OnTap Magazine

ontapmag.co.za | Autumn 2025 | 47 Instead of growlers and cans breweries in Moldova use counter-pressure PET bottles to sell beer for consumption at home. LaBrewtory Brewing Company hope to expand their can offerings in 2025. WORLD OF BEER time - including licensing the production of cider - which did not exist in Moldovan law until recently. Despite all the roadblocks that brewers have had to swerve, they are doing a great job of making truly excellent beer. At the Litra taproom in central Chișinău you can try Vienna Lager, west coast IPA, and New England style Pale Ales whilst sitting in the smart and minimalist space that also houses a BBQ restaurant. I spent several rainy afternoons camped out here, and worked my way through most of the taps, the beers were all well- made, clean, and true to type with some creative flourishes such as the bergamot Lager. It’s a taproom that would stand up with the best in a beer destination such as Copenhagen, and should be the first port of call for any beer lover in Chișinău. The LaBREWtory taproom is a more rusticaffair,butthebeerstherearesimilarly well executed, with a considerable amount of American flair. The most popular beer sold there is The Flying Mămăligă, a 4.5% Cream Ale brewed with polenta (corn grits), the national dish of Moldova. The dry neutrality from the corn and delicate Slovenian hops gives the beer a freshness that is very welcome during the humid summer months. The Irish Stout has proved a hit with women, and has recently joined the core beer roster, and the APA utilises whichever American hops Mahaffey can get his hands on, acting as a sort of rotational beer. “Apa” is also the Romanian word for water, which usually elicits quite a few laughs. Growler culture is also taking off in Moldova with breweries offering takeaway in counter pressured PET bottles, which is a creative alternative to get around the canned beer regulations. Moldova might not be on the travel radar of many, but for a beer lover it is a worthy destination. The beer is creative and well made, the people are friendly, and the food is excellent yet affordable. As the country looks to gain more tourists, it would be well worth getting in there before the crowds do.