Best Craft Beer Bars in Baguio for Serious Beer Drinkers
Words by
Jose Reyes
Baguio's pine tree air and cool mountain nights make it one of the few Philippine cities where craft beer has taken root with real conviction. Over the last few years a handful of bars, taprooms and microbrewery Baguio locals once dreamed about have turned into the best craft beer bars in Baguio that serious beer drinkers now seek out by word of mouth. On Session Road, in the back lanes around Tranco Street, and a ten‑jeep ride uphill toward Irisan, the same thing is happening, and I’ve spent enough late evenings there that the baristas and brewers know my oatmeal stout order by heart.
The surprise is how Filipino craft taps sit next to imported taps, how old wooden houses and student haunts have been turned into serious craft beer taps Baguio drinkers actually use on weeknights, and how each spot carries a piece of Baguio’s highland character. Walk up the stone stairs of a 60‑year‑old hotel and you’ll find a proper taproom hidden in the back garden; drive past the cathedral’s Session Road and the line outside a craft beer bar in a half‑hidden shophouse will already be clinking glasses with local barleywines and pastry ales that rival anything you’d find in Manila.
What follows is my personal, street‑level guide to the spots where Baguio’s craft beer scene lives right now, with honest notes on what to order, when to go, and the small frustrations that come with drinking at 1,500 meters above sea level.
1. Hill Station (Upper Session Road)
Hill Station, housed in the old Casa Vallejo building off Session Road, is where you first feel Baguio’s post‑war American‑era bones underneath the modern craft beer glass. The long wooden bones of the building, original beams and capiz windows frame a menu that now lists cask‑conditioned ales from local breweries Baguio teams brew just a jeep ride away. Somewhere between the second and third sip you start to feel the city’s colonial architecture and its newer, noisy independence fitting together.
On a Tuesday or Wednesday evening after 8 pm the room fills with young professionals from the universities and teachers from nearby UP Baguio who drop by for limited releases. House favourites rotate, but their taplist typically runs a mean session IPA, a Baltic porter made with Benguet coffee, and a barrel‑aged stout that only appears around December. Order the stout with the chorizo platter, it cuts the chocolate bitterness.
Local tip:
If you sit at the long community table near the back, ask the staff which bottles they brought back from the last Sagada or Sagay coffee and beer collaboration event, as bar managers here act as the unofficial memory bank for local breweries Baguio‑wide.
Minor gripe:
The rooftop seats are bookable only in groups of six or more, so solo travelers or couples often get pushed inside when it’s raining and the indoor tables fill fast.
2. Craft Brewery Baguio (Microbrewery Baguio with a Tiny Garden)
A few streets behind Session Road, down a lane locals use as a shortcut between trainer bars and laundry shops, is one of the early microbrewery Baguio taprooms that still runs its own small brewery at the back. The place looks like a friend’s extended sari‑sari store until you see the copper kettle‑style fermenters behind the counter and the chalkboard listing IBU levels.
Weekend nights pick up around 7 pm but the best time to visit is a lazy Sunday afternoon when the owner manages the bar himself and explains the name of the Bontoc heirloom rice brew on tap. That beer is a crowd stumper: light, a bit funky, and only sold in half‑litres. Pair it with their tap‑size burger.
Local tip:
If the mid‑strength pale on tap has “Experiment #” in front of the name, ask what the latest variable was; you might try something that only exists for a week, before it turns into the next batch batch.
Minor gripe:
The one toilet inside doubles as a storage closet for buckets and longnecks on busy payday Fridays.
3. Imbayah Restaurant & Bar, Leonard Wood Road
On Leonard Wood Road, just below the Maryknoll campus, Imbayah looks like a family restaurant by daylight and a serious craft beer bar after dark. The upstairs terrace overlooks pine trees while the chalkboard‑style beer menu leans heavily into local breweries Baguio and Cordillera collaborations.
Their best sellers are the double IPA brewed with Benguet citrus and a farmhouse ale fermented a bit wild. The kitchen doesn’t play second fiddle, either; the crispy “etag” (smoked meat) platter was created to stand up to stronger hops. Go by 6 pm to get one of the stools at the window before the movie‑night crowd drifts in from Session Road.
