Shustryy Shmel

«Shustryy Shmel» at Alekseevskaya, 13, near Gorkovskaya metro station, was opened by Denis Alekseev — the man who got Nizhny Novgorod hooked on craft beer. Before this pub, he had already launched Bootlegger and «El Kapone», so he'd built up considerable experience by then. It started out modestly: a small space across from «Lobachevskiy Plaza», twelve taps of Russian craft beer, and profiteroles as a snack. A year later the place had grown to two floors and 35 taps, with the largest concentration — 22 — in the basement, where the tables are also located and you can order a full meal: wings, pasta, meat in tortillas. The beer list here changes constantly. One time it's Scandinavian sahti with a spruce aroma, another time Belgian draft with fruity notes, then an oyster stout, then an Irish pumpkin ale. There's also a good selection of bottled beer. The kitchen serves European and mixed cuisine, with an average check in the range of 1,000–3,000 rubles. Design isn't a priority at «Shustryy Shmel» — the focus here is elsewhere. On weekend evenings the place fills to capacity, and sometimes they hold parties with live music. Despite its small size, the pub firmly holds its status as a place people come to for the beer, not the interior.