Poblenou: the Beer World’s Fair, with added beach and sun
30,000 craft beer-lovers cannot be wrong! And having consumed a voracious 13,000 litres of beer over 3-days in 2018, thirsty anticipation is high for the 2019 event. Held on 5th, 6th and 7th July in Barcelona’s Poblenou Park, next to Bogatell Beach, the eight edition of the Poblneou Beer Festival (La Fira de Cerveses del Poblenou) is the largest craft beer event in Catalonia and an annual highlight of the Spanish Beer calendar.
Not only is the event pioneering in the approach it has taken to promoting the local beer scene and beer production since its inception in 2012, but La Fira de Cerveses del Poblenou — organised by the not-for-profit ACDCAC (Asociación Cultural para la Divulgación de la Cerveza Artesana en Cataluña) — also has the support of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the City Council of Barcelona and the Poblenou Commercial Area.
It is through the Consortium of Commerce, Crafts and Fashion of Catalonia (CCAM) that the Generalitat de Catalunya ensures consumers are presented with exceptionally high-quality beer. And thanks to ACDCAC, the craft beer of Catalonia and craft beer culture in Barcelona are promoted at high-profile events such as this — showcasing how richly complex the local beers and beer-scene is.
Moreover, the aim is to also demonstrate the best of the national and international craft beer scene.
2019 sees more than 50 breweries and more than 200 beers on tap, including the best in Catalonia and the rest of Spain (Galicia, Madrid, the Basque Country).
International representation brings many of the best breweries from countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Sweden and the USA. The UK has an important presence this year with 7 top breweries. Furthermore, a collaboration with the Berlin Beer Week will see 4 of the most interesting German craft breweries at La Fira de Cerveses del Poblenou.
In every case it is the brewers themselves who will be pouring their beer, answering questions and explaining why craft beer is such an important product.
El Campeonato — the National Beer Championship — will also be pouring beers from 10-20 various prize-winning breweries on rotating taps.
Then there is the Offical Beer of La Fira de Cerveses del Poblenou. Each edition of the event sees the previous year’s Best-Brewery-of-the-Year prize-winner producing a special beer that can only be tasted during the event. This year’s beer is a session IPA with cherries, produced by Barcelona’s own Edge Brewing.
All beer at La Fira de Cerveses del Poblenou is served in a crystal glass by Spiegelau, specialists in the production of quality beer tastings glassware.
And great craft beer is always served best with great music, of which there will be an abundance during the event.
Catering for the discerning appetite of the drinking masses will be 15 food trucks, providing a mouth-watering range of options for all tastes, including vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Entrance to La Fira del Poblenou is free and is open on Friday 5th (16:00-01:00), Saturday 6th (12:00-01:00) and Sunday 7th (12:00-22:00) July, 2019.
https://www.lafiradelpoblenou.com/
Arbor Ales
A key brewery in the British contingent of participants at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019, is one of Bristol’s finest breweries, Arbor Ales. Bristol is a city with an extraordinary Craft Beer scene, and the brewing skill and talent is exceptional. The beers from Arbor Ales and its compatriots are of such a high quality that even the Spanish and Catalonian breweries (some of the best in the world) may even be astonished.
Even the beers brewed in the southwest corner of Europe may themselves begin to question what kind of magic is happening in the UK at the moment to produce such skilfully brewed beers. The answer may perhaps lie in Arbor Ales’ passion and desire to embrace and explore a world of endless possibilities.
Arbor Ales only brews beers that it would like to drink itself, and it will only put its name to a beer if the quality is high and the flavour is something to be proud of. And after 12 years in the business, it has certainly mastered this fine art.
Arbor Ales may be one of the highlights at La Fira Del Poblenou.
Birrificio Argo
Birrificio Argo is based in the province of Parma, Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, and much like the ship that carried Jason and the Argonauts to retrieve the Golden Fleece in Greek mythology, Argo (the brewery) will be bringing its precious cargo of high-quality Craft Beers to the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July, 2019.
The mythical Argo is also reflected in the brewery’s yellow airship that carries its logo. Birrificio Argo sees great value in extensively travelling to retrieve new ideas, styles, process, flavours and ingredients from far and wide — the Golden Fleece for any brewery.
