site.btaAround 2,000 People in Bulgaria Actively Brew Beer at Home

Approximately 2,000 people in Bulgaria are actively involved in homebrewing, Chair of the Management Board of the Homebrewers Association in Bulgaria (HAB) Volodya Pachev told BTA's Nikolai Trifonov on Friday.

Pachev spoke on the occasion of International Beer Day, which is celebrated on August 1.

HAB was founded in 2012 with the aim of promoting homebrewing as a hobby and pushing for its legalization. Since 2022, individuals in Bulgaria can legally brew up to 100 liters of beer at home with no excise tax, Pachev explained.

“Like any hobby, homebrewing can be as complex and expensive as one wants it to be, but to get started, all you need is a pot, a fermentation bucket, some cheesecloth, and a thermometer - those are the essentials,” said Pachev. There are also stores that supply raw ingredients.

The hobby has become much more accessible in recent years. The association organizes training sessions focused on specific beer styles and the diversity of the beverage. Homebrewing is relatively popular, Pachev noted, adding that there are hundreds of beer styles, depending on the ingredients and their country of origin. The main styles are German, Czech, Belgian, and English, and in recent years, American styles have also emerged, he said.

"One of our regrets is that there’s no uniquely Bulgarian beer style," said Pachev. “Bulgarians consume a huge amount of beer per capita, yet that hasn’t led to the development of a distinctive local style. That’s one of the things we’re trying to change,” he added.

Each year, the association organizes a homebrew competition. Two years ago, there was a special category in which participants had to create a beer style using a traditional Bulgarian ingredient or flavor. “We saw beers brewed with peppers and roses,” Pachev shared.

At this year’s competition in May, there were around 50 participants and nearly 100 samples of homemade beer. Brewers from Romania, Finland, and Croatia also took part, making the event international in scope.

“We’ll celebrate the day with a cold beer and good company,” Pachev said of International Beer Day.

Bulgarians and Beer

According to a traditional summer survey by Ipsos, commissioned by the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria, 75% of Bulgarians drink beer at least once a month, and 57% enjoy beer at least once a week. On average, beer is consumed 9 times per month, with the most loyal fans (11+ times/month) aged 30-39 and 40-49. 42% of Bulgarians believe beer is the right beverage for them. Among weekly drinkers, this number rises to 64%.

Beer Production in Bulgaria

In 2024, beer production in Bulgaria reached 470 million liters, a slight increase from 468 million liters in 2023. This data is from the latest industry report by BarthHaas, the world’s largest hop trader. Bulgaria ranks 51st globally among over 170 countries in the report.

Both the Union of Brewers in Bulgaria and the HAB advocate for moderate consumption of beer.

International Beer Day has been celebrated since 2008, on the first Friday of August, founded by Jesse Avshalomov, a bar owner from Santa Cruz, California. Initially celebrated only in the US, the day is now marked in over 200 cities worldwide.