Where is Efes Pilsener brewed?
By Mark Porter Last checked 9 September 2026 How we check
Efes Pilsener is sold as a beer from Turkey. It is brewed in Britain, at Ashford, Kent.
What to drink instead 6 beers on the same shelves that are what they say
Every beer on the shelf by strength · How the units are worked out
More about the brand: rights, style, when it was created, where it is brewed at home
Partly verified
At least one of those three claims rests on a secondary source or an inference, a disagreement between sources is still open, or a split supply has a format that has not been read.
No supermarket country of origin field or brewer statement obtained. Web search budget was exhausted before this could be pinned down. Needs a Tesco or Ocado product page or a can photo showing the brewer address.
Not listed at Ocado in a search on 2026-09-06.
2026-09-09: The Grocer (8 April 2026) reports that Efes Pilsener production for the UK has moved to Curious Brewery in Kent, brewed under licence by Sunrise Beverages, at 5%, in a 660ml bottle and 4 x 440ml and 10 x 330ml cans, sold through Tesco. Curious Brewery is at Ashford. That is trade press, not a pack read, and Tesco's listings return 403, so the row is partly verified: UK brewing rests on the trade report, which names the brewery, rather than on a label. Not listed at Morrisons, Asda, Ocado, Sainsbury's, Waitrose or Bestway.
The small print on the base of a current can or bottle, giving the producer name and address, would settle this.
In short
Efes Pilsener is sold in Britain as a beer from Turkey. The cues are Turkish brand named after Ephesus, sold heavily through Turkish restaurants in the UK. The beer in UK shops is brewed at Ashford, Kent by Sunrise Beverages at Curious Brewery. The UK version is 5.0%; the strength in Turkey is not established. The brand belongs to Anadolu Efes Biracilik ve Malt Sanayii A.S..
This page is about the packs sold in supermarkets. Draught in pubs can come from a different brewery, and this page does not cover it unless a format table says so.
What to buy instead of Efes Pilsener
Efes Pilsener is sold as Turkish and brewed in Britain, at Ashford, Kent, at 5.0%.
| Beer | Why it is on the list | Strength here |
|---|---|---|
| Peroni Nastro AzzurroThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed at Rome, Padua and Bari in Italy. 5.1% here, 0.1 percentage points stronger than Efes Pilsener. | 5.1% |
| Damm DauraThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed at Barcelona in Spain. 5.4% here, 0.4 percentage points stronger than Efes Pilsener. | 5.4% |
| Sabor Premium LagerThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed in Spain. 4.6% here, 0.4 percentage points weaker than Efes Pilsener. | 4.6% |
| SagresThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed at Vialonga in Portugal. 5.0% here, the same strength as Efes Pilsener. | 5.0% |
| Birra IchnusaThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed at Assemini, Sardinia in Italy. 4.7% here, 0.3 percentage points weaker than Efes Pilsener. | 4.7% |
| M&S Spanish LagerThe same style, genuinely imported from elsewhere | Brewed in Spain. 4.5% here, 0.5 percentage points weaker than Efes Pilsener. | 4.5% |
Chosen by rule, not by taste, and no beer pays to appear: how the list is made.
Who has brewed it here
| Years | Brewer | Site | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 to now | Sunrise Beverages, under licence from Anadolu Efes, at Curious Brewery | Ashford, Kent | thegrocer.co.uk |
What changed
- 9 September 2026: verification level was unverified, now partly verified (source)
- 9 September 2026: UK strength was "not established", now "5.0 (The Grocer: the same 5% as the Efes brewed overseas)" (source)
- 9 September 2026: UK brewing sites was "not established", now "Ashford, Kent (Curious Brewery)" (source)
- 9 September 2026: UK supply was not established, now "brewed_in_uk (The Grocer, 8 April 2026: production moved to Curious Brewery, Kent, brewed under licence by Sunrise Beverages)" (source)
Questions people ask
Where is Efes Pilsener brewed?
The beer sold in the UK is brewed at Ashford, Kent by Sunrise Beverages at Curious Brewery.
Is Efes Pilsener brewed in the UK?
Yes. It is brewed at Ashford, Kent.
Is Efes Pilsener really Turkish?
The branding is Turkish, but the beer sold in Britain is brewed in the UK at Ashford, Kent.
Who owns Efes Pilsener?
Efes Pilsener is owned by Anadolu Efes Biracilik ve Malt Sanayii A.S., headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey.
What strength is Efes Pilsener in the UK?
Efes Pilsener is 5.0% ABV in the UK. A UK pint is 2.8 units.
Sources
- 365 Drinks (retailer) (365drinks.co.uk): UK retailer describes stock as imported from Turkey
- The Grocer (thegrocer.co.uk), 8 April 2026: 'production of Efes Pilsener has moved to Curious Brewery in Kent, where it is being brewed under licence by Sunrise Beverages'; landed in Tesco as a 660ml bottle, 4 x 440ml and 10 x 330ml cans; 'It carries the same 5% abv as the Efes brewed overseas.'
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