Where to Drink Craft Beer in Skopje

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Daniel and I visited Skopje in mid-July. They sun was shining and the city was hot, so we decided to do what we do best: spend the day drinking craft beer in Skopje.

As you can probably guess, there isn’t a booming craft beer scene in Skopje yet, but there are still some great breweries and bars to try. If you’re passing through the city here are the top three places to drink craft beer in Skopje.

The Old Town Brewery

Location: Str. Gradishte 1, Skoplje 1000, Republika Makedonija
More Info Here

The Old Town Brewery is the best place for craft beer in Skopje because not only is it the first craft beer brewery in the city, but also the only one!

The place is called the Old Town Brewery, but the beer brand made here is Temov.

It was opened in 2009 and is located in the Old Bazaar, which means it’s perfect for a refreshing stop in the beer garden while you explore the cobblestone streets and colorful shops.

When we visited, the Old Town Brewery had six different beers on tap and covered all the basics, including an IPA, a lager, a pilsner, and more.

I had a hazy wheat beer, which was refreshing in the summer heat, and Daniel tried the seasonal smoked IPA. We enjoyed the shaded outdoor beer garden, and prices started at 120 mkd / 2 euros per pint.

Kolective

Location: 11th October, Square Macedonia, Skopje 1000, Macedonia (FYROM)
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I was a little confused about this craft beer bar at first, so let me explain.

Kolective is a second location for the Old Town Brewery. You may also see it called the Pvinica Temov (and the Old Town Brewery shows up as Pivnica Star Grad) on Google maps when you’re searching for craft beer in Skopje, but they are one in the same.

Kolective doesn’t brew the own beer, but they serve the Temov craft beer that’s made in the Old Town Brewery. So… why should you visit both?

Honestly, Kolective and the Old Town Brewery are totally different experiences.

Where Old Town Brewery is kind of rustic and ramshakle in the winding streets of the bazaar, Kolective is new and chic, located right in the main square of Skopje. Interestingly, they even had completely different beer menus and options to try.

Best of all, Kolective also has flights… kind of. The sampler is 650 mkd / 10.5 euros and comes with six beers. They’re each .3 liters though (basically, the size of a beer can) so it’s a lot of beer. Definitely plan to split this with a partner or you’ll be very drunk, drinking super warm beer, or both.

In our flight we tried a Double IPA, a melon beer, the wheat beer, a strawberry beer, the milky way vanilla beer, and a porter. We enjoyed the porter and IPA the most, but the others were interesting to try as well. 

Because Kolective offers more variety with their craft beer options, I recommend a stop here if you can only visit one place while in Skopje.

Special Beer Bar Cosy

Location:  Kosturski Heroi 4, Skopje 1000, Macedonia (FYROM)
More Info Here

If you’ve had your fill of Macedonian brews but still want to drink craft beer in Skopje, the Special Beer Bar Cosy is the place. True to its name, this place is cozy and has the feel of a local dive.

The extensive beer list is mostly bottles from different craft breweries and we enjoyed everything that we tried. If you’re going to be in the city for awhile, you can also check their Facebook page for upcoming events hosted here or catch the Trivia Night every Wednesday.

No crowds, awesome music, and the location outside of the city center (but still in a lively area of town) make the Special Beer Bar Cosy worth visiting. It was nice to see more of Skopje during our short stay and of course enjoy a few more craft beers as well!

If you’re looking for craft beer in Skopje, this list has you covered.

The Old Town Brewery, Kolective, and the Special Beer Bar Cosy all offer different experiences to cater to whatever kind of night (or day) that you have in mind.

Enjoy sampling the craft beer in Skopje, and have a drink for me while you do! Cheers!

Ready to go? Use Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights to Skopje and then explore accommodation like unique stays on Airbnb or the top-rated hotels on Booking.com to plan the perfect night, weekend, or long-term stay in the city.

This article is part of the Mesmerizing Macedonia series. Read the rest below:

How to Get from Sofia to Lake Ohrid by Bus

Visit Lake Ohrid in Macedonia With This Complete Guide

How to Spend 24 Hours in Skopje, the Strangest City in the Balkans

How to Get From Lake Ohrid to Tirana

Then, explore the complete Macedonia series for more insider tips on what to see, do, eat, drink, and discover in the country.