A snug, tiled former butcher's shop turned microbrewery, Hops & Barley brews its own unfiltered Pilsner, Dunkel and wheat beer in copper tanks behind the bar, plus a rotating cider and seasonal specials. The beer is fresh, cheap by craft standards, and best drunk where it is made.
It gets packed and loud, especially when there is football on, and the crowd is a friendly mix of Boxhagener-Kiez locals and beer-minded visitors. No food beyond pretzels, but the Wühlischstraße is lined with places to eat first. One of the most likeable bars in Friedrichshain.