Cheers to all from Istanbul

[baran]

Hello all, I moved back to Istanbul after my years in Aberdeen and London, and unfortunately the present government of Turkey's aspect on drinks is literally hostile. The price of a beer has increased 360% in last decade due to the abnormal taxes. I've felt very unhappy after seeing the recent increase on alcoholic beverages and decided to brew my own beers. So here I am. I've got two buckets fermentating at the moment(Muntons Pilsner and Maltbox IPA). The unaccaptable raise on beer prices in my country gave rise to a hobby for me. Here I am to read and see UK brewers experiences in order to brew better beers.

 

[foxy]

Hello all, I moved back to Istanbul after my years in Aberdeen and London, and unfortunately the present government of Turkey's aspect on drinks is literally hostile. The price of a beer has increased 360% in last decade due to the abnormal taxes. I've felt very unhappy after seeing the recent increase on alcoholic beverages and decided to brew my own beers. So here I am. I've got two buckets fermentating at the moment(Muntons Pilsner and Maltbox IPA). The unaccaptable raise on beer prices in my country gave rise to a hobby for me. Here I am to read and see UK brewers experiences in order to brew better beers.

Why did you go back? I understand it is your country, but there is more than beer prices which have been changing for the worse in Turkey.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Welcome to the forum

Are you allowed to make and drink your own?


If you would like to be added to the new forum member map follow the instructions here - New Forum member map. (3-1-2021)

Help Support The Home Brew Forum (£3 per month or £16 per year) - Check out the benefits and how to sign up HERE.

 

[Gerryjo]

Hi and welcome to the forum...

 

[An Ankoù]

Welcome, Baran. Never thought about brewing in Istanbul, but the weather looks suitable.

Are you allowed to make and drink your own?

Just googled this question and it seems you're allowed to make up to 350 litres a year for own consumption. It appears there's a thriving homebrew movement over there, too.
Good luck.

 

[Banbeer]

Welcome @baran, happy brewing

 

[GotOneBrewin]

Hoş geldiniz enişte

 

[baran]

thank you all for your warm welcome wishes, i appreciate:) in re @foxy well i've been asking the same question to me for 4 years, but i'm a lawyer in turkey and i could only be a paralegal in the u.k., so i had to turn back in order to keep being an attorey at law.

hopefully we'll get rid of this ridiculous president and his party a.s.a.p., as we beaten them in the city council elections in 2019 in istanbul and in the capital city (ankara) among other metropolitan cities.

@Chippy_Tea and @An Ankoù yeah, we're allowed to brew 350 lt./y according to the law that's true, but we can order 350 litres from different websites or from the same website with a different account, so there's no limitation on the pratic. and yes home brewing is becoming more and more popular day by day, it seems home made beers will become the ordinary way of drinking beer soon.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

@Chippy_Tea and @An Ankoù yeah, we're allowed to brew 350 lt./y according to the law that's true, but we can order 350 litres from different websites or from the same website with a different account, so there's no limitation on the pratic. and yes home brewing is becoming more and more popular day by day, it seems home made beers will become the ordinary way of drinking beer soon.

Nice one, don't forget to tell your family and friends about the site

I have added you to the member map -

The new forum member map can be viewed here - The Home Brew Forum U.K. Member Map. - Google My Maps

 

[Bernie]

Hi, home-brew became popular in Britain to avoid taxes so you're with kindred spirits.

 

[naturals]

Welcome to the forum Baran! I visit Istanbul quite a lot with work. Let me know if I can ever help by bringing you over any smaller items.

Also if you have any tips on bars in Istanbul that'd be great. Tend to stay out by Karakoy. Last time I was there The Populist seemed to be the place to go. Always hard finding a good beer in a country where it's illegal to advertise the fact that you sell beer.....

 

[trummy]

Visited Istanbul a few years ago, part of a cruise, the history and culture was fascinating - but we got talked into going into a 'Leather coat' shop - that was scary, (no we did not buy) got to say its unlikely we will ever return!
However welcome, I am sure you will find lots of help and interest on this site, I did/do.

 

[EveryoneKnowsADave]

Welcome @baran

 

[Alastair70]

@baran Welcome to the forum. I’m really looking forward to hearing how you get on in your new home. Please stay in touch!

 

[chrisb8]

Welcome to the forum

 

[foxy]

thank you all for your warm welcome wishes, i appreciate:) in re @foxy well i've been asking the same question to me for 4 years, but i'm a lawyer in turkey and i could only be a paralegal in the u.k., so i had to turn back in order to keep being an attorey at law.

hopefully we'll get rid of this ridiculous president and his party a.s.a.p., as we beaten them in the city council elections in 2019 in istanbul and in the capital city (ankara) among other metropolitan cities.

@Chippy_Tea and @An Ankoù yeah, we're allowed to brew 350 lt./y according to the law that's true, but we can order 350 litres from different websites or from the same website with a different account, so there's no limitation on the pratic. and yes home brewing is becoming more and more popular day by day, it seems home made beers will become the ordinary way of drinking beer soon.

