Beer in Syria facts for kids
In Syria, the making and selling of beer used to be managed by the government. You could often find it in supermarkets run by the army, and in small shops in city centers and different neighborhoods.
Even though some beers from Lebanon are not very common, popular brands like Lebanese Almaza, Heineken, and Amstel are available. You can find these in hotels, restaurants, and many shops in big cities like Damascus, Aleppo, Latakia, Tartus, and Qamishli.
The production of Syria's two main local beers, al-Shark (from Aleppo) and Barada (from Damascus), stopped in 2011. This happened because of difficult times in the country. However, new breweries have opened. A new company called Afamia started in 2010 near Damascus. By the end of 2017, the Arados brewery also opened in the town of Safita in Tartus Governorate.
Contents
Syrian Beer Brands
Here are some of the well-known beer brands from Syria:
Al-Shark Beer
Al-Shark Beer, also known as al-Chark, was made by the Al-Shark Company for Food Stuff Products in Aleppo. This company was started in 1954 and was fully owned by the Syrian government. Al-Shark was a type of light-colored beer called a pale lager. It had a slightly higher alcohol content (3.7%) and was known for its medium malty taste.
Barada Beer
Barada Beer was made by the Barada Beer Company in Damascus. This company began in 1977 and was also fully owned by the Syrian government. Barada was also a pale lager. It had 3.4% alcohol and was often described as having a yellowish, cloudy look and a light taste. Some people thought the quality of Barada beer was not always consistent.
Afamia Beer of Syria
Afamia Beer was founded in 2010 and first sold in 2017 by the Afamia Beverages Company. The Afamia brewing factory is located in the Adra Industrial Zone, just outside Damascus. This brewery uses modern equipment and technology. They also get help from European experts and use special ingredients. Afamia produces Syria's first premium beer, which has 4.5% alcohol. They also make Afamia Extra Strong, which has 8.5% alcohol.
Arados Beer
Arados Beer was launched in 2017 by the Arados brewing factory in Safita, Tartus Governorate. Experts from the Czech Republic helped them set up. This is one of the newest companies making beer in Syria. They invested a lot of money and plan to produce 15 million liters of beer each year. Arados beer is the first widely produced local beer since al-Shark and Barada stopped making their products.
Beer in Ancient Times
Did you know that beer has a very long history in Syria? The Ebla tablets are ancient writings found in 1974 in Ebla, Syria. These tablets are believed to be from around 2500 BC. They show that the city of Ebla made many different kinds of beer. One of these beers was even named after the city itself, "Ebla." This shows how important beer was in daily life many thousands of years ago.
