You wouldn’t think anything called a growler could work its way into your heart, but Pflügerstrasse’s new beer bottle shop, Lager Lager, may change that. Growing up in New England, I loved the ritual of taking these potbellied beer jugs to my favorite local breweries for refills of fresh draft beer. Owners Robyn Anderson and André Gifkins bring this neighborhood-esque option to Neukölln, with a small, diverse array of rotating taps waiting to replenish your very own growler or smaller bottle. The onlooking shelves are filled with a colorful, curated variety of bottled and canned beer, focused on stars of the Berlin scene (e.g. Markthalle Neun’s Heidenpeters, Lenny’s Artisanal Ales), harder-to-get brews from farther afield and “whatever we want to try in the moment”, the owners admit. Tell them your palate and watch them work their magic, assembling a dream team of beers for your dinner parties or lazy afternoons on the canal. With options for both the seasoned beer nerd and the newly curious, Lager Lager is in serious danger of ruining your relationship with your Späti. (Photo: Janar Siniloo)
Lager Lager, Pflügerstr.68, Berlin-Neukölln; map
Mon-Thu 12-22h, Fri-Sat 12-23h
Mason Dean is a scientist working at the Max Planck Institute, while studiously researching beer in Berlin. He comes from Vermont via California and has lived in Kreuzberg since 2009.