The brewery was founded in 2013 and gathers its skills and experiences inside the fabled airship that traverses the globe in pursuit of the brewery’s passion for great beer.
Birrificio Argo welcomes everybody aboard at La Fira Del Poblenou.
Box Social Brewing
One of the most interesting names to make an appearance at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019, is Box Social Brewing — a name that may be unfamiliar to many who have not encountered the brewery previously.
The brewery is based in Newburn, close to Newcastle Upon Tyne in North East England and was founded in 2015 by the father and son team of Steve and Ross Holland. The brewery’s rather intriguing name is taken from Victorian social events that people held in their homes as a way to network and meet new people — the “Box Socials”.
The name is an important choice because the brewery hopes to engage with people, challenge perceptions and create new connections and friendships over their beers. We are gladly willing to accept that challenge in Barcelona. Everybody is also welcomed at the brewery’s tasting room to make a connection with some great beers.
Having moved into its new brewing facility earlier this year, Box Social Brewing is taking the next step in its story and increasing its production to meet demand.
Many people may recognise Box Social Brewing through its association with Welsh reggae metal band Skindred and the recent release of the Union Black beer collaboration — a stout, naturally.
Cervesa Guineu
As cunning as a Catalan fox. Now in its eleventh year, Cervesa Guineu continues to evolve and prosper in the Barcelona province of Valls de Torroella, where the canid similarities continue. Cunning in such a way that local ingredients and nature itself contribute to a brewing process that not only ensures survival, but also to thrive, develop and change — to explore new tastes and subtleties that produce new beer recipes.
Cervesa Guineu is serving its excellent and nuanced artisanal beers at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019. For both a Catalan people proud of its Craft Beer culture and enthusiastic visitors who relish great beer with heaps of flavour and a local focus, this is the perfect opportunity to discover some of the best beers available in this region and beyond.
Cervesa Montseny
Located in the central Catalonia municipality of Osona, Cervesa Montseny is a micro-brewery that produces artisanal, handmade craft beer — the best quality possible. As to be expected from a brewery based near the foothills of the Montseny Massif, the mountain range with the highest peaks in the area immediately south of the Pyrenees, Cervesa Montseny works in harmony with nature.
The recipient of a number of entrepreneurial, innovation and design awards, Cervesa Montseny focuses on not only the Reinheitsgebot (German Beer Purity Law) but also on using the finest natural ingredients with no artificial additives and preservatives, unpasteurized and bottle fermented.
Despite being categorised as a micro-brewery, Cervesa Montseny has increased commercial capacity and a substantial range of beer that consists of several beer families: a core range, unique specials and a number of collaborations with other high-profile international breweries.
Cervesa del Montseny was formed in 2007 and its reputation has developed over the years to make it a model brewery, a reference point for micro-brewing in Catalonia. Its regional role and responsibility are of the highest importance, with membership of local and regional trade and tourism associations a fundamental part of what Cervesa Montseny is about. Also essential to its altruistic social enrichment is participation in cultural and sports initiatives, and promotion of the region’s artisanal produce.
Having previously been awarded the title of Best Brewery of the Year in the Barcelona Beer Challenge, Cervesa Montseny will be presenting its beers at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July, 2019 — an event at which it has also been voted an award-winner.
Cerveses Almogàver
One contender for title of nearest brewery to the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019, is Cerveses Almogàver. Based in Barcelona City Centre, it is a brewery that epitomises the brewing skill and beer production talent that emanates from every corner of this beer-centric city.
Handcrafted in Barcelona by craftspeople who recognise that it’s not simply an excess of passion that produces excellent beer; putting a lot of effort into beer production always results in beer that are extra-special. And Cerveses Almogàver’s beer are certainly extra-special.
It’s Beer Democracy at its finest.
