Hop Hooligans - Abusing hops since 2016

It would be safe to say that Hop Hooligans are not only the prodigies of the Romanian craft beer scene, but also the most prolific brewery in the country. Though not the first and definitely not the largest in terms of output, they have quickly become one of the most instantly recognisable breweries on the local market.

Their story started off when Mircea and Cristi partnered up with Petre Ion, founder of Beer O’Clock, one of the first craft beer bars in Romania. Sadly, about half a year since their launch, Petre died in a car crash in late April of 2017, leaving the Hooligans to fend for themselves. Times were grim for a while (the name of their Game Over IPA was more than just a gimmick), yet through hard work and an ever growing fan base, the orphaned lads managed to pull through and persevere in the industry.

What sets them apart is not only the quality of their brews (a quick search on either RateBeer or Untappd will always contain at least one of their concoctions among the top 10 beers in Romania), but their diligence in approaching new ideas, as well as equally crafty industry folk for some truly remarkable collaborations.

The Hop Hooligans life motto is fairly straightforward: they only make beer that they would like to drink. Luckily for us, there’s no shortage of styles these guys are willing to try, or the kind of adjuncts they’re willing to use to spice things up a notch. So far, their beer portfolio has expanded like a ravenous yeast culture that has sniffed out some fermentable sugars, and they have approached many styles that are a first on the Romanian market: milk stouts, sours, barley wines, brut IPAs, as well as a list of adjuncts that encompasses everything you can possibly think of. Heck, their Shock Therapy IPA range alone seems wholly dedicated to trying out every hop combo available since people got tired of drinking gruit, so there’s no saying where their experiments will end.

Their array of collaborations is expanding just as boldly, seeing brew days in partnership with both Romanian brewers (such as Bereta, or Wicked Barrel and Hophead), as well as breweries from Wales or, closer to home, in the Republic of Moldova. 

In a few short months since early November 2016, the hooligans have gone from the new kids on the block, to one of the most widely regarded breweries in the country. Less than a year down the line, in July 2017, they have also become one of the 5 independent breweries to join the Craft Beer Producers’ Association aiming to promote Romanian craft beer, as well as helping out brewers set up and further their growth on the market.

Ever so keen on being revolutionary, in June 2018 they also announced the purchase of a canning facility from the UK, thus making them the first Romanian craft brewery to be available by the can.

After attending numerous festivals across Europe, in 2019 they partnered up with Bereta to organise Haze Fest, the first craft beer festival in Romania that follows the same format as other well established events, from the ticketed venue, all-you-can-drink tasting session, and a line-up with international breweries.

In September 2020, the Hooligans also opened their very own taproom in the heart of Bucharest, the perfect place to sample not just their own beer, but also a diverse range from all over the world.

Romanian Drinks is thrilled to be bringing back to the UK some of their best-sellers from a very vast and quirky portfolio of beers. Check-out Hop Hooligan products on our website.