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Recipe sheetsBiraBar: Sofia's Craft Beer Bar and the Only Place in Bulgaria to Serve Real Cask AleTucked away on Pariж (Paris) Street in the heart of Sofia, just 200 metres from the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, BiraBar is a small but spirited craft beer bar that has quietly earned a unique place in Bulgaria's beer scene. Part traditional English micropub, part champion of local independent brewing, BiraBar is not your average bar — it is a destination for anyone who takes their beer seriously. 13 Taps, All BusinessBiraBar runs a tight but well-curated operation: 13 taps in total, split between 10 keg lines and, most distinctively, 3 cask ale hand pumps. The keg lines rotate regularly, showcasing draught craft beers from small, independent Bulgarian breweries. On any given visit you might find offerings from Трима и Двама (Trima i Dvama) from Sliven, Rhombus Craft Brewery from Pazardzhik, Диво Пиво (Divo Pivo) from Sofia, Meltum from Lovech, Blek Pine from Gorna Banya, Lomsko Pivo, Jagerhof from Plovdiv, Hills from Perushtitsa, Metalhead from Burgas, and others. The emphasis is firmly on local and independent — you won't find mainstream lagers filling the lines here. The current tap list is always visible on onTap.bg, updated in real time. Cask Ale: A First for BulgariaThe most remarkable thing about BiraBar — and what sets it apart from every other bar in Sofia — is its three cask ale pumps, serving what the British call Real Ale. BiraBar is the only place in Bulgaria where you can try genuine cask-conditioned ale served the way it would be in a traditional London pub. So what makes cask ale different? Cask Ale is unfiltered, unpasteurised, and undergoes a secondary fermentation inside the cask itself, meaning the beer is alive with active yeast right up until it's served. No additional CO₂ is pumped through it — instead, the ale is drawn up by a hand pump (or beer engine) at the bar. The result is a softer, more naturally carbonated pint with a character and freshness that keg beers simply cannot replicate. BiraBar takes this seriously. The team has undergone specialist training through the British Institute of Innkeeping to ensure every pint of cask ale is conditioned and served correctly. When a cask arrives, a careful preparation process takes place in the bar's cellar before a single drop is poured — preserving the ale's freshness and aroma so that it reaches the glass in perfect condition. Regular fixtures on the cask pumps include ales from Black Sheep Brewery in Masham, Yorkshire — one of England's best-known independent breweries — alongside specially prepared cask ales brewed for BiraBar by Bulgarian craft breweries. Take It HomeOne of BiraBar's more practical and popular features is its beer-to-go service. All draught beers on the taps are available to take away, filled into 1-litre bottles using a counter-pressure filling system (Pégasus-type) that keeps the beer fresh and carbonated just as it was from the tap. It's a proper solution — not a casual afterthought — for those who want to enjoy a fresh craft pour at home without compromise. Beyond BeerThe bar's philosophy of authenticity extends to its other offerings. BiraBar stocks real English and French ciders from small producers, made from 100% apples using traditional methods and without added sugars or sweeteners — a rare find in Sofia. A selection of bottled craft beers rounds out the menu, covering both Bulgarian producers and imported specialities for those who want to explore beyond the taps. A Proper Pub AtmosphereBiraBar describes itself as a traditional English micropub, and the atmosphere lives up to that description. It is a place built around the beer — unpretentious, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about what it serves. The bar is small, the conversations tend to be good, and the staff know what's in every glass.
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