Romanian Beer: Beers To Try in Romania – Ursus, Bucur & Ciuc

I like a few beers while travelling, especially trying local tipples. I enjoyed the Romanian beer options while travelling in Romania. Options range from popular mainstream beers to more specialist craft beers.

There are also some very nice Romanian wines, especially the red wines. Many locals drink a plum-based spirit called ‘tuica’, which is not too dissimilar to brandy. Overall, I enjoyed trying the booze in Romania on various trips.

Romanian beer

Beers and breweries from Romania that I have enjoyed drinking in the bars and restaurants of Romania. This includes some great options for hiking or a picnic in the mountains.

Ursus

Ursus is a fantastic Romanian beer that comes in a variety of styles to choose from. The Ursus lagers are fantastic in the warmer months, as they are very refreshing. They are usually quite cheap by British standards, costing between 6 and 9 lei, which is about £1.20 and £1.80.

They have a history dating back to 1718 in Timișoara, where they built a brewery. Subsequently, in Cluj-Napoca, they adopted the bear symbol, hence their name; ‘urs’ means ‘bear’ in Romanian. Since then, they have merged, built new breweries and finally were bought by the Asahi Group. They also make the delightful Timisoreana under the same umbrella.

Ursus’ range includes:

• Ursus Premium, a lager, the king of beers in Romania.
• Retro, a golden-coloured beer with a nice head, is very drinkable, with subtle flavours.
• Black is not bitter or typical of a black beer. They make it with three types of malt, thus making it delicious and unique.
• Ursus Pale Ale with the panda logo has a slightly hoppy taste and subtle flavours.

Ciuc Beer

Ciuc is a popular beer in bars and restaurants in Romania. It is usually one of the cheapest options on the menu and comes in either a bottle or draught. I prefer the bottled versions, which come in 330 ml or 500 ml sizes.

Bucur: A Tasty Beer

The Bucur range has two beers: a dark one and a blonde. Both are rather tasty; however, I prefer the blonde. Bucur Bere de Bulevard Blondă is a pale lager with 5% alcohol. It usually comes in bottles; however, some bars serve it on draught. Someone initially introduced me to Bucur at Ana Si Ion, a restaurant in Constanța. It went perfectly with the meal we ate.

They also brew Bucur Bere De Bulevard Brună, a dark beer without the usual strong hoppy taste. The beer is easy to drink, with subtle notes of coffee and chocolate. This is a strong beer with 6.5% alcohol. United Romanian Breweries, who also make Tuborg and brew Bucur.

Zaganu Craft Beer

Zaganu Craft Brewery makes some rather nice craft beers in Romania. It is an independent brewery founded in 2013. Zaganu Craft Brewery is based at the base of Zaganu Mountain; hence the name. Zăganu beer is an artisan, unpasteurised beer, made only from water, malt, hops and yeast.

They also produce a pilsner-style beer and a brown ale. You can find them in many bars throughout the country, and they are rather refreshing.

Bere Czell A Brewery From Brasov

A local craft beer option in Braşov is Bere Czell, which is rather nice. Formed in 1893, it was Braşov’s first craft brewery. They relaunched in 2021 and put out some fantastic beer options. Their range includes unfiltered helles; Clara, a pilsner; and their original helles-type beer. From their range, I prefer the original, especially as an afternoon drink.

Bere Mustață Craft Beers

Another nice brewery that produces a good range of craft beers is Bere Mustață. Bere Mustață is a craft brewery in Braşov, a city in the mountains of Romania. They pride themselves on using the best quality natural ingredients. They have 7 beers in their range, which you can purchase or taste in their taproom in Brașov city centre.

I enjoyed their German-style pilsner the most from my tasting session. Another option that hit the spot for me was their Bohemian pilsner and American IPA. They also produce a porter, a white beer and a French amber ale. Overall, Mustață has some interesting options to try on tap or in a bottle.

Suceava

If you like slightly malty lager beers, then Suceava might be a good option. S.C. Bermas Suceava brews this one, and they are based in the beer’s namesake town. It’s not often available in the bars I’ve visited while in Romania; however, I enjoyed a few while in a bar in Cluj-Napoca.

Ciucas Blond Beer

Usually, Ciucas is the cheapest option in neighbourhood bars throughout Romania. It’s often 2 lei cheaper than other Romanian beers, and I’m not sure why. It is a lager from the Brașov region of Transylvania. Ciucas is a light, pleasant drink that comes in cans or bottles. Overall, Ciucas is an excellent beer for those on a budget.

Breasla Pilsner – Craft Beer

Another craft beer from Brasov is Breasla Pilsner, which I first tried at the Next Door restaurant in the city. It’s a nice drink that reminds me of many I tried in Central Europe. It has a hoppy taste and is a nice afternoon drink or a good pairing for a meal out.

Azuga Craft Beer

Named after the town, InA established the brewery, which produces a lovely craft beer. The brewery has a fascinating history dating back to 1870. Nowadays, Azuga is produced in Cluj-Napoca at the Barlog factory. Their latest unpasteurised beer uses a German Märzen recipe. It is delicious, with a malty taste and a slight hop flavour. Overall, it’s a lovely option to try when exploring Romania.

Bere Schei: A Craft Beer From Brasov

Bere Schei is another Romanian craft beer I enjoyed; they are a nano-brewery in the Brașov city centre. There’s not much information about their beer, but they get a mention on Untappd. They have a few beers available, which I found at Viva la Vida, a pleasant bar in Braşov.

First up was Daniela’s IPA, an unfiltered bottle of beer that was naturally fermented. It is 5% in strength, and I found it particularly pleasant for an IPA. My favourite Bere Schei beer was Paula’s Ale, an unfiltered blonde ale. It was tasty, clear, and went down well.

Bergenbier

Another cheap option in Romania is Bergenbier. It’s a light, crisp lager-type beer and great for a warm day or after a long hike in the mountains. The Bergenbier brewery is in Ploieşti and is part of the Molson Coors group.

Caraiman

Another nice beer that I enjoyed while on a train adventure was Caraiman. Caraiman is a lager type and rather refreshing. As a bonus, it was cheap too. It is the latest addition to the Bergenbier range. Apparently, they developed this to enhance a chilled life, with the idea of a beer at the top of a mountain. What’s not to like about that?

Harghita

Another nice beer to try in Transylvania is Harghita. Heineken Group owns it. They established the brand in 1972 at the brewery in Miercurea Ciuc. It’s a lovely beer to drink in the bars of the region.

Silva Romanian Pale Ale

Another beer I enjoy occasionally is Silva, a Romanian pale ale. It is a flavourful drink, and I have enjoyed it a few times with food. Heineken owns it, and it has been around for about 40 years. They also produce a dark beer, which I find far too sweet for my palate. Overall, the pale ale is a nice drink and a welcome change from regular lager beers.

Romanian Wines & Wine Producers

From my experience, many locals make their own wine, and I have tried a few. However, many of the restaurants in Romania sell more commercial varieties by the bottle or glass. You can pick up bottles of locally produced wine at markets throughout the country.

Romanian Spirits, including Tuica

Tuica is a Romanian take on whisky, made traditionally by fermenting and distilling plums. It comes in various styles, including many homemade versions. It’s a great toasting drink and seems ultra-popular in the Danube Delta. Tuica pairs well with fish dishes and also makes a great warmer in the snow-covered mountains.