Food & dishes · Nepal
Local Beer in Nepal: A Guide
Cold lager is easy to find across Nepal, with several popular domestic brands brewed in-country — here's what to drink, where to buy it, and the dry-day rules.
Local beer in Nepal means, above all, cold pale lager — brewed in-country, sold almost everywhere, and the natural reward at the end of a long trek or a hot day in the Terai. Alongside several popular domestic brands, a small craft scene has emerged in Kathmandu and Pokhara, giving travellers more to try than ever.
The short answer
Nepal mostly drinks domestic pale lager, including home-grown brands and internationally licensed beers brewed locally. It is widely available in restaurants, bars, shops and many trekking teahouses, sold cold and reasonably priced. Just be aware of occasional dry days on certain religious occasions and during elections, when alcohol sales pause. For something more traditional, look to the home-brews instead.
What's on offer
The mainstay of the Nepali market is pale lager in the 5% range, both from established domestic breweries and from global brands produced under licence inside the country. You will see familiar lagers on most menus, served in 330ml and 650ml bottles.
In recent years a craft and microbrewery scene has taken root, especially in Kathmandu and lakeside Pokhara, where a handful of brewpubs serve their own ales and lagers on tap. It remains small, but it gives beer lovers a welcome alternative to standard bottled lager.
Where and when to buy it
Beer is sold in:
- Restaurants and bars in cities and tourist areas.
- Supermarkets and small shops across towns.
- Teahouses on many trekking routes (carried up by porter or mule, so prices rise with altitude).
The main thing to plan around is dry days: alcohol sales are restricted on some major religious occasions and during elections. These are occasional, but on those days shops and bars may not sell alcohol, so it pays to check ahead if a drink matters to your plans. Timing your trip well also helps — see our best time to visit Nepal guide.
A note on altitude
A point worth remembering for trekkers: alcohol and altitude do not mix well. Beer dehydrates you and can worsen the effects of thin air, so it is wise to avoid it while ascending and save the celebratory bottle for lower elevations. Mild as it seems, a beer hits harder high in the mountains.
Beer versus the traditional brews
Local lager is the modern, standardised face of drinking in Nepal — consistent, convenient and commercial. The country's deeper drinking culture lives in its home-made beverages: the hot millet tongba of the eastern hills, the milky fermented chhyang beer, and the clear distilled raksi spirit. Where beer is the same in every bottle, these vary by region, household and festival. To explore the full range, browse our traditional drinks of Nepal collection.
Tips for travellers
Stick to sealed bottles or cans from licensed outlets, drink in moderation, and avoid alcohol while gaining altitude on a trek. Carry a little extra cash for beer on the trail, where prices climb with elevation. And if you want to drink like a local rather than a tourist, swap your lager for a tongba or a careful glass of raksi at least once — the traditional drinks are where Nepal's real beverage culture lies.
Frequently asked questions
What beer do they drink in Nepal?+
Nepal mainly drinks pale lager, both domestically brewed and licensed international brands produced in-country. Popular local lagers are widely available in restaurants, bars and shops, with a small but growing craft and microbrewery scene in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
Is it easy to buy beer in Nepal?+
Yes. Beer is sold in restaurants, bars, supermarkets and small shops across cities and tourist areas, and in many teahouses on trekking routes. Sales are usually paused on certain religious days and around elections, when 'dry days' are enforced.
Are there dry days in Nepal?+
Yes. Alcohol sales are restricted on some major religious occasions and during elections, when shops and bars may not sell alcohol. These dry days are occasional; on normal days beer is freely available in licensed outlets.
How does local beer compare to traditional Nepali drinks?+
Local beer is a modern, standardised commercial lager, while traditional drinks like tongba, chhyang and raksi are home-fermented or distilled from millet and rice. Beer is convenient and consistent; the traditional drinks are richer in culture and vary by region and household.
