Which brands drove the return of craft beer?
When we talk about craft beer in Spain, we are referring to a phenomenon that began a little over a decade ago. In this short period, more than six hundred beer brands have sprung up in the country. Although heterogeneous among themselves, they all share one idea: to make different beers. It is only fair to highlight some of the breweries that have either contributed to the development of the sector or are significant for other reasons.
In the center of the peninsula, a group of breweries created the Spanish Association of Independent Craft Brewers, also known by its initials AECAI, in 2014. The seven breweries that founded the association are: Arriaca (Guadalajara), Dawat (Cuenca), Domus (Toledo), La Cibeles (Madrid), La Sagra (Toledo), La Virgen (Madrid) and San Frutos (Segovia). Today, 48 breweries belong to the association. Among them we find the first Spanish craft beer to be marketed in cans. Arriaca is a pioneer in using this type of packaging for most of its product line.
According to the prestigious magazine Food & Wine, Naparbier (Navarra) is among the 15 most influential craft breweries in Europe. The article reads: “Naparbier has been creating delicious beers since 2009 from the Navarrese town of Noáin. The company’s founders had been experimenting with homebrewing for 10 years before starting the brewery. (...) Naparbier is one of the leaders. Demand is growing, as the company’s beer is now shipped to the United States and many European countries, in addition to the creation in Barcelona of its spectacular brewpub NaparBCN in 2016.”
When it comes to the pioneers of craft beer in Spain, it’s not clear who was first. As new breweries appeared, others closed. We can, however, point to some of the brands that were present at the dawn of this new way of brewing beer. In Barcelona we find Montseny and Rosita, founded in 2006 and 2007 respectively. These two brands are part of the fabric of the city. Today, Montseny is known for its hoppy ales, and Rosita has grown to the point where it’s easy to find it on many supermarket shelves.
If we look to the north, Dougall’s is one of the brewing icons not only of Cantabria, where its brewery is located, but of Spain as a whole. Englishman Andrew Dougall founded the brewery that bears his name in 2006. Without a doubt, Dougall’s produces some of the most renowned Spanish India Pale Ales in the craft sector. We also can’t ignore the islands. Tacoa was founded in 2001 in Tenerife and proudly claims to be Spain’s first craft brewery.
When we talk about the most important beers, it’s inevitable that some brands that truly deserve a place will be left out. However, all the ones we mention have more than enough merits to be part of Spain’s beer history. In any case, we encourage you to try their products.