We have a section on this forum called 'The Snug' where you can vent your political views. I would like to learn more about Turkey first hand from someone living there. I agree getting rid of a ridiculous president, but to be replaced by whom? Will Turkey be a secular state? Will religion play a large part in Turkey's politics? While not religious myself I do give financial support to the displaced women and children of Syria. I would hate to see refugees come under any further hardship after what they have been through.

 

[baran]

Thanks again for your responses:)
@naturals Thank you for your kindness, I'd definetly let you know if I need any item. And about good bars where you can find craft beers in İstanbul, unfortunately it's not very common yet, but it's becoming popular. Yes Populist might be the most known one, but other than that, there's Taps in Bebek, Ayı in several locations of Kadıköy, Beer Hall, Joker and The United Pub in Beşiktaş, Kozmonot in Nişantaşı and Bosphorus Brewing Co. in Gayrettepe. I've tried all of them and enjoyed. Other than these, we may generally find Turkish beer companies' products such as Efes Pilsen or Tuborg at bars, however please let me know when you travel to here we'd have a pint together. By the way pubs and restaurants are closed at the moment due to Coronavirus measures.

@trummy I'm happy to hear you liked the history and the culture, and sorry for the leatrher shop owner's attitude, they may be greedy when they see tourists. :/

@foxy I'll definitely take a look to the Snug; about your questions I may say that he'll be replaced by Ekrem İmamoğlu(president of Istanbul Municipality) or Mansur Yavaş(Ankara's president) in the first elections which is scheduled to be done in 2023, all the public surveys indicate that. Both of them are doing great things in their cities. Probably Erdoğan will run away to Qatar with all the money he stole from the country. About the other questios, I guess religion will not be a part of the politics in the near future, as the 85 percent of the generation z never go to the mosques and 29 percent of them are non-believers. Secularism(laicite) is written on the second article of the constittution and the fourth article says that the above articles cannot be changed, however yes unfortunately this goverment damaged this principle in the previous 18 years, but I have hope, we'll be a normal state again.

 

[trummy]

'I'm happy to hear you liked the history and the culture, and sorry for the leatrher shop owner's attitude, they may be greedy when they see tourists. :/'

The daft thing is if we had been allowed to leave the shop without the intimidation to think about it, and get the cash we would have probably purchased the coats. The one that was selected for the wife was her colour and a real good fit. There was about five or six of them that suddenly appeared and surrounded us. Anyway water under the bridge. Get brewing! and there is a great thread going on making Sourdough bread thats worth a look if it interests you

 

[naturals]

@naturals Thank you for your kindness, I'd definetly let you know if I need any item. And about good bars where you can find craft beers in İstanbul, unfortunately it's not very common yet, but it's becoming popular. Yes Populist might be the most known one, but other than that, there's Taps in Bebek, Ayı in several locations of Kadıköy, Beer Hall, Joker and The United Pub in Beşiktaş, Kozmonot in Nişantaşı and Bosphorus Brewing Co. in Gayrettepe. I've tried all of them and enjoyed. Other than these, we may generally find Turkish beer companies' products such as Efes Pilsen or Tuborg at bars, however please let me know when you travel to here we'd have a pint together. By the way pubs and restaurants are closed at the moment due to Coronavirus measures.

Cheers Baran - I've been to Taps before (great view of the river from there) and a couple of branches of Ayi. I'll have to check out the others, particularly Bosphorus - a lot of people have recommended them to me.

I still fondly remember drinking a Beetroot and Honey Red Ale by Gara Guzu on our rooftop next to Galata Tower at sunset. I've honestly had so many "once in a lifetime" experiences in Istanbul. It's such an incredible, unique city. It's one of very few places I visit with work that I truly look forward to going to every single time.

 

[baran]

Cheers Baran - I've been to Taps before (great view of the river from there) and a couple of branches of Ayi. I'll have to check out the others, particularly Bosphorus - a lot of people have recommended them to me.

I still fondly remember drinking a Beetroot and Honey Red Ale by Gara Guzu on our rooftop next to Galata Tower at sunset. I've honestly had so many "once in a lifetime" experiences in Istanbul. It's such an incredible, unique city. It's one of very few places I visit with work that I truly look forward to going to every single time.

Ahh I guess I know where you talk about in Galata, it's a rooftop wine-house as far as I remember, nice view indeed. I'd recommend you the bar called "Varuna Gezgin", it's close to Galata, on Kumbaracılar Street, where you may find ales, IPAs and pilsens of Pueblo which is a local brewery of Bodrum District. I also recommend you to hang out around Kadıköy and Kadıköy's Fenerbahçe, Caddebostan etc where I grew up, and probably the cosiest parts of the city.

I'm so happy to hear such words about my city, yeah the geography and the historical heritage is unique, and especially the Bosphorus is incredible, this city and the coutry will be a nice place to live when this government will be changed. And please do not hesitate to write to me when you are in İstanbul. Anyways I really missed my life in London, I was staying between Crouch End and Finsbury Park; all those kindness of people, gardens, pubs and the cheap alcohol prices are worth to remember.

@trummy Thanks for the advice, sourdough bread is my uncle's thing, we'll be exchanging beers and breads as soon as I start bottling.