Beer has been a favorite drink of all ages. Breweries are rare in Hajdú-Bihar County, however, the first breweries in Debrecen were operating in the 1580s, while the Rákóczi brewery was operating in Tokaj, not far from Debrecen.
Today, there is only one in Debrecen, the Debreczeni Sörfőzed (Debreczeni Brewery). It mainly produces lager beer including light, brown and red Pilsen. They produce a pure natural product for the conscious consumer that can be consumed even by gluten-sensitive beer lovers.
Another great option to taste wonderful beers is the Belgian restaurant. The building used to be a guesthouse in the late 1800s and today is one of the most popular restaurants in downtown. The restaurant’s main attractions are the indoor garden, the live music terrace on Piac Street and specialties such as rosewood and various beef dishes. You can taste the widest selection of Belgian beers in the city here.
In Hajdúböszörmény, only 17 km from Debrecen, you can find a truly unique brewery named as Hajdú Serház.
According to written records, a brewery was operating in Hajdúböszörmény at the end of the 17th century. Apparently 41 craftsmen lived and worked here, of which 3 were brewers. Since Hajdúböszörmény is located exactly on the road connecting Debrecen and Tokaj, the science of brewing could be affected by both neighboring cities. Local citizens were repeatedly asked to harvest wild hops and then it was taken over by the city for brewing. We can say that a truly local drink was made here, and all the ingredients were locally grown and produced.
After the first successful brewing trial, Hajdú Serház started to produce a bitter ale, a stout, and a lager beer. Later, it was followed by a smoked (rauch) beer.
Last but not least, you can buy hand-made local and foreign beers in Debrecen, in Szóda Bár or Bortársaság – both are located at Simonffy Street.
