Five local and craft beers to savor in Barcelona
Barcelona has a rich beer tradition dating back to the 19th century, which has left us with various establishments where you can enjoy a good local and 100% artisanal beer
Among the many charms and attractions that Barcelona has to offer is also its great beer tradition, which dates back to the 19th century with well-known names that have lasted to our days such as Damm or the reborn Moritz. Although they are the most famous, they are by no means the only examples. Nowadays, there are dozens of places in our city that have followed in the footsteps of Felipe Costa, a master brewer who opened the first establishment in Barcelona back in 1806, and are dedicated to the production of craft beer. Today we review five of the best where you can enjoy a 100% Barcelona craft beer.
Like every great business initiative, Garage Beer also started in a garage when two friends and beer lovers had a humble idea, to brew their own craft beer, which has turned into a business triumph worthy of study at the best business schools. Aesthetically, we are looking at a factory where one can enjoy craft beer in a bar that presents itself as a garage with a vintage look and industrial elements.
The first step of their successful business was to find a spacious venue in the heart of Eixample, where, in addition to presenting itself as a roomy bar, they produce 4 types of their own beers: Garage IPA, Pale Ale Riba, Zambo, and Karma. Besides their 4 classic omnipresent beers, the beer menu changes depending on the month and the creativity of their brewmaster. And thanks to their commercial success, the company now also has another pub in the Sant Andreu district, as well as selling their own beer online.
A clear example of the importance of Barcelona in the craft beer scene is the opening of a BrewDog franchise in the city, a renowned Scottish craft beer that has also been served on Casanova street since 2015. This establishment boasts 20 taps, of which about half are guest beers and the other half are BrewDog beers. Among the regulars, we highlight: Punk IPA, Brixton Porter, 5AM, This is Lager, and Dead Pony. This is without mentioning a bottle menu that includes around 40 varieties and all the latest BrewDog drafts.
3. Beer Cab
A gastropub where local cuisine and house-brewed beers come together. The project was born from the passion of its entrepreneurs for beer, who dreamed of a brewery where they could offer a wide variety of craft beer thanks to their 30 taps, among others their own beer, the Naparbier and the craft beer distributor Zombier. The interior design of the place is the work of Francisco Segarra who did a spectacular job in design and the vintage style furniture where they hold countless beer events, presentations, meet the brewer, tap take over from renowned breweries, etc.
Moreover, in the adjacent premises we find the BierCaB ShoP, a beer shop with more than 500 craft beer references covering nearly every style: India Pale Ale, Stout, Lager, Belgian, Sour, Wheat and a significant collection of lambic beers. All this combined makes this place a true amusement park for beer enthusiasts.
In 2012, three entrepreneurs but above all, beer lovers, of good beer embarked on the journey of crafting their own beer, in the authentic brewery in Barcelona. The craft beer is made according to the traditional method, with the finest ingredients and water from the Montseny Natural Park.
Later, the next step came, opening their own taproom in the recently named "beerxample", the most beer-centric area of Barcelona. The space, with a minimalist design, offers 14 beer taps, 10 with their own brews and 4 rotating ones for local, national, and international guest breweries. Among their beers, we highlight the Barcelona Beer (American Pale), the Cerdos Voladores (Indian Pale Ale), the Bella Lola (Mediterranean Blonde Ale), or the Piquenbauer (Ginger Wheat Beer), among others.
A must for all authentic beer lovers. Originating from Navarre, Naparbier BCN has achieved some notoriety in a very short amount of time, in an area as saturated with gastronomic and beer offerings as the Eixample. Here, the homemade beer pairs perfectly with the menu of this bar-restaurant. “If we're going to make our own food... Why not make our own beer?” they asked themselves at the time. The result, a market cuisine transformed into original dishes designed as accompaniments to their beer creations. And so that customers can see there are no tricks, the brewing area is exposed for all diners to see. 7 fermentation tanks with 10,000 liters connected to six serving tanks located at the bar. The dream of any American college fraternity.
