Craft Beer, FestivalsAlison StormJuly 24, 2022Helsingborg, Stockholm, Malmö, Göteborg, Linköping, Uppsala

Craft Beer Festivals in Sweden

Craft Beer, FestivalsAlison StormJuly 24, 2022Helsingborg, Stockholm, Malmö, Göteborg, Linköping, Uppsala

Most beer festivals in Sweden work with the following system: You buy a ticket that includes entry to the festival and a souvenir tasting glass. When you arrive, you buy tokens, usually sold in packets of 10, 20, or some other round number to exchange for tastes of beer.

A hand holding up a glass of J. Wakefield Brewing Count Mashula craft beer at Brewskival craft beer festival in Helsingborg, Sweden — Brewskival in Helsingborg

Sweden’s largest craft beer festivals

Brewskival in Helsingborg is run by Swedish craft brewery Brewski, so it features some of their beers of course, but also much more, both from Sweden and from international breweries. The next one is August 22nd-24th, 2025. It’s at Brewski’s brewery, which is outside the center of town, but still within walking distance.

There are also plenty of other fun things to do in Helsingborg while you’re in town, including visiting local taprooms.

A hand holding up a glass of Stigbergets Bryggeri Special Handpulled Bourbon Barrel Chocolate Imperial Stout craft beer at Brewskival craft beer festival in Helsingborg, Sweden — Brewskival in Helsingborg

Although not exclusively for craft beer, Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival is another of the larger drink festivals in Sweden. It usually takes place in September or October. Dates for 2025 have not been announced yet. In addition to beer and whiskey, there is wine, rum, gin, and more available for tasting.

There are, of course, lots of other fun things to do in Stockholm, including but not limited to visiting local breweries, enjoying craft beer bars in Södermalm or Norrmalm, having brunch in Östermalm, Södermalm, Vasastan, or Norrmalm, visiting Skansen or Java Whiskers cat café, or checking out locations where movies were filmed.

A glass of Garagebryggeriet Wunderbier craft beer at Folks Fölbitarfest craft beer festival in Linköping, Sweden — Folkes Fölbitarfest in Linköping

Great Swedish Beer Festival, or GSBF, in Malmö, is unique in that it features only Swedish microbreweries, whereas the other ones have Swedish beers plus international beers. It usually takes place in September or October in a large venue with plenty of seating. Dates for 2025 have not been announced yet. While in town, you can also visit some of Malmö’s craft breweries, and Malmö can even be the first stop in a road trip along Sweden’s southern coast.

A glass of Dugges Bryggeri Anagram Blueberry Cheesecake Stout craft beer at Great Swedish Beer Festival in Malmö, Sweden — Great Swedish Beer Festival in Malmö

All in Beer Fest in Göteborg, home of several of Sweden’s top craft breweries, usually takes place in November, and has been held in different venues including a hotel and a museum. Dates for 2025 have not been announced yet.

While you’re in town for the festival, you may also want to visit some of the local taproom and breweries or visit the animals at Slottsskogen! Or, why not make this a stop on your road trip through Sweden?

Kornheddinge BryggeriKompani Pumpking craft beer at Great Swedish Beer Festival in Malmö — Great Swedish Beer Festival in Malmö

Smaller local craft beer festivals in Sweden

There are plenty of other smaller craft beer festivals around Sweden, some that take place every year and others that pop up as fun one-off festivals. Some examples are Stockholm Beer Fest, which usually takes place in August, Linköping Beer Expo, which will take place on February 22nd, 2025, and Folkes Fölbitarfest in Linköping featuring craft beer from Östergotland, which will take place on May 10th 2025. Some other fun ones we’ve attended in the past include Örebrewfest in Örebro and The Gothenburg Phenomenon in Stockholm featuring craft beer from Göteborg.

A glass of Morgondagens Bryggeri Glögg Sour craft beer at Great Swedish Beer Festival in Malmö, Sweden — Great Swedish Beer Festival in Malmö

Homebrew festivals in Sweden

Homebrew festivals are a little different from the others in that you typically pay an entry fee to taste as many of the beers as you want, but entry requires membership in the homebrewing club that organized the festival. If you don’t already belong to the club, you can usually purchase a membership when you buy your ticket or even at the door in some cases, and it’s reasonably priced.

A glass of beer at Linköping Beer Expo craft beer festival in Linköping, Sweden — Linköping Beer Expo

You can check Svenska Hembryggareföreningen’s website for updates on upcoming events. Two that we have attended in the past are Belgoträff featuring Belgian-style beers in Uppsala, a quick day trip from Stockholm, and Novembermörker featuring stouts and porters in Linköping. Beer quality can be all over the place at a homebrew festival, but you can be sure that you’ll always find something good!

A glass of craft beer at Linköping Beer Festival in Linköping, Sweden — Linköping Beer Expo

Tips for attending craft beer festivals in Sweden

When you buy your ticket online, there’s often an option to pre-order tokens, but watch out for those service fees. It’s more cost-effective to wait and buy tokens in person at the festival. We’ve rarely experienced long lines and there is often no line at all for tokens (although there often is for the actual beer).

A glass of craft beer at Linköping Beer Expo in Linköping, Sweden — Linköping Beer Expo

You’re going to be walking around and standing in line for beer a lot, and I think it works the best if the group you come with finds a good place at a table in the beginning of the festival. Then just make sure at least one person stays at the table to hold your spot while others get beer or food. It’s nice to always have a place to sit.

Linköping Beer Expo craft beer festival in Linköping, Sweden — Linköping Beer Expo

Don’t forget water! Try to drink some between beers and rinse out your tasting glass between beers for a better experience. Most festivals have multiple water stations for these purposes.