Local. Draught. Cask. Craft. Your Guide to BiraBar, Sofia's Home of Independent Bulgarian Beer
Walk down Paris Street in central Sofia, about ten metres from the corner with Dondukov Boulevard and a short stroll from the golden domes of Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and you will find a small pub that has quietly changed how this city drinks beer. BiraBar is a traditional English-style micro pub with a very Bulgarian heart: thirteen taps, three of them hand pumps for real cask ale, and a line-up built almost entirely around small, independent breweries from across the country.
For more than a decade we have been pouring the best of Bulgarian craft beer to locals, homesick expats, curious tourists and anyone who believes that a pint should taste of the place it was made. This post is our introduction for anyone who has not yet visited, and a reminder for regulars of why we do things the way we do. We will also show you how to check exactly what is pouring today, before you even leave the house, using onTap.bg.
Who We Are
BiraBar started from a simple idea: Bulgaria was brewing exciting beer, but it was hard to find it fresh, on draught, in one place. Small brewers in Sliven, Pazardzhik, Lovech, Plovdiv, Burgas and dozens of other towns were making pale ales, stouts, sours and IPAs that could stand next to anything from abroad, yet most bars in the capital still served the same handful of industrial lagers.
So we built a pub around those brewers. Not a restaurant with a beer list, not a nightclub with a few craft bottles in the fridge, but a proper beer pub where the beer is the point. Our recent eleventh birthday was celebrated under the motto that sums us up best:
LOCAL. DRAUGHT. CASK. CRAFT.
Each of those four words is a promise, so let us take them one at a time.
Local: Bulgarian Independent Breweries First
Most of our taps pour beer from small, independent Bulgarian breweries. These are businesses run by people who brew because they love it, often with tiny teams and kit that would fit in a garage. When you drink their beer at BiraBar, your money goes straight back into the Bulgarian brewing scene, and you get to taste what the country is producing right now.
Over the years our taps and hand pumps have featured, among many others:
- Trima i Dvama (Sliven) – one of the pioneers of Bulgarian craft, known for clean, reliable beers alongside more adventurous sours and specials.
- Rhombus (Pazardzhik) – hop-forward IPAs and pale ales, plus very drinkable darker beers.
- Divo Pivo / Brewery 359 (Sofia) – a capital-city favourite and a regular fixture on our bar.
- Meltum (Lovech) – juicy New England IPAs and modern hoppy styles.
- Blek Pine (Gorna Banya) – Sofia-area brewing with plenty of character.
- Lomsko Pivo – a Danube-side name with a long history.
- Dunav Craft Brewery (Ruse) – more great beer from the north.
- Jagerhof (Plovdiv) – German-inspired brewing tradition from the south.
- Hills (Perushtitsa) – thoughtful, well-crafted beers from the foothills of the Rhodopes.
- Metalhead (Burgas) – loud labels, serious beer, straight from the Black Sea coast.
- Xikum – a close friend of the bar, with seasonal releases and regular events at BiraBar.
We are not dogmatic about it. Now and then a guest beer from abroad earns a tap: a classic German festbier in autumn, a real English bitter on cask, a cider from a small producer. But the backbone of the bar is, and will stay, Bulgarian.
Draught: Why Fresh Beer on Tap Matters
Beer is a fresh product. Hop aroma fades, malt flavours dull, and light and heat are its enemies. Draught beer, stored cold and served quickly, is the closest you can get to tasting a beer the way the brewer intended without standing in the brewery itself.
That is why BiraBar is draught-first. We run 13 taps: ten keg lines for craft beer and cider, plus three hand pumps for cask ale. The line-up rotates constantly. When a keg runs dry, something new goes on, so there is always a reason to come back. On a typical evening you might find a crisp blonde ale, an English-style porter, a tart gose, an American IPA, an Irish red, a hazy NEIPA and a seasonal special, all side by side.
Take It Home: Fresh Draught in 1-Litre Bottles
Found a beer you love and want to share it at home? Most of our draught beers can be taken away in 1-litre bottles. We fill them using counter-pressure fillers, which pressurise the bottle with CO₂ before the beer goes in. This keeps oxygen out and carbonation in, so your beer stays fresh far longer than a quick fill from the tap would allow. It is the perfect way to bring a taste of BiraBar to a dinner party, a picnic, or simply your sofa.
Cask: The First Real Ale Pub in Bulgaria
This is the part of BiraBar we are proudest of. We were the first pub in Bulgaria to serve cask ale the way it is served in London, and to this day we remain the only place in the country where you can drink genuine cask-conditioned ale pulled through traditional hand pumps.
