Craft beer in Kenya: Microbreweries in Nairobi

Published: April 22, 2024

Is there local craft beer in Nairobi, or in Kenya overall? The answer is definitely yes, even though the global craft beer boom is not yet in full bloom in East Africa. In Kenya, and in East African countries in general, the craft beer culture is still very young, but artisan beers are slowly gaining more friends and it’s becoming more easy to find local craft beer in Nairobi. Not much beer is imported from abroad, but there is a handful of local brewers are working hard to spread the word about different beer styles and the art of small-scale brewing. The hub of craft beer in East Africa is Nairobi, the busy and international capital of Kenya. In this post we take a short look at the beer history of Kenya and introduce a handful of microbreweries that produce tasty artisan beers in and around Nairobi!

Tusker Lager is the most popular beer of Kenya

Kenya’s most popular beer among both tourists and locals is Tusker, a light lager beer that is sold practically everywhere. Tusker is a product of a brewing giant called East African Breweries Limited, and the same company is behind practically all the big beer brands of Kenya. The roots of this brewery go back more than a hundred years, as it was founded by the Welsh brothers George and Charles Hurst in 1922, back then under the name Kenya Breweries. The story behind the name and the elephant logo of Tusker is actually quite tragic. The word tusker means an elephant with large tusks, and the brand is a tribute to George Hurst, who was pierced by the tusks of a large male elephant in 1923 in a horrible elephant hunting accident.

The first steps of craft beer in Kenya

Tusker and other bulk lagers will definitely maintain their position as Kenya’s number one for years to come, but craft beer has slowly gained some foothold in the market. One of the pioneers of the microbrewery industry in the country is Aleem Ladak, a craft beer lover born in Canada, raised in Burundi and studied and worked internationally. As a brewer by profession, Ladak already had a lot of international experience in brewing industry before settling in Nairobi, and in 2009 he decided to open his own microbrewery. The first five beers of The Big Five Breweries were named after the swahili names for the famous big five; Kifabock Belgian Dubbel Bock (kifaru means rhino), Chuikolsch German Blonde Ale (chui means leopard), Simpils classic Pilsner (simba means lion), Temstout Stout (tembo means elephant) and Nyatipa IPA (nyati means buffalo).

The Big Five Breweries came into market with an aim to produce quality craft beers for the premium market, and to educate people on craft beer. In 2009, craft beer was an almost unknown concept in East Africa, but Ladak worked hard to raise its profile. The first location of Big Five was Brew Bistro & Lounge, the first brewpub of Nairobi. This venue on Ngong Rd still exists today, but the brewing has since 2021 taken place in an industrial area in Baba Dogo, Nairobi. Right next to the brewery is a small taproom called the W-Tap Room, where you can taste craft beers by the Big Five and Wananchi Breweries (nowadays the official name and new brand of the brewery) as fresh as they get!

Another artisan brewing pioneer in Kenya was Sierra Premium brewery, founded even earlier than the Big Five Breweries. Sierra Premium mostly focuses on relatively easy Bavarian style beers, and has a stylish, upper-scale brewery restaurant in central Nairobi.

For most of the Kenyans, craft beer is still a rather new and not so well-known phenomenon, and heavily hopped or very dark beers are challenging products for local consumers. Microbreweries do their best to slowly modify the taste habits, but also brew small batches of special products alongside easier styles, to keep the enlightened beer lovers happy. During the last few years, new entrants at craft beer business have started experimenting and marketing different beer styles a little more boldly than the pioneers. Craft beers are sold to both locals and tourists in taprooms, pubs and restaurants, and a rather delightful selection is also available in supermarkets. There is a lot of legislation and bureaucracy involved in setting up a brewery in Kenya, but once all the paperwork is approved, retailing is relatively easy. Wide availability naturally increases awareness of craft beer and helps new consumers discover artisan beers.

Bila Shaka Brewery is bold and ecological

In our opinion, the highest quality craft beers in Kenya are at the moment made by Bila Shaka Brewery and 254 Brewing. Bila Shaka microbrewery, that was earlier known as Bateleur, launched Kenya’s first IPA in late 2017, and quickly became the country’s best-known artisan brewery. Bila Shaka’s product range is bolder than most, and the core of the brewery’s operations is creative processes and experimentation with different hops, malts and yeasts. The brewery is also modern in the sense that its operations emphasize circular economy and environmental friendliness. The water used in beer production comes from a spring right next to the brewery, they use renewable energy sources, such as bio-fuels, and the mash is taken to an animal shelter to feed rescued animals.