Cerveza Santo Cristo
To say that Carlos, Nuria, Sergio and Raúl — the four friends who founded Cerveza Santo Cristo — enjoy brewing almost every style of beer is no exaggeration. A quick perusal of the brewery’s beer range tells us there are Stouts, Imperial Stouts, Rauchbiers, Eisbocks, Porters, IPAs, NEIPAs, DIPAs, Brut IPAs, Irish Red Ales, Barley Wines, Sour / Wild Beers, Fruit Beers, Blonde Ales, Farmhouse Saisons and Cream Ales — and so forth.
It will be interesting to discover which beer Cerveza Santo Cristo will be presenting at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
The idea for Cerveza Santo Cristo began in 2010, which research shows in the optimal year for sowing the seeds of nascent Artisanal Craft Beer Breweries. However, the brewery’s first brewhouse opened in 2014 in the city of Ourense in Galicia, in the northwest of Spain. Quickly reaching its maximum capacity within only a couple of years, Cerveza Santo Cristo moved to larger brewing premises in 2017.
What is perhaps unique however, and a refreshing change, is the presence of Beer Engines in many of Cerveza Santo Cristo’s photographs, suggesting there’s a great interest in cask beer. Whilst Beer Engines predate draft beer systems in certain countries, the humble Beer Engine remains something of a rarity in many parts of the world, although its usefulness and role as a tool in the delivery of some beer styles that are produced in a particular way is on the increase. It seems the northwest of Spain is a fan of cask beer.
Well done.
Cervezas Althaia
The husband and wife team behind Cervezas Althaia, Mayte and Jorge , combined a background in wine with a passionate dream to produce all-natural, unfiltered, unpasteurised beers free from artificial additives or preservatives that not only reflects their own marriage, but also marries the Mediterranean climate, the coastal terroir with its exceptional ingredients and the region’s fine and renowned cuisine. The balance is a success.
Based in the town of Altea, north of Alicante, on the Mediterranean coast of Costa Blanca, Cervezas Althaia derives its name from the town’s ancient name, ‘Althaia’, which itself is derived from the Greek for “healthy” and “cure”. The synergy between a passion for great beer, a focus on local ingredients, the entire end-to-end production process happening in the town itself, and the taste and quality benefits of brewing healthy beer is evident. Cervezas Althaia is the perfect name.
Unlike many other breweries who simply combine ingredients, brew, package, label and sell the end-product, Cervezas Althaia evidently takes great pride in taking inspiration from stories and events to ensure that each beer has a tale to tell. And for people like us who relish the poetic quality in a great beer story, the background, the idiosyncrasies of production processes and the motivation for why a particular beer or style is chosen, it is a refreshing change. All beers deserve a story, and a stance that ought to be applauded and further encouraged.
Bitácora introduces us to the adventure of 18th century piracy in the South China Sea; the Barlovento series highlights the effect of the Napoleonic Wars on the Imperial Stout; Siroco Barrel Aged is an intrepid sailor; Heliodora tells us how orange trees arrived in the Mediterranean a thousand years ago; Mascarat is a historic bandit living in the mountains surrounding Altea; Cornamusa gives us more insight into the historic world of piracy, this time in the seas around Jamaica and a tale of false identity; Mistral is the story of a lone seafarer, stranded in Bermuda; and so forth.
Poetry in brewing! Some of these stories may be available at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
Cap Negret’s story is more contemporary: Spain’s first Nitro Oatmeal Stout in a can, and recent gold-medal winner in the dark British beer style category at the prestigious Campeonato de cervezas beer awards.
Espina de Ferro
Metalhead Brewing Craftbeer! Espina de Ferro is one of those breweries that likes its beers to be served loud. Or at least be accompanied by something loud. Unsurprising for a brewery that describes itself as ‘Metalhead Brewing Craftbeer’ — three words; each of which stands alone to provide enough interest to ignite the curiosity of the sophisticated, discerning drinker; yet combine the three into a single statement and further investigation is needed.
Simply bring a discerning palate and a thirst for beers that demand to be enjoyed. Leave any preconceived misconceptions about metalheads at the door — recognising taste is a skill in whatever form it takes. Espina de Ferro’s skill is recognising what makes a beer taste great and what is great taste in music.
Espina de Ferro is one of our favourite breweries. And anybody who has met the team involved will concur that their friendliness and palpable passion for their beer matches only their passion for their beloved choice of music.
