Asking which is the best European city for craft beer in 2024 sounds like the kind of question that produces ten different answers in a room of ten people. Having spent an embarrassing amount of time in taprooms across the continent this year, we are going to give you one. The answer is not the one most people expect. Brussels takes the crown, Prague comes close, and Amsterdam keeps earning its reputation even as it quietly surpasses it in specific categories.
Brussels: The Winner and Why
Belgium's relationship with beer predates the word "craft" by about 600 years. What makes Brussels the best European city for craft beer in 2024 is not heritage alone. It is the combination of that heritage with a genuinely progressive brewing scene that has emerged in the last decade. The city now has 14 specialist craft beer bars within a 20-minute walk of Grand Place, ranging from traditional lambic houses to taprooms pouring IPAs from local breweries that would hold their own in Portland or London.
01
Moeder Lambic Fontainas
Saint-Gilles
$$
Lambic Specialist / 50+ Taps
The benchmark Brussels craft beer bar. Fifty taps, every one of them Belgian, with a rotating list that prioritises lambics, gueuzes, and spontaneously fermented ales that you will not find anywhere else on the continent. The staff here know what they are talking about and will match you to something based on what you actually want, not what the menu says is popular. Go for a gueuze flight.
Order: A tasting flight of three gueuzes from different producers, let the staff select
02
Brasserie de la Senne
Molenbeek
$
Brewery Taproom / Industrial
Brussels' best modern brewery operates out of a large industrial space and pours its full range on tap at prices that make it genuinely accessible. The Taras Boulba is one of Europe's most underrated session ales. The taproom opens Thursday through Sunday and fills with a local crowd who drink here because the beer is excellent and the atmosphere is relaxed, not because it appeared on a travel list.
Order: Taras Boulba on draft, then ask what they currently have on cask
03
Le Comptoir de la Cave
Ixelles
$$
Bottle Shop Bar / Natural Beer
A bottle shop that opens as a bar on weekend evenings. The selection focuses on natural and wild-fermented beers from Belgium, France, and a handful of Scandinavian producers. Bottles you open at the counter carry a modest corkage; staff are happy to advise. The crowd is knowledgeable without being precious, and the owner has an opinion about everything on the shelf, which is exactly what you want.
Order: Ask for a farmhouse ale or biere de garde from their current selection
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Prague: The Closest Runner-Up
Prague's craft beer scene has matured faster than any European city in the past five years. The city has always had extraordinary lager culture. What has changed is the arrival of around 40 independent craft breweries and specialist bars that sit alongside the traditional pilsner houses without displacing them. Prague now works as a craft beer destination at every level.
04
Lokál Nad Stromovkou
Letna
$
Czech Lager / Traditional Tankovna
The finest version of the Czech pub experience. Pilsner Urquell arrives from a tank, not a keg, poured using the Czech method that takes two full minutes per glass and produces something categorically different from what you get anywhere else. The food is traditional Czech fare and excellent. Arrive at 6pm or be prepared to share a table.
Order: Pilsner Urquell from the tank, poured mliko style for the first glass
05
Craft House Prague
Vinohrady
$$
36 Rotating Taps / Modern Craft
Thirty-six taps, refreshed weekly, sourced from Czech microbreweries as well as a rotating selection of European and American imports. This is where Prague's craft beer community actually drinks, which is a reliable indicator of quality. The tap list is managed by someone who knows that not every beer needs to be 8 percent ABV and aggressively hopped.
Order: Ask what the current Czech IPA recommendation is. The list changes enough to make this worth doing.
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Amsterdam: Consistent and Underappreciated
Amsterdam gets less credit than it deserves as a craft beer destination because the canal-side tourist bars drown out the good work happening in De Pijp and Amsterdam-Noord. The city has more specialist bottle shops per capita than any European city outside Belgium, and the taproom scene in Noord has developed into something genuinely interesting since 2020.
06
Brouwerij 't IJ
Oost
$
Windmill Brewery / Local Institution
Amsterdam's most famous craft brewery operates inside a converted windmill and has been producing exceptional beer since 1985. The taproom opens daily and pours the full range, including seasonal releases and experimental batches not available anywhere else. This is not a tourist trap. The regulars here are serious drinkers who happen to drink in a windmill. The Columbus IPA is as good as it has always been.
Order: Columbus IPA, full pint, and one of the seasonal rotating specials
07
Oedipus Brewing Taproom
Amsterdam-Noord
$$
Modern Craft / Industrial Space
One of Amsterdam's most consistently interesting breweries, with a taproom in the Noord industrial district that fills with a young, knowledgeable crowd on weekends. The beers are unpredictable in the best sense. Their seasonal saisons and fruit-forward ales have earned a following well beyond the Netherlands. The space is large, casual, and genuinely fun to drink in.
Order: Their current seasonal, whatever it is. The team makes it worth the risk.
08
Gollem's Proeflokaal
Leidseplein
$$
200+ Bottles / Dark Wood Classic
A beer bar operating since 1974 with over 200 Belgian and Dutch bottles available alongside a rotating draft list. The room is small, dark, and properly old, with wooden panelling and the kind of worn-in atmosphere that takes decades to build. Staff here have been recommending beers to curious travellers since before craft beer had a name. Go mid-week for the atmosphere and a longer conversation.
Order: A Flemish red ale or oud bruin from the Belgian section of the bottle list
Amsterdam craft beer bars in full
Our complete Amsterdam craft beer guide covers the best taprooms, bottle shops, and specialist bars across the city.
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Our Verdict: Brussels in 2024
If the question is which European city offers the best craft beer experience in 2024, the honest answer is Brussels. It has the tradition, the depth, the specialist venues, and a modern brewing scene that makes the trip worthwhile for someone who has already done Belgium before. Prague is the closest rival and earns a separate trip. Amsterdam rewards the visitor who knows where to go beyond the tourist corridor.
Practical planning note for Brussels: most specialist bars close on Monday and Tuesday. The best taprooms are open Thursday through Sunday only. Build your trip around those four days and the city will deliver more than you expect.
Brussels craft beer: specialist bars and taprooms
The best craft beer venues in Brussels across every neighbourhood worth visiting.
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