What Is Cask Ale?
Cask ale, often called real ale, is beer that finishes its fermentation and conditioning in the very cask it is served from. It is:
- Live – the yeast is still active in the cask, gently conditioning the beer.
- Unfiltered – nothing is stripped out; the full body and flavour remain.
- Unpasteurised – no heat treatment to flatten the character of the beer.
- Free of added CO₂ – the only carbonation is what the yeast produces naturally.
Instead of being pushed by gas, cask ale is drawn up from the cellar by hand using a beer engine, the tall pump handles you see on our bar. The result is a softer, rounder pint with a fine, creamy head and a gentle natural sparkle. It is served at cellar temperature, cool rather than ice-cold, which lets the malt and hop flavours really open up.
Cask vs Keg at a Glance
| Feature | Cask Ale (Real Ale) | Keg Beer |
|---|---|---|
| Conditioning | Finishes in the cask, yeast still alive | Finished at the brewery before kegging |
| Filtration | Unfiltered | Often filtered |
| Pasteurisation | Never | Sometimes |
| Carbonation | Natural only, soft and gentle | Added CO₂, livelier |
| Dispense | Hand pump (beer engine) | Gas pressure |
| Serving temperature | Cellar temperature, around 11–13°C | Usually colder |
| Shelf life once opened | A few days – it must be drunk fresh | Several weeks |
That last row is the reason cask ale is so rare. Once a cask is tapped, the clock is ticking: it needs careful cellar management, the right temperature, and enough thirsty customers to finish it while it is at its best. We have spent years learning how to look after it properly.
What Pours on Our Hand Pumps
Our hand pumps feature classic English cask ale from Black Sheep Brewery of Masham, Yorkshire, alongside special cask ales brewed for us by Bulgarian craft breweries. Seeing a Bulgarian brewer's beer served in the full English tradition, in the middle of Sofia, is still one of the things that makes us smile every time.
Keep an eye out for Cask Ale Friday, our regular celebration of all things real ale, and the perfect introduction if you have never tried it before.
Craft: More Than Beer
While beer is our focus, we know not everyone in the group is a hophead. That is why the bar also offers:
- Real cider – English and French ciders from small producers, made from 100% apples with no added sugar or sweeteners. Look out for Moonshine Cider, poured on tap and also available in bottles.
- Bottled craft beer – a selection from top craft breweries abroad, plus bottles from small Bulgarian producers who do not keg.
- Spirits – several single malt whiskies and Beefeater gin for those who fancy a dram or a G&T.
How to Check What's on Tap Right Now: onTap.bg
Because our line-up changes so often, the question we hear most is: "What have you got on today?" The easiest answer is onTap.bg.
onTap.bg is Bulgaria's leading resource for finding craft beer on draught near you. Venues across the country publish their live taplists there, so you can see exactly which beers are pouring, where, and at what strength, before you head out. It is the go-to tool for beer lovers in Bulgaria, and it is available in both Bulgarian and English.
What You Can Do on onTap.bg
- Tap Map – see craft beer venues on a map and find taps near your current location.
- Brewery map – discover where Bulgarian craft breweries are based.
- Full venue list – browse bars, pubs and bottle shops across Bulgaria.
- Events – find tap takeovers, launches and festivals.
- Ratings and top beers – see what other drinkers rate most highly.
- "Choose a tap for me" – can't decide? Let the site pick a beer for you.
BiraBar on onTap.bg
We have been listed on onTap.bg since 2019, and we keep our taplist there up to date. Bookmark our page:
https://ontap.bg/v/BiraBar
There you will find our current draught beers, styles, breweries and ABVs, along with our address, opening hours and contact details. To give you a flavour, here is a snapshot of what was pouring on 27 October 2026:
| Beer | Brewery | Style | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chisto i Prosto | Trima i Dvama | Blonde Ale | 5% |
| Janka GoSe | Trima i Dvama | Sour – Gose | 4.2% |
| Bloody Muddy | Trima i Dvama | Irish Red Ale | 5% |
| Aloha IPA | Rhombus | American IPA | 6% |
| English Porter | Rhombus | Porter | 5% |
| G-n Xops NEIPA v2.0 | Meltum | New England IPA | 6% |
| Divo Pivo | Brewery 359 | Pale Ale | 4.8% |
| Polaris | Sofia Electric Brewing | English Porter | 4.9% |
| Darkless | Cometa | Stout | 4.3% |
| УонаБи Pale Ale | Hopscotch | English Pale Ale | 5% |
| БотъмсАп Irish Red | Hopscotch | Amber / Red Lager | 4.5% |
| Spezial Festbier / Barock Hell | Klosterbrauerei Weltenburg | Festbier | 5.6% |
| Kopparberg Strawberry & Lime | Kopparbergs Bryggeri | Fruit Cider | 4.5% |
By the time you read this, some of these will have been replaced by something new, which is exactly why onTap.bg is so useful. Check before you come and you will never miss the release you have been waiting for.