“Loud, I wanna taste it loud. Right between the eyes. Loud, I wanna hear it loud. Don’t want no compromise!” A well-known lyric misappropriated by this writer, but certainly apt for Espina de Ferro.
From Anoia in central Catalonia, Fede and Roger (hence ‘Ferro’) unleash beers with such pertinent names as MORT-ALE (IPA), LOST FIGHT (Pale Ale), IMPALED (Imperial IPA), DEMONIC TORTURE (IPA), DEAD MONK (Belgian Dubbel) and BLACK POTION (American Porter).
A little piece of darkness in the midst of a warm Barcelona summer is the perfect potion, the perfect tonic, so follow the hypnotic sounds and visit Espina de Ferro at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
FlyBrew
Launched as recently as early 2019, what FlyBrew lacks in age and longevity is easily made up for in skill and passion. Already a silver medal winner at the Barcelona Beer Festival for its Frambuá (a raspberry Berliner), followed by two further medals (for Frambuà and Rocket Science, a session IPA) at the Campeonato de cervezas beer awards, the omens for success are good for FlyBrew.
Founded by Barcelona homebrewers of the highest calibre with the capability and passion to produce some excellent beers, the FlyBrew decision to start as a commercial enterprise can only serve to improve the beer scene as a whole.
Visit FlyBrew at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July, 2019, and find out what they’re doing.
Jakobsland Brewers
Jakobsland Brewers is based in Santiago de Compostela, the capital city in the autonomous community of Galicia, located in north western Spain. Much like the majority of what is now western Europe, this region was visited a thousand years ago by marauding Vikings, whose stories and legends give the brewery its name. Viking tales referred to modern-day Galicia as Jakobsland — ‘the land of Santiago’.
Jakobsland Brewers is now in its fourth year of operation as a commercial enterprise, although the home-brewing story stretches back to 2012 when Fran and Henlo, a couple of friends living the beer dream, started small-scale brewing as a side-line. Enter Jeremiah, another experienced homebrewer, who originates from the US (Chattanooga, Tennessee), and the story of Jakobsland Brewers begins to develop.
Shortly after switching the brewing process to a commercial actively, the brewery’s year-round and seasonal beers started receiving many awards and accolades. The brewery’s tagline claims it brews ‘Eccentric Seasonal Craft Beer’, and any brewery pushing the limits of originality to create something that’s both unique and enjoyable deserves to be applauded.
Anybody wishing to try some of great beers from this award-winning brewery can do so at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
La Calavera
Our love of design, iconography, sloganeering and what appears to ostensibly be DIY ethics is well-documented. How a brewery presents itself and represents its beers through words and design can, in many cases, be as important as the beverage itself — it is often the trigger point that determines whether a consumer chooses a particular beer ahead of its neighbour. The fundamental basis of sales, marketing and commercial success.
And when the beers are highly renowned too, it is a winning combination. If the brewery is also highly regarded locally, nationally and internationally, then everything is in total alignment to be quite jaw-dropping. Add a social conscious and things begin to get phenomenal.
Such as brewery is Girona’s La Calavera.
Operating as part of a work cooperative with local restaurants since its inception 2012, La Calavera is the antithesis of industrial beer production. La Calavera is a model of artisanal brewing. It produces its beers close to where the ingredients are grown — local produce is important to understand the regional flavours and aromas — and it operates as a centre of social activity.
More important, perhaps, are La Calavera’s credentials. Its message is loud and clear. Its imagery and words unambiguously express its attitude, beliefs and motivations. La Calavera is both a brewery and a movement with credibility and conviction. And that sincerity and passion is evident in its world-class beers.
“Antifascist Craft Beer from Hell’s Garage” — rarely does a brewery describe itself so aptly. And if you’re interested in either learning more about the brewery and its incredible beers, you can meet the brewery at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
La Pirata Brewing
It’s a brewery that needs no introduction. Very little can be said about La Pirata Brewing that hasn’t already been stated. Repeatedly.
