Dargett Craft Beer Brewery, Armenia’s First Craft Beer.

Armenia recently saw it´s first Craft Beer Brewery opening its doors in its capital Yerevan.
With a big airy seating, good food, and an extensive beer menu, the Dargett craft beer is a welcoming place for beer nerds (alcoholics) in Armenia.

With its central location and its friendly English speaking staff, Dargett Brewery has fast become a popular hangout for locals and expats.

While Brandy has long been the most popular drink among locals things are now changing with Dargett.

If you got some extra time while in Yerevan be sure to check out this great post with day trips from Yerevan.

There were 18 local-brewed craft beers on tap during my visit. All brewed right there in the basement, there are big glass windows where you can have a look, so are you sure to find a few beers you can drink. They even have speciality beers made from local Apricot, one of Armenia’s main exports.

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If you need to take a taxi to get around Yerevan, check this post from Megan Starr.

If you can´t find a beer you like here (you should you stay home), they also have quite a few imported  Belgium beers here.

 

The Beers at Armenia’s first Craft Beer Brewery.

The Catcher In The Wheat  4.6%. Wheat Ale.
From the menu: An Americanized version of a German Hefe Weizen, this beer is a pale colour. A substantial percentage of wheat malt is used.
A great tasty hoppy beer, smooth but the carbonation feels quite strong. Overall a great beer. 7/10.

Underdog. 6%. Spice Beer?
A seasonal Ale made from Pumpkin!
Pours a clear copper orange with a small frothy white head that lasts. The aroma is of pumpkin. Overall a good Ale. 6/10.

Prunus Armeniaca. 6%. Wheat Beer.
From the menu: Apricot and wheat are used for this beer pair nicely, giving the impression of a light apricot pound cake with the sweetness squeezed out.
With deep, rich apricot dance on the palate, this beer is a harmonious marriage of fruit and beer.

I’m a big fan of wheat beer, and this was a good one with a small taste of Apricot. Overall 8/10

Coney Island. 5.5%. American Pale Ale.
From the menu: An American interpretation of the classic English style. A pale, refreshing and hoppy ale characterized by tropical, fruity, citrus-like American variety hop character, producing medium-high hop bitterness, flavour, and aroma. Medium-body and with sufficient supporting malt to make the beer balanced and drinkable.

A gorgeous smell of great hops to this beer and spicy bitterness to it, It pours clear dark amber with a small but lasting off-white head. Aroma is citrus fruits. Overall a good Pale Ale 7/10.

Steppenwolf. 5%  Hefeweizen/Weisbier.
From the menu: A South-German style of wheat beer (Weissbier), often called Hefeweizen. It’s made with a typical ration of 50:50 wheat and barley malt. A yeast that produces a unique phenolic flavour of banana and cloves with an often dry and tart edge, some spiciness, bubblegum or notes of apples. Little hop bitterness and a moderate level of alcohol.

A good and easy Weisbier to drink, with a taste of bubblegum, subtle banana. Soft, creamy, light tart and subtly sweet. Overall an awesome Weisbier 8/10.

Morello. 6%. Cherry Ale.
From the menu: To make this beer, the brewmaster, used Armenian sour cherries, that were previously deep frozen, to best preserve their natural taste. We brewed this beer just like a classic ale, using malt and hops, and only at the fermentation stage, we added the sour cherries. The taste and flavour of our cherry ale have a noticeable subtleness because of this brewing process. With its’ light body and refreshing aroma.

My first ever cherry ale. Pours reddish brown with a transient beige head and a strong cherry aroma. Overall. Ok. 5/10

Metamorphosis. 5.5%. Vienna Lager.
From the menu: Named after the city in which it originated, a traditional Vienna lager is a moderate-strength amber lager with a soft, smooth maltiness and moderate bitterness, yet finishing relatively dry. The malt flavour is clean, bready-rich and somewhat toasty, with an elegant impression derived from a quality base.

Deep amber orange colour. Small creamy beige head. Sharp grainy toasted malt nose. Sweet toasted malt flavour. Overall 7/10

Milestones. 7.5%. Black IPA.
From the menu: A beer with the dryness, hop-forward balance and flavour characteristics of an American IPA, only darker in colour, but without strongly roasted or burnt flavours. The flavour of darker malts is gentle and supportive, not a major flavour component. Hop bitterness.

A very dark beer with a huge thick head. Aroma of roasted malt, alcohol, deep hops.
I’m not a huge fan of dark beers. Overall 4/10.

Belle De Jour. 5%. Blonde Ale.
From the menu: Easy-drinking, malt-oriented craft beer, with light citrusy notes. Light sweet malty aroma, with a delicate bready note. Well-balanced and clean, it’s a refreshing ale without aggressive flavours

A very easy beer to drink with a small with a citrusy taste. Light sweet malty aroma,.Overall 5/10

Vertigo. 7%. IPA.
From the menu: The balance is hop-forward, with a clean fermentation profile, dryish finish and clean, supporting malt, allowing a creative range of hop character to shine through. Hop aroma is intense, featuring main characteristics of the New World hops, such as citrus, tropical fruit, and berries.

Citrus, pine, resin, malt giving the idea of honey. Pours golden-amber with a large head. In taste dry, intensely hoppy, citrusy. A typical IPA. Overall 7/10.

La Rapsodia. 5%. Pilsner.
From the menu: The malt flavours are complex for a Pilsner-type beer, and the bitterness is strong but clean and without harshness, which gives a rounded impression that enhances drinkability.

Golden yellow coloured beer with a white head aroma malts citrus fruits spicy and hops flavour malts citrus. Very easy to drink. Overall 6/10.

1984. 4.8%. Oatmeal Stout.
From the menu: A very dark, full-bodied stout, that has an unreal smoothness from the addition of oats to the mash. Roasted malt character is caramel and chocolate-like, smooth and not bitter with a medium-dry finish. Coee-like roasted barley and malt aromas are prominent.

I’m absolutely not a stout fan. Very dark with a big thick head. with a strong malty taste.
Overall. 3/10.

During my 48 Hour stay in Yerevan (click here to read what to there for 48 Hours) I did end up trying 12 out of the 18 locally made craft beers. Not too bad! I really liked Dargett Craft Beer Brewery, and I even had two great meals there.

So if you’re ever in Yerevan & Armenia and fancy some great beer, Dargett Craft Beer Brewery is definitely the right place to go.