While raising a glass has always been part of Catalan culture, the tipple of choice has tended to be wine. Since Catalan grain isn’t particularly focused on the production of beer, many large breweries in Spain buy their malted grain from other countries such as England and Germany, which gives the final product a similar taste to their native beers. However, several brewers have taken a stand against this by creating craft beers with local ingredients such as citrus fruits, figs, peppers, and mushrooms. With this ingenious use of unconventional ingredients, craft beer is on the rise in Barcelona and becoming more popular than ever. We decided to share some of our favourite local crafted beers.
BeerCat
Sick of working as criminal lawyers in London, these Brits moved to Catalonia with the dream of creating delicious craft beer at their brewery in a bodega just outside Sant Marçal (50 km south of Barcelona). The three-man team presents 6 different beers under their label, all with very different tastes. The first, La Segadora, is a farmhouse IPA at 7% with a hop flavour and dry finish; La Masia is an English Bitter at 4.2%; Pa i Roses is a very citrus-flavoured wheat beer at 4.8%, Further Westward is a West Coast India Pale Ale with tropical fruit flavours at 6.3%; Black Irish an Extra Stout at 6% with a dark chocolate and coffee flavouring; and finally Barcelona Blonde with a Pale Ale at 5%.
Founded in 2008, this brewery from Sant Joan de Mediona brews top-fermented ales in the style of English beers (due to the preferences of the brewery). Located in a farmhouse previously used to produce wines, the brewery sells 5 main beers, in addition to a few seasonal drinks. The beers offered by Ales Agullons are: Pure Pale, an English Pale Ale at 5% made with only one malt; Edgard Pale Ale, an American Pale Ale at 5%; Bruno Pale Ale, another English Pale Ale at 5% that is brewed with crystal malt; Runa Brown Ale, a Brown Ale at 5% with three types of malt; and finally, Dalmoru, a Wheat Ale at 4.5%. To find some of these brews, head to bars such as La Cerveteca, 2D2spuma, Mosquito, Bar Lupens’, Bodega La Tieta, Cerveceria Jazz, and more.
Located in Montornès del Vallès, this brewery likens their craft beers to magic; involving several ingredients as well as some “secret” ones to make their unique taste stand out. Whatever kind of magic, it seems to be working, as their main 4 beers certainly do have a taste of their own. As de Cors, their Weizen beer, has a high fermentation at 5%. As de Diamants is a Black Summer Ale at 5% and a much more bitter taste than the Weizen; As de Piques is an IPA at 6.5% with three malts; and As de Trèvols is a Russian Imperial Stout at 9% with an extremely bitter taste. Have a sip and taste the magic too.