Based in Súria, La Pirata Brewing is the quintessential Catalonian Craft Beer brewery. Successful. Award-winning. Repeatedly. High-quality. Awe-inspiring. And very, very popular — socially and commercially. La Pirata Brewing was certainly one of the first Craft Beer brewers to venture across the Pyrenees and find a willing and thirsty audience beyond the Iberian peninsula. And it’s still a relatively young brewery, despite winning national beer championships.
Much like fire is insatiable in its rapid progress and voracious appetite, La Pirata Brewing’s Craft Beer is ‘incendiary’ — provocative, all-consuming, all-conquering, and very, very hot: the hottest brewery in the region! ‘ Incendiary Craft Beer’ is an accurate description, especially considering the etymology of the word ‘pirate’ that supposedly comes from the Greek word for ‘fire’ (pyro) in reference to the piratical practice of burning the evidence of crimes to avoid detection.
La Pirata Brewing will undoubtedly be among the hottest breweries at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
La Sitgetana Craftbeer
Real Ale for Real People. The Catalonian town of Sitges may once have been a hub of counterculture, but nowadays it’s a cultural hub of tourism (and brewing) that rivals Barcelona a few kilometres along the coast. It may well have earned the name “Ibiza in miniature”, but its contemporary reputation is partly a result of its fine-dining and great beer.
With its 12-tap brewery taproom in the town-centre that hosts a variety of cultural events such as music and spoken word performances, La Sitgetana Craftbeer is one of a handful of breweries in Sitges that is placing the town firmly on the Catalonian Beer Map. Furthermore, La Sitgetana Craftbeer also runs a tapas bar in the town to combine its great beer with a selection of finely curated local cuisine.
The ‘Real Ale for Real People’ tagline is chosen for a reason. Taking inspiration from the UK’s CAMRA movement that successfully campaigned fearlessly to protect a beer industry and culture that was at risk of being eradicated by the industrialised giants of the beer world that we love to hate, La Sitgetana Craftbeer champions an alternative to the blandness of big beer homogenisation.
La Sitgetana Craftbeer focuses on producing a high-quality, artisanal product that expresses both the art of the brewer and a desire to satisfy and impress drinkers with great beers that burst with flavour. The challenge is to introduce new tastes and styles to apathetic beer drinkers who favour only the dull, industrialised beers.
Each beer has a story to tell. Each beer reflects the stories and characters that make Sitges the great place it is today. Each beer has a personality to be discovered. And visitors to the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019, will be able to connect and reconnect with the personalities that makes La Sitgetana Craftbeer what it is.
Marina Cervesa Artesana Blanes
Family connections and an Irish heritage. It’s a lineage that inevitably leads to great beer. Brothers Kevin and Pep’s interest in brewing become a passion in the early 2000’s, at a time when home-brewing was a trial and error process of following word-of-mouth recipes or reverse engineering our favourite beer styles. Books were available, yet the overabundance of readily available information that we have today was still either a distant dream or the stuff of science fiction.
Marina Cervesa Artesana Blanes and its connection with the Catalonian municipality of Blanes become a commercial reality just under 10 years ago, and since then it has grown steadily, won awards, gained accolades and honed the skill and talent to become a pioneering Craft Beer producer not only in the local region but also nationally and internationally.
Producing world-class artisanal beer is the driving force that keep the passion alive and ensures Marina Cervesa Artesana Blanes remains a leading brewer in its class.
LET THERE BE HOPS! Marina Cervesa Artesana Blanes will be presenting its fine beers at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
North Brewing Co
The distant voyagers of the Craft Beer Scene. No festival is complete these days without the presence of North Brewing Co; and rightly so. From its home in the north of England, this brewery ventures far and wide from Leeds to cities and events across Europe and beyond, taking its exceptional beers to the masses. It’s not just the brewery and the nomadic life of its staff that travel great distances for their passion — the beer appears to be out-of-this-world too.
The county of Yorkshire sees a disproportionate number of UFO sightings compared with the rest of the country. And anybody familiar with North Brewing Co or any of the numerous, otherworldly breweries from Leeds, York, Sheffield and so forth may begin to wonder what kind of agreement has been made with the extra-terrestrials. Close Encounters of the Beer Kind.