Events at BiraBar
Beyond the everyday pint, BiraBar is a meeting point for Sofia's beer community. Recent and regular events include:
- Cask Ale Friday – a weekly celebration of real ale on our hand pumps.
- Brewery nights and premieres with Xikum – including the Autumnal Feast and the release of "Шепот от нимфа" (Whisper of a Nymph).
- "Тениски и други оправдания" (T-shirts and Other Excuses) – our relaxed themed evenings.
- Tap takeovers and launches – meet the brewers and taste their newest beers fresh from the brewery.
- Our birthday – every year we celebrate with special beers and a packed house. Eleven years and counting!
The best way to stay informed is to follow our Facebook page, where we post every new event, tap change and special release:
https://www.facebook.com/birabarSofia/
A Beginner's Guide to Ordering at BiraBar
New to craft beer? Don't worry, nobody is going to quiz you. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your visit:
- Ask for a taste. Not sure about a style? Our staff are happy to explain what each beer is like and help you find something you will enjoy.
- Start light, go dark. If you plan to try several beers, begin with lighter styles like blonde ales and pale ales, then move to IPAs, reds, porters and stouts.
- Try the cask. Even if you think you know beer, a properly kept cask ale is a different experience. Give the hand pumps a go.
- Don't fear the sour. Styles like gose are tart, refreshing and often a revelation for people who think they "don't like beer".
- Check ABV. Craft beers range widely in strength. The ABV is listed on onTap.bg and at the bar, so pace yourself accordingly.
- Take one home. Ask for your favourite in a counter-pressure-filled litre bottle.
Beer Styles You Will Often Find on Our Taps
| Style | What to Expect | Good For |
|---|---|---|
| Blonde Ale | Light, clean, gently malty | Easy drinking, newcomers to craft |
| Pale Ale | Balanced malt and hops, fresh and bitter-sweet | An all-rounder pint |
| American IPA | Bold hop bitterness, citrus and pine | Hop lovers |
| New England IPA (NEIPA) | Hazy, juicy, tropical fruit, soft bitterness | Those who like fruit-forward beers |
| Irish Red Ale | Caramel, toffee, slightly dry finish | Cool autumn evenings |
| Porter | Chocolate, coffee, toasted malt, medium body | Dark-beer fans who want something drinkable |
| Stout | Roasty, coffee-like, often creamy | Slow sipping, cold nights |
| Gose | Tart, lightly salty, refreshing | Something different, warm days |
| English Bitter (cask) | Soft, malty, gently hopped, low carbonation | The classic real ale experience |
Plan Your Visit
| Address | 8 Paris Street (ул. Париж 8), Sofia – 10 m from the corner with Dondukov Blvd, about 200 m from Alexander Nevsky Cathedral |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Daily, 14:00 – 22:30 (check onTap.bg or Facebook for holiday changes) |
| Phone | +359 887 46 40 94 |
| Taps | 13 – 10 keg lines plus 3 cask ale hand pumps |
| Live taplist | https://ontap.bg/v/BiraBar |
| Website | https://birabar.com/ |
| https://www.facebook.com/birabarSofia/ | |
| Takeaway | Draught beer in 1-litre counter-pressure-filled bottles |
We are right in the centre of Sofia, so BiraBar is an easy stop whether you are sightseeing around Alexander Nevsky, meeting friends after work, or starting a night out in the city. If you are visiting from abroad, it is also one of the best places to get a crash course in Bulgarian craft beer in a single evening.
Leave Us a Review
If you enjoyed your visit, we would be grateful if you left a few words on Google, TripAdvisor or Facebook. You can also check in your beers on Untappd and follow us on Instagram. Every review helps other beer lovers find us, and helps the small Bulgarian breweries we serve reach new drinkers.
See You at the Bar
BiraBar exists because we believe Bulgarian craft beer deserves to be poured fresh, served properly and enjoyed in good company. Whether you come for a cask-conditioned pint pulled by hand, a hazy IPA from Lovech, a tart gose from Sliven, or just a friendly chat at the bar, you will be welcome.
Check the live taplist on onTap.bg, follow us on Facebook for the latest news, and come and see us on Paris Street. The next pint is waiting.
BiraBar – Local. Draught. Cask. Craft. Наздраве!