Local tip:
Sit facing the kitchen pass because the cooks sometimes send out sample bites just to see if a new sauce or spice works with the current tap lineup.
Minor gripe:
The open terrace has no cover, so a sudden downpour mid‑January can turn your table into an involuntary carwash.
4. Tranco Street Corner Bar, Near Aurora Hill
The stretch of road behind Tranco Street has a cluster of low‑key bars that most tourists miss. At the corner shop with the peeling green paint, craft beer taps Baguio locals love rotate weekly, featuring nano‑batch IPAs from backyard brewers. Above the mirror behind the bar hang framed old Baguio postcards and snapshots of Cordillera harvest parties where some of these recipes were first tested.
Friday nights around 10 pm become an informal tasting event; a local home‑brew club sometimes sets up a portable jockey box right on the sidewalk outside. Their “Pete’s Pils once in a while, otherwise it’s a different IPA experiment and a stout brewed with real cacao nibs collected down the road in La Trinidad. Order whichever owner or bartender recommends; the chalkboard drink specials change faster than Manila’s weekend traffic.
Local tip:
If you come early before 8 pm you can park your car directly on the unpaved shoulder, something almost impossible near Session Road after sundown.
Minor gripe:
The single plastic chair section outside sometimes doubles as a motorcycle lane, so be ready to scoot if you ride like crazy downhill at night.
5. Dapia Traffic Light Taproom (Burnham Side)
Just off the corner near the old Dapia traffic‑light crossing close to Burnham Park side streets, there’s a tiny taproom that depends on craft beer taps Baguio brewers send over from La Trinidad and Beckel. The room is small, maybe four tables, but each visit feels like dropping into a friend’s living room where the hi‑fi plays OPM rock and the beer specs are discussed with care.
Their regulars swear by the sessionable wheat beer fermented with Benguet strawberries; it’s still on draft whenever the strawberry trucks roll in from La Trinidad. The owners know the exact cut‑off date as the season ends each year and post it on their social feeds. If you catch a Saturday late afternoon batch, order the smoked tinola wings; the garlic in the gravy plays off the fruit beautifully.
Local tip:
The guard at the door sometimes mentions which apartment nearby has a roof deck tap night; this is how you hear about exclusive micro‑drops that never see store shelves.
Minor gripe:
Because the room is small, secondhand smoke from the neighbourhood, while outdoors, sometimes drifts in through the open top vent on cold months.
6. The Viewing Deck at a Back‑Street Bar Near Loakan Road
Up the winding small roads that lead from Loakan, you’ll find a backyard bar with a deck that looks out over rows of rooftops and mountain ridges on clear nights. This is one of the quietest places in the city for craft beers, and it’s the only bar I’ve seen in Baguio that intentionally pairs flights by altitude of the brewery’s location rather than style.
On a cool December visit the owner walked me through a tasting from a 1,200‑meter farm town brew, then a sea‑level lager from Batangas, before finishing with a barleywine fermented in La Trinidad. Ask for the “terroir trio” if it’s on the board. Weekday nights after office hours are ideal because the seating is limited and fills fast on weekends during panagbenga months.
Local tip:
There’s a shortcut through the barangay path behind the sari‑sari store, but it’s a bit confusing after dark; pick up street food near the corner waiting shed as a directional anchor.
Minor gripe:
When the wind direction flips, the wood smoke from nearby cooking makes the outdoor tables taste a little campfire‑like, which isn’t always welcome with delicate saisons.
7. Barracks along Teacher’s Camp Shortcut
A ten‑minute walk through the back lanes toward Teacher’s Camp leads you past a line of old American‑era cabins; one has been turned into a tiny taproom locals simply call “Barracks.” Inside, exposed wooden rafters and framed black‑and‑white photos of 1930s Baguio mix with chalk art of hop cones.
Their monthly tap‑takeovers invite a different local breweries Baguio collective to pour for a weekend. Last February they invited a Cordillera brew team whose rice lager uses toasted native grains you can sample from a small jar behind the bar. Ask for the rotating cask; it’s usually hidden from the main chalkboard as a special and unlabeled tap.