As one of the original pioneers of the Craft Beer Scene over 20-years ago, North Brewing Co certainly has the knowledge and experience to continually keep drinkers happy with some fine brews. And with a track record of working with many other highly regarded national and international breweries, North Brewing Co has the credentials to impress.
North Brewing Co wins plaudits from drinkers wherever and whenever it pulls into town. Loyal supporters remain forever impressed. And a legion of new fans is welcomed into the fold. Such will be the case when North Brewing Co makes an appearance at the eighth edition of La Fira del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
Pipeworks Brewing Company
Founded and based in booming Midwest beer city of Chicago and distributed throughout the Midwestern and North-eastern United States, Pipeworks Brewing Company is one of the furthest-travelled names to attend the eighth edition of La Fira del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
Recognisable by its eye-catching, distinctive designs and the unique, attention-grabbing names given to its beers, Pipeworks Brewery Co. has been in operation for 7-years and continues to grow in statue and reputation, partly thanks to the numerous honours bestowed upon it along the way. Its appearance in Barcelona is indicative of a solid reputation and standing.
Poppels Bryggeri
A taste of Scandinavian knowledge, curiosity and passion will be available at the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July, 2019, with Sweden’s ever-popular Poppels Bryggeri from Jonsered, just outside Gothenburg.
Poppels Bryggeri prides itself on producing many wonderful beers that are not only balanced and faithful to their styles, but also introduce something new thanks to a desire to develop unique and exciting beers. Its small-scale production method provides the brewery with an opportunity to undertake iterative brewing process that sees beers perfected over time, through several improvement brewing cycles.
Poppels Bryggeri was founded by 15 beer-loving enthusiasts in 2012, and the initial dream has been transformed into a major success, both in Sweden and in a large number of overseas markets, whilst remaining fiercely and proudly independent.
As an organic brewery that maximises taste and minimises its environmental footprint as much as possible, Poppels Bryggeri has an ecological mindset unlike most others. Sweden’s largest eco-brewery, Poppels Bryggeri is officially certified as ecological sound, an astonishing achievement considering the brewery has always refused to compromise on taste and integrity. It is a model that all other breweries should follow — many claim to feel ecological impact is important, yet few convert lip-service into action.
Segarreta Cervesa Artesanal
The source of Catalonia’s Gaià River is in the municipality of Santa Coloma de Queralt. And it is in this landscape, known for its crops — most notably cereals, wheat, barley and hops — that Segarreta Cervesa Artesanal produces its all-natural, unfiltered, unpasteurised beers that contain no artificial additives. The nature and personality of this area is inherent in the beers themselves: their uniqueness, their characters, and their stories.
Tradition, history, heritage and culture is important to Segarreta Cervesa Artesanal. As is working in harmony with the local landscape. This is a brewery proud of its position in the countryside and its interaction with the terroir. The brewery is reliant on the wonderful abundance of flora; the flora is in some ways reliant on the local fauna; the Catalan people (and others nationally and internationally) relish the beers produced as a result; and the magnificent cycle continues.
Housed in a former textile factory from the 19th century, Segarreta Cervesa Artesanal is producing excellent Pale Ales, Amber Ales, American Pale Ales, Weissbier, IPAs, and many others. Most notable is the intriguing Iberian beer with sagebrush, a modern version of a 3000-year old classic.
What are interesting, however, in today’s preference for beers with a sour palate are the many variants of Sour Ale from Segarreta Cervesa Artesanal, infused with Blackberries, Blueberries, or Raspberries. There is even a Berliner Weisse refermented with Brettanomyces, which is a style proving increasingly popular and desirable nowadays.
With such great beer delights, Segarreta Cervesa Artesanal may be a highlight of the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
To Øl
Skål. Cheers to two beers. And many more. To Øl is a familiar name to beer fans throughout the world and is rated as one of the world’s best breweries. Exporting to more than 40-countries from its home in Nørrebro, a district of Copenhagen, To Øl is uncompromising in its pursuit of balance and taste. The emphasis is on reaching for brewing perfection without losing the sense of fun, fully utilising the science of brewing to create a baseline from which passionate and enthusiastic experimentations in flavour can begin.
