Beer in Hungary facts for kids
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Beer in Hungary has a very long history. People have been making beer there for over a thousand years! Hungary also has a big history of making beer for sale.
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What is Beer Called in Hungary?
The Hungarian word for beer is sör. This word comes from an old language group called Oghuric. Hungarians likely started using this word even before they settled in the area known as the Carpathian Basin.
A Quick Look at Beer History in Hungary
The very first company to make beer in Hungary started in Buda in 1845. It was founded by Peter Schmidt. Later, during the time of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Kőbánya area of Budapest became the main place for making beer.
A famous brewery there is named after Anton Dreher. He was the person who created the "Vienna lager" style of beer. He opened his brewery in Budapest in 1862. Before the Second World War, his brewery was the biggest in Hungary.
Main Beer Makers in Hungary
Today, Hungary has four large companies that make most of the beer. They mainly produce light beers called lagers (Hungarian: világos). They also make dark beers, like German-style bocks (Hungarian: barna).
| Name | Owner | Location | Some Famous Beers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dreher Breweries (Dreher Sörgyárak) |
Asahi Breweries | Kőbánya, Budapest |
Dreher Classic, Arany Ászok, Kőbányai Világos (light lagers), Dreher Bak (a double dark beer) |
| Borsod Brewery (Borsodi Sörgyár) |
Molson Coors Brewing Company | Bőcs, Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County |
Borsodi Világos, Borsodi Bivaly, Borostyán (English: Amber) |
| Heineken Hungária (Heineken Magyarország) |
Heineken | Sopron, Győr-Moson-Sopron |
Soproni, Talléros (English: Coin Worth), Arany Hordó (English: Golden Barrel) |
| Pécs Brewery (Pécsi Sörfőzde) |
Szemerey family | Pécs, Baranya |
Pécsi Szalon, Szalon Barna, Tavaszi Sör (English: Spring Beer) |
Smaller Craft Breweries
In recent years, many smaller breweries have also started in Hungary. These are often called "microbreweries" or "craft beer" makers. Some examples are Fóti, Legenda, Monyó, Csupor, and Mad Scientist. Since the 2010s, the craft beer scene has grown a lot. There are now many local breweries, beer festivals, and special shops that sell craft beers.
How Much Beer Do People Drink?
In the 1980s, people in Hungary drank about 100 liters of beer per person each year. That's like 100 big milk cartons! But since then, this amount has gone down. Now, it's closer to 70 liters per person. Most of the beer sold, about 90%, is light lager.
A Special Hungarian Tradition
In Hungary, people usually do not clink their glasses together when they drink beer. This tradition comes from an old story. It is said that Austrian generals clinked their beer glasses to celebrate. This happened after they executed the 13 Martyrs of Arad in 1849. These martyrs were Hungarian leaders.
Many people in Hungary still follow this tradition today. However, some younger people do not follow it. They say that the promise not to clink glasses was only meant to last for 150 years.
