If you’re looking for a place to drink beer in the city, Medellín Beer Factory is the place to be.
Not to be confused with Bogotá Beer Company, this one is strictly Medellín only and naming themselves as the Kings of Beer they certainly know how to pull a pint.
Being from Europe, I knew my beers and was used to serving pints as my time as a bar maid so walking through the doors of Medellín Beer Factory felt like walking through the doors of a pub back at home in the UK.
A trip here will transport you to the countryside of Germany, back to Bavaria with waitresses wearing traditional Bavarian outfits and providing some eye candy for the boys.
The Medellín Beer Factory offers a proper pub feel including wooden tables and chairs and numerous beer bottles aligned along the top shelf that runs around the bar.
Spacious is not the word here, as the pub even has room for pool tables to shoot a few rounds. You’ll find a few bikes dotting around the place too as well as pictures of global superstars and the odd guitar on the wall.
They have more than 55 imported and craft beers, from Colombia’s best beers to imported bottles from Germany, Spain and other European countries.
Try an Erdinger Pikantus or a Paulaner Naturtrub from Germany for 18,500 pesos ($10).
Prices for other beers range from 7,500 pesos to 18,500 pesos ($3.60 to $10) for the more premium brands, or you can drink your beer the Colombian way and pay the extra to make it into a local michelada with lime and salt.
There are so many beers to choose from, you could be here all weekend trying them out. If pints and bottles aren’t enough for you then go for one of their super pints for 17,000 pesos ($8) which are guaranteed to get you in the mood to start singing to the soft rock being played in the bar.
If there’s more of you, consider sharing a pitcher for 25,000 pesos ($12) and when you get a bit peckish, you can order the house bites of wings and ribs no matter what hour it seems, perfect for accompanying your beer, whether you choose a light, dark or rubia.
But if you’re not a beer drinker, there’s also sangria on the menu. Choose from vino tinto for $42,000 pesos ($20) or vino rosado for $48,000 pesos ($23) but being a micro-brewery, it would be a crime to not taste one of their local beers.
A Blanca Barril – rubia, or a Negra Barril will set you back just 7,500 pesos ($3.65) which is a bargain for a taste of the real Colombia.
Although it’s situated on a corner of Calle 10 in Poblado, there’s plenty of people walking past if you choose to sit on the outdoor terrace and people watch for a while.
It’s a social place, the kind to go with your friends. For the Europeans reading, this place will truly make you feel at home.
Are you sure that Medellin Beer Factory is both a microbrewery and a pub? I’ve been there several times, and I can’t say I recall them serving anything made in house. Bogota Beer Company is most definitely a microbrewery/brewpub, but I am pretty sure MBF doesn’t brew their own . Also, for the best beer selection in the city, head to La Charcu on La Satenta. It’s close to the gas station where the 70th ends and the UPB starts, and it has a beer list that is several pages long. In a addition to the mass produced European lagers that are unfortunately overrepresented here in Colombia (Becks, Heineken, Peroni, Crlasberg, etc), it has a good selection from almost every microbrewery in Colombia, as well as some gems from Belgium.
I didn’t think MBF brewed their own beer either, though that’s what Lisa was told. We’re going to chalk it up to a miscommunication. The story has been edited to remove the micro-brewery reference. Thanks!