Berlin is roughly 1300 kilometres from Dublin, but, like the High Kings sang, “wherever you go around the world, you’ll find an Irish pub”. There are dozens of bars in Berlin that serve Guinness, but not all pours created are equal, and it takes a discerning devotee to find the freshest tipple on tap.
The taste of a good Guinness depends on technique and precision. Before your bartender even thinks about touching the tap, the keg must be chilled to the right temperature, usually around five to seven degrees Celsius. A perfect pint is poured at a 45 degree angle – into a tulip glass and only a tulip pint glass, which is specifically designed to promote the aroma of malt beers.
A seasoned server knows to do a ‘two-part pour’, stopping halfway to let the stout settle before topping it off. And remember: the more Guinness a bar pours, the fresher their kegs and cleaner their pipes – so keep an eye out for establishments full of fellow Guinness guzzlers. For everyone looking to avoid the shamrock shams this St. Paddy’s day, here are our five favourite spots for the Irish dry stout – sláinte!
Our rating system
🍺: Pint quality
🍀: Irish vibes
BadFish
️The drinker’s choice of bars employs a special trick when it comes to getting their Guinness just right. The BadFish owners use a special Guinness delivery system, ensuring that the kegs arrive more quickly and straight from the manufacturer so as to keep the ale fresh. The stout also remains chilled right until being poured into your glass. The result: one of the crispest, creamist and smoothest pours you’ll get in Berlin.
🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
🍀🍀🍀🍀
- Badfish, Stargarder Str. 14, Prenzlauer Berg, details.
The Lír
One of the best Irish pubs in this city, The Lír naturally pays meticulous attention to its pour. Packed with Guinness-loving regulars, the team behind this pub are very exact when it comes to allocating the right amount of time and detail to each pint. And with so much of the black stuff flowing through the pipes, you can be assured that each and every single pour is as chilled and smooth as it should be.
🍺🍺🍺🍺
🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
- The Lír, Flensburger Str. 7, Tiergarten, details.
HOME Bar
It’s no surprise that one of Berlin’s best international bars prides itself on its pure pour. With a keg positioned right beneath the bar for ample freshness, the HOME bar team report that they rely on the perfect nitrogen mix that helps to deliver consistently chilled and characteristically smooth pints with creamy, dreamy-looking heads and perfect bubbles.
🍺🍺🍺🍺🍺
🍀🍀🍀🍀
- Home Bar, Neue Bahnhofstr. 23, Friedrichshain, details.
Piri’s
This prime spot for spicy chicken burgers might not be the first place you think of when it comes to grabbing a Guinness, but Piri’s proves it should be. There’s no special trick they employ to achieve the perfect pint. Like their food, the quality behind their great Guinness comes straight from the heart… and a deep and longing passion for the proper pour.
🍺🍺🍺🍺
🍀
- Piri’s, Boddinstr. 61, Neukölln, details.
ZOSSE
Tucked away in a back alley near Richardplatz, the former blacksmith’s workshop is a secret hideaway for beer lovers. The lovingly constructed bar is home to a finely curated selection of tap beers, and, as such, the staff here have been expertly trained on how to pour great, creamy and finely balanced pints.
🍺🍺🍺🍺
🍀🍀🍀
- Zosse, Richardstr. 37, Neukölln, details.
