Beer tourism in La Rioja: some interesting projects

You can’t talk about La Rioja without mentioning its excellent wine, even if we’re going to explore the region’s beer tourism; above all because this strong winemaking tradition goes hand in hand with a small number of breweries. La Rioja is the autonomous community in Spain with the fewest craft beer producers, most likely due to the predominance of the vine. However, this does not mean there is no beer culture in La Rioja.

The first documented evidence of beer production in La Rioja dates back to the late 19th century, when Antonio Gessner, a brewmaster of German descent, opened the region’s first brewery. However, the last brewery of the 20th century closed in 1931. From then until 2011, La Rioja had to import its beer from other regions. This brief history helps explain why there is no Riojan beer equivalent to what Ambar is in Aragón or Damm in Catalonia.

Later, during the second decade of the 21st century, beer production returned to La Rioja, this time in the form of craft beer. Mateo & Bernabé was the first brewery of this new resurgence, and later launched a second line called Little Bichos. Other brands followed, such as Palax and Ceriux, Rivvo de Ogga, Sargs, Beertag, and La Rúa Brewery. In fact, the latter is working on its own brewery located in Albelda de Iregua. Sargs also currently brews beer, but as a contract/gypsy brewery.

As for places where you can enjoy good beer and some food, we trust a Rioja sommelier. Unai López, author of the blog “Del grano a la copa,” recommends Bierhaus Odeón and La Rúa Brewery in Logroño, where you can enjoy local, national and imported beers.

In short, the beer scene in La Rioja is overshadowed by a formidable winemaking tradition, which today is increasingly compatible with malt fermentation. In this sense, there is an opportunity for local brewers to make beers with added grape must and take full advantage of what the land has to offer. Of course, there is also the option of aging strong beers in barrels that previously held wine. In this way, a closer partnership between wineries and the beer sector is becoming ever more feasible, without either being left out.