Discover Local & Imported Beer in Amman at Dara

Amman's beer shelf is more interesting than most people expect. Dara is a wine and spirits shop in Amman, and our beer range sits right alongside that: local Jordanian brews next to a tight, well chosen list of imports. Whether you're loyal to a Jordanian lager or hunting for a Japanese rice lager to pair with sushi night, this guide walks through what's worth reaching for and why.

Carakale

Carakale is Jordan's first microbrewery, founded in 2010 in Fuheis, a hillside town just outside Amman. Founder Yazan Karadsheh set out to build a craft beer culture in a market that only knew "yellow, fizzy, and ice cold." He learned to brew from YouTube tutorials and cellar work at small breweries abroad, then brought that knowledge home.

Carakale's flagship Blond Ale debuted in 2013 with citrus on the nose and honeyed, vanilla depth underneath, a deliberate entry point for drinkers new to craft styles. The lineup has grown since into a Pale Ale, IPA, and seasonal experiments that lean into Jordanian ingredients and flavors. The brewery has also picked up international recognition, including awards at the Asia Beer Championship. It remains the benchmark for craft beer in the country.

Petra

Petra is Jordan's oldest local brew, introduced in 1964 by the General Investment Company, brewed in Zarqa from barley. It comes in Lager, Weizen, and Amber styles, and it's known for punching well above typical beer strength, with versions ranging from 5% up to a notably high 10% ABV. The Weizen leans on wheat malt, dried orange peel, and coriander seed for a hazy, spiced character, while the Lager stays smooth and easy drinking. It's a genuinely local name with decades of history behind it, and a strong pick if you want to try something distinctly Jordanian. Petra also produces a gluten-free option, making it the only local beer in Jordan accessible to gluten-free drinkers.

Amstel

Amstel has been made in Jordan since 1958, when the country became home to the first Amstel brewery built outside the Netherlands, based in Zarqa. It remains the most consumed beer in the country. The Jordanian version stays true to the original Dutch recipe: a clean, balanced lager with light bitterness and a crisp finish, built for easy, everyday drinking rather than complexity. If you want a reliable, widely loved lager with real local roots, this is it.

Local beer only tells half the story. Dara's import shelf is curated to bring in a handful of internationally loved styles that pair well with different moods and different plates.

Peroni

Peroni Nastro Azzurro comes from Italy, first brewed in Rome in 1963. It's a pale lager with a dry, crisp finish and a light hop bitterness, built to be refreshing rather than heavy. It's an easy match for antipasti, seafood, or anything you'd want alongside a warm evening.

Asahi

Asahi Super Dry comes from Japan, launched in 1987 and credited with starting the modern "dry beer" category in the country. It's brewed for a clean, sharp finish with very little sweetness, which makes it a natural partner for sushi, grilled skewers, or anything where you want the beer to reset your palate between bites.

Heineken

Heineken comes from the Netherlands, brewed since 1873 and now one of the most recognized lagers in the world. Its signature is a slightly bitter, hoppy edge balanced by a light malt sweetness, all wrapped in that unmistakable green bottle. It's a dependable, familiar choice whether you're stocking a fridge or ordering by name at a bar.

Almaza

Almaza is Lebanon's oldest and most iconic beer, brewed in Beirut since 1933. It's a German style pilsner, brewed with a portion of maize alongside barley, giving it a light, faintly sweet, grainy character suited to warm Mediterranean evenings. It's the beer most associated with everyday Lebanese life, and a natural pick if you're pairing with mezze or grilled meats.