We unfortunately haven’t (yet) have a chance to visit Bila Shaka Brewery, that is located outside of Nairobi in the Kedong Valley. But luckily, Bila Shaka has no less than three brewery restaurants in downtown Nairobi. A warm recommendation to visit for example their taproom restaurant on the roof top of Sarit Center in Westlands in central Nairobi! Bila Shaka also has its own beer club, whose members receive a shipment of new products and Bila Shaka’s classics every month. One of our favorite Kenyan beers is Bila Shaka’s strong and roasted Imperial Stout called Chez Guerrilla.

254 Brewing constantly launches new craft beers

Soon after the founding of Bila Shaka, also a couple of other enthusiastic artisan breweries entered the Kenyan microbrewery scene. Of these new breweries, 254 Brewing has gained the best foothold in the market, joining Bila Shaka as the country’s best-known breweries. 254 Brewing was founded by Irishman Eoin Flinn at the beginning of 2018, and named after the country/area code of Kenya. The start pf the brewery was rather rough, since it took no less than two years to get the products on sale. For some reason, for 254 Brewing the bureaucracy was particularly challenging, and Flinn had to deal with no less than 12 different ministries or other licensing authorities before getting the needed permits to sell the beer. And when they finally did, it was just a few weeks before the Covid-19 hit. Luckily, or to put it better, with hard work, the brewery survived over the lockdowns, and when the restrictions were finally lifted, it started to grow.

The first brew master of 254 Brewing was an American brewer Matt Walsh, known for his previous work in Modern Times and Lost Coast breweries. His expertise significantly helped in the development of processes and products of the brewery. 254 Brewing brewery and taproom is located just outside of Nairobi in Kikuyu. It’s a very nice venue with both local and international clientele, and the best venue to taste the special beers. 254 Brewing’s core lineup includes Niaje? Pale Lager, Golden Rump Session IPA, Sand Trap American IPA and Mura Tatu Belgian Tripel. In addition to these four core beers, 254 produces many seasonal beers and more experimental products, releasing small batches of new products almost weekly. During our visit to the brewery, we tasted an excellent Black IPA called Cliffhanger and a very smooth Nitro Stout, first of its kind in Kenya.

254 Brewing has a great taproom restaurant also in central Nairobi. This lively pub called 254 Beer District is located in Westlands, in the Delta Towers. There is a good selection of 254 craft beers on tap, tasty food and live music – a great venue for beer tasting and gathering together with friends!

Crafty Chameleon – craft beer and food in a beer garden

A more recent entrant to the microbrewery scene is Crafty Chameleon , located in the popular Lavington area of Nairobi. This cozy brewpub combines a German-style beer garden atmosphere with a restaurant that also offers a versatile drink menu for non-beer lovers. The founder of the brewery, Arjun Malhotra, discovered the world of craft beer while living in Germany. After returning to Kenya, he wanted to introduce more beers to the market in Nairobi, and opened Crafty Chameleon Brewpub & Restaurant in December 2022.

Crafty Chameleon produces five core beers; Crafty Lager, Crafty Wheat, Crafty Golden Ale, Crafty IPA and Craft Stout. In addition there are several seasonal products and special brews too. All Crafty Chameleon beers are, at least for now, only available in the taproom restaurant, located right next to the brewery. Many events, such as movie nights, concerts and festivals, are organized in the premises of the brewery building and beer garden, and it has become a rather popular venue. We visited the brewery for the first time conveniently during Oktoberfest 2023, when seasonal beers and a special German-style food menu were on offer.

Before our trip to East Africa, we knew almost nothing about the local beer culture, so the number of microbreweries and the relatively good availability of craft beer in Nairobi, was a positive surprise. Of course, the market is still very small and young, but the brewers seem to have positive expectations about the future. Hopefully, in the coming years, we will see more new arrivals and a bold selection of locally brewed artisan beers!