price. I don’t know if BBC was the first, **but it certainly paved the way** for a craft beer culture in Bogotá, and perhaps in the whole country. ## 4. Birrería Macha Birrería Macha was born in Bogotá in 2019 and specializes in lagers, with five lager styles among the seven on its menu. Its best seller is the Helles, according to [El Tiempo](https://www.eltiempo.com/cultura/gastronomia/cuatro-opciones-de-cervecerias-artesanales-para-tardear-en-bogota-3378925). According to its [official website](https://www.birreriamacha.com/), it has locations on Calle 93, Calle 80, in the Zona G and in El Chicó. The Calle 80 location is at number 9-17. In 2026 it sought 2,000 million pesos on a2censo, the crowdfunding platform of the Colombian Stock Exchange, to open five more locations. That was reported by [Valora Analitik](https://www.valoraanalitik.com/nueva-cerveceria-llega-bolsa-de-colombia/). ## 5. Hanna Hops Hanna Hops opened in 2020 in Quinta Camacho and today welcomes customers in Usaquén, at Carrera 6 #119-24, according to its [official website](https://www.hannahops.com/pages/nuestros-bares). It is one of those places where it pays to arrive early. Its house beers are the 940 Blonde Ale, the Tribu Amber Ale and the Eureka Hazy NEIPA, and it usually has local guest beers on tap. The 940 is named after the address of its first bar, at Calle 69A #9-40. ## What Is the Beer Market Like in Colombia? Bavaria, part of the AB InBev group, controls more than 90% of the Colombian beer market, and Central Cervecera holds around 7.2%. Those figures were published by [Portafolio](https://www.portafolio.co/negocios/empresas/bavaria-supera-el-90-del-mercado-cervecero-colombiano-y-central-cervecera-busca-ganar-espacio-504278) on October 11, 2026. Consumption reached 51.4 liters per person in 2024, according to Valora Analitik data cited by Portafolio. It is a trend we already covered when analyzing [the growth of per capita consumption in Colombia](https://www.thebeertimes.com/crece-el-consumo-per-capita-de-cerveza-en-colombia-variedad-y-disponibilidad/). In 2022 Colombia’s Marca País counted more than 150 microbreweries in the country, many of them grouped in the Colectivo Colombiano de Cervecerías Artesanales (Colcas), according to [Valora Analitik](https://www.valoraanalitik.com/bavaria-cerveceros-artesanales-iniciativa-impulsar-industria/). That same year Bavaria opened its digital sales channels to some of them. Bogotá sits at about 2,600 meters above sea level, and that also changes how you perceive beer. We explain it in [why sensory perception degrades above 1,500 meters](https://www.thebeertimes.com/en/why-does-the-sensory-perception-of-beer-degrade-above-1500-meters-in-altitude/). This table summarizes the five places on the list. | **Place** | **Area** | **Reference address** | **What to try** | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Cervecería Gigante | Zona Rosa, Chapinero | Carrera 14A #83-44 | Wide range of beers and food | | El Irish Pub | Usaquén and 10 other locations | Carrera 6A #117-45 | Pola del Pub | | Bogotá Beer Company | Zona T, Calle 93 and La Candelaria | Calle 85 #13-06 | Monserrate Roja and Chapinero Porter | | Birrería Macha | Calle 93, Calle 80, Zona G and El Chicó | Calle 80 #9-17 | Helles and other lagers | | Hanna Hops | Usaquén | Carrera 6 #119-24 | 940 Blonde Ale and Eureka Hazy NEIPA | ## Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) ### 1. Where can you drink craft beer in Bogotá? Five places with verified activity in 2026 are Cervecería Gigante in the Zona Rosa, El Irish Pub in Usaquén, Bogotá Beer Company in the Zona T, Birrería Macha on Calle 80 and Hanna Hops in Usaquén. Chapinero, the Zona T and Usaquén account for much of the offering. ### 2. Who owns Bogotá Beer Company? Since 2015 Bogotá Beer Company has belonged to Ambev, the Brazilian subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev. It is the same group that owns Bavaria, which dominates the Colombian beer market. ### 3. Which places on this list brew their own beer? El Irish Pub has brewed Pola del Pub in Tocancipá since 2020. Bogotá Beer Company, Birrería Macha and Hanna Hops also serve their own beers, such as Monserrate Roja, Macha’s Helles or the 940 Blonde Ale. ### 4. How much beer is consumed in Colombia? In 2024 beer consumption in Colombia reached 51.4 liters per person, according to Valora Analitik data published by Portafolio. Bavaria holds more than 90% of that market. ### 5. How many craft breweries are there in Colombia? In 2022 Colombia’s Marca País counted more than 150 microbreweries. Many are members of the Colectivo Colombiano de Cervecerías Artesanales (Colcas), which that year signed an agreement with Bavaria to sell through its digital channels. ## Recommended - [Per Capita Beer Consumption Grows in Colombia: Variety and Availability](https://www.thebeertimes.com/crece-el-consumo-per-capita-de-cerveza-en-colombia-variedad-y-disponibilidad/) - [Which South American Country Has the Cheapest Beer?](https://www.thebeertimes.com/cual-es-el-pais-de-sudamerica-con-la-cerveza-mas-barata/)