Local tip:
Try to come on the first Friday of the month for the brewery‑meet night; that’s when the brewers themselves show up, and they’re happy to explain everything from water chemistry to their malt choices.
Minor gripe:
The place has just one narrow toilet down a tight hallway, so queues form quickly when a rare bottled sour or stout is announced.
8. Session Road Basement Craft Bar, Near Cathedral Steps
Behind the cathedral steps, down a stairway Session Road shoppers use as a shortcut, there’s a basement bar that feels like a secret. The low ceiling and exposed stone walls give it a speakeasy vibe, but the taplist is pure Baguio craft, with at least half the handles from microbrewery Baguio outfits.
Their house favourite is a coffee stout brewed with beans from a nearby Benguet farm; the roast comes through clean and dry. On a busy Saturday night the place fills with students and young creatives who treat it as a pre‑game before heading to the louder bars upstairs. Arrive before 9 pm if you want a seat at the bar and a chance to chat with the owner about which local breweries Baguio are experimenting with wild yeasts.
Local tip:
If you’re into home‑brewing, ask about the monthly “brew swap” night; regulars bring bottles from their own batches and trade them like baseball cards.
Minor gripe:
The Wi‑Fi signal drops out near the back wall, so don’t count on posting your beer selfies in real time.
When to Go / What to Know
Baguio’s craft beer scene is busiest from November through February, when the cold air and Panagbenga festivities bring in crowds. Weeknights are calmer and give you more time with bartenders who can explain the story behind each local breweries Baguio label. Most bars open around 5 or 6 pm and stay open past midnight on weekends, but some microbrewery Baguio taprooms close earlier on Sundays.
Cash is still king in many of these spots, especially the smaller ones off Session Road. Bring a light jacket even if you’re used to Manila weather; the temperature drops quickly after sunset, and some bars are semi‑open air. If you’re planning to bar‑hop, start near Session Road and work your way toward the side streets, that way you can walk between most places without needing a cab.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any specific dress codes or cultural etiquettes to keep in mind when visiting local spots in Baguio?
Most craft beer bars in Baguio are casual, and you’ll see everything in flip‑flops to light jackets. A few places near Session Road may politely turn away guests in swimwear or very revealing outfits. It’s common to greet staff with a soft “hi” or “hello” and to say “salamat” when leaving, especially in smaller neighbourhood bars where regulars know each other by name.
Is Baguio expensive to visit? Give a realistic daily budget breakdown for mid‑tier travelers.
For a mid‑tier traveler, expect to spend around PHP 2,500 to PHP 3,500 per day. That covers a modest hotel or guesthouse (PHP 1,000–1,500), three meals at local eateries (PHP 600–900), jeepney fares (PHP 50–100), and a few craft beers (PHP 150–250 each). Add another PHP 500–1,000 if you plan to visit pricier bars or order multiple rounds of specialty taps.
Is the tap water in Baguio safe to drink, or should travelers strictly rely on filtered water options?
Tap water in Baguio is not generally recommended for direct drinking. Most locals and guesthouses provide filtered or purified water, and many craft beer bars serve bottled or filtered water by default. Carry a refillable bottle and ask for a refill at your hotel or at restaurants that have water stations.
What is the one must‑try local specialty food or drink that Baguio is famous for?
Strawberry taho, sold by street vendors near Session Road and the market, is a must‑try local specialty. It’s warm soft tofu topped with sweet strawberry syrup and sago pearls. Many craft beer bars also feature coffee stouts or ales brewed with Benguet beans, which give you a taste of the region’s highland coffee culture in beer form.
How easy is it to find pure vegetarian, vegan, or plant-based dining options in Baguio?
Vegetarian and vegan options are fairly easy to find in Baguio, especially near Session Road and the market area. Several cafés and restaurants offer plant‑based meals, and some craft beer bars serve vegan‑friendful snacks like grilled vegetable plates or mushroom‑based dishes. It’s still less common in very small neighbourhood bars, so it helps to ask staff or check menus in advance.
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