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February 28 2023 - March 13 2023
Ordering a caña of beer in Spain is an instant moment of relaxation for me, it means I am in one of my favourite countries in the world, about to enjoy an appropriate-sized glass of cold beer and, almost certainly, some tapa or pinxto in the very near future as well.
But I am sure we’ve all felt this at some point, so I’d like to touch briefly on why, from a professional point of view, I would argue the Spanish beer market has always been far more progressive than people have given it credit for, many unable to look past pre-conceived ideas about ‘mass market’ beer.
In 2006, long before most people were even contemplating it, Estrella released Daura, a gluten-free lager, that has won multiple awards over the years, and an innovation that freed people who had to forsake a beer to enjoy it once again, and in the process helped other businesses see that making a beer gluten-free, whether brewing with g-free grains such a sorghum or by using enzymes to remove the gluten, was a market worth exploring - something brewers all over the world, big and small, have embraced.
In 1976 Cervezas Ambar, introduced Spain’s first non-alcoholic beer inspiring many other countries to take note. The Spanish non-alcoholic market is predicted to be worth $1.21bn in 2023 (making up a sizeable chunk of the $40bn global market). It shows no sign of anything but growth. This led many brewers, certainly in mature markets, to assess how they could combat the issue of declining alcohol consumption - driving them to innovate or risk losing market share.
And, one of my personal favourites for the really hot months, the fancy shandy that is Radler. An absolute icon in Germany (which is where it gets its name), it is so very perfect for the hot weather that breweries all over Spain produce their own, using lager as a base instead of wheat beer as most of the originals use, but still weights in at around 3-3.5% - alongside non-alcoholic options. It is utter perfection for pool-side or beachfront enjoyment and, having spoken to many UK craft brewers, I can tell you they have been inspired to brew their own for those very memories, even if our summers aren’t always quite as good!
All of this, along with the incredible emergence of world-respected artisanal breweries from Dougall’s to Barcelona Beer Company, and Doce Setenta to Montseny, shows Spanish beer and its culture deserves more than to be tarred with a snobby brush, and I look forward to tasting some with you at the forthcoming Wines from Spain Annual Tasting in London on 28 February. Click here to find out more: Asociación de Cerveceros de España - Beer Tasting (foodswinesfromspain.com).
Melissa Cole is a journalist, beer & cider writer and author of The Ultimate Book of Craft Beer
