Spain
On a trip to Barcelona in April 2005, we
continued our efforts to find out
where the great beers of Germany were hiding!
That's not as daft as it sounds - the Spanish have become more beer-oriented recently and we found a surprising number of imported German beers. Sadly they mainly conformed to the fizzy, bland formula which seems to be trying to turn all German beers into B@#!w~*ser (sorry, we don't mention that word in discerning company!)
We were disappointed, but then took the opportunity to sample the local brews. I confess, I started with the prejudice that Spanish beers wouldn't be up to much but felt we should try them while we were in Barcelona.
The following comments may have been influenced by comparison with the disappointing German beers above, or the fact that Spanish beers seem right for the climate and situation while you're there, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised overall. Here's what we found:
San Miguel - I would turn my nose up at this as served in English pubs, but on draft in Catalonia (ask for a canya) it's a very good thirst quencher.
Mahou - 5.5% bottled, good flavour with bitter aftertaste and very refreshing.
Estrella Damm - found both draft and canned, this is another good thirst quencher with more flavour than the German beers we found in the city.
Voll Damm Doble Malta - bottled 7.2%. Although this is labelled Das originale Märzenbier it is a product of the Spanish Damm brewery, trying to give it a foreign cachet. This was fairly bitter, dark beer, with more body. The strength came through in the taste which appealed to me though Jeannette wasn't so keen.
Coronita - bottled 4.6% - very light with a pleasant flavour but you have to wonder why they should import this from Mexico as a speciality when the home-grown products are just as good.
That's not as daft as it sounds - the Spanish have become more beer-oriented recently and we found a surprising number of imported German beers. Sadly they mainly conformed to the fizzy, bland formula which seems to be trying to turn all German beers into B@#!w~*ser (sorry, we don't mention that word in discerning company!)
We were disappointed, but then took the opportunity to sample the local brews. I confess, I started with the prejudice that Spanish beers wouldn't be up to much but felt we should try them while we were in Barcelona.
The following comments may have been influenced by comparison with the disappointing German beers above, or the fact that Spanish beers seem right for the climate and situation while you're there, but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised overall. Here's what we found:
San Miguel - I would turn my nose up at this as served in English pubs, but on draft in Catalonia (ask for a canya) it's a very good thirst quencher.
Mahou - 5.5% bottled, good flavour with bitter aftertaste and very refreshing.
Estrella Damm - found both draft and canned, this is another good thirst quencher with more flavour than the German beers we found in the city.
Voll Damm Doble Malta - bottled 7.2%. Although this is labelled Das originale Märzenbier it is a product of the Spanish Damm brewery, trying to give it a foreign cachet. This was fairly bitter, dark beer, with more body. The strength came through in the taste which appealed to me though Jeannette wasn't so keen.
Coronita - bottled 4.6% - very light with a pleasant flavour but you have to wonder why they should import this from Mexico as a speciality when the home-grown products are just as good.