Approaching its tenth anniversary in 2020, To Øl continues to push the boundaries. Began by two friends who started home-brewing at a time when the Danish beer scene felt old, stagnant and in need of a healthy injection of taste, quality and style, a boost to reinvigorate something that had rarely changed during the previous century. Tore and Tobias started brewing after a days’ study, and the seeds of today’s To Øl were planted. Fast-forward five years and To Øl released its first commercial beer to an appreciative audience thirsty for something contemporary, something original and bursting with flavour.
Youth was the initial motivation for To Øl. Introducing youthful attitudes and beer with a mouthfeel, flavour and aroma that would satisfy the next generation of beer-lovers. And it has been a success. However, as the brewery and its loyal fans have matured during the intervening years, the beers themselves still retain a vigour and vitality that attracts drinkers from across the entire spectrum of beer drinkers, whatever the age and attitude — great beer is a leveller enjoyed by all who appreciate it.
The many international drinkers who are fans of To Øl cannot be wrong. And the many loyal supporters who frequent BRUS, the To Øl brewpub in Nørrebro, are rightfully proud of their local talent. Visitors to the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019, will have the opportunity to savour some of To Øl’s best beers.
Track Brewing Co.
Manchester. It’s a city that will forever be linked with revolution. Industrial revolution. Just visit a museum or open a history book for confirmation about the city and the region’s integral role in the momentous Paradigm Shift of commerce. However, there is another revolution happening in the early parts of the 21st century. The beer revolution. Manchester, much like all the other major hubs in the north and west of England, and further north into Scotland, is at the forefront of something rather special in the world of brewing.
The young, innovative brewers performing beer alchemy in ground-breaking breweries across the region may not consider themselves as bearers of a remarkable heritage, continuing the long and distinguished brewing tradition from decades and centuries previous. However, the cultural reference points are there. Manchester in particular once had a thriving brewery scene that dominated the country and beyond. And that tradition continues, albeit in a different guise devoid of northern stereotypes.
London has its ‘Bermondsey Beer Mile’, its unofficial strip of Craft Beer brewing and talent. What is less well-known is that Manchester has its own version, much of which lies in the vicinity of Piccadilly Station. The brewing skill and talent is no less prevalent here than in the capital.
The Piccadilly Station area is home to Track Brewing Co., both its brewery and taproom. The former in the railway arches and the latter in an old textile mill a short distance away. The chicness of industrial heritage is the gentrification planner’s dream. The ‘Bermondsey Beer Mile’ has its fair share, so we needn’t try to infer any clichés. It’s this timeless industrial chicness that defines a city, especially cities like Manchester.
Track Brewing Co.’s introduction is rather intriguing: “From the Ozarks to the Andes and back again. Beers born on a bike & raised in Manchester.” But what does it mean? Prior to starting Track Brewing Co. in 2014, founder Sam Dyson spent a couple of years cycling around the world. And it is this adventurous, worldly passion that lies at core of Track Brewing Co. and it form the character that flows at the heart of the brewery’s pale, hoppy beers.
Track Brewing Co. is one of the British contingent of breweries heading to Catalonia to entertain and impress visitors to the eighth edition of La Fira Del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019.
Wylie Brewery
Another great brewery from the oft-overlooked town of Sitges, where great beer that shouts loudly is quietly produced to the highest-standard without the hullabaloo of Barcelona, its larger neighbour along the coast.
Wylie Brewery was voted Best Rookie Brewery in the Barcelona Beer Challenge 2018 (despite the fact the brewery was founded in 2015), suggesting the brewery not only currently produces great beer through its brewing skill and talent, but also has a bright future ahead with many new and unrealised beer dreams waiting to be released onto an anticipant fanbase of loyal drinkers and supporters. Moreover, prior to this accolade, Wylie Brewery was already the proud recipient of several Barcelona Beer Challenge awards from previous years.
Two wise expats (Grahame and Shane) with a passion for exceptional hand-crafted beer started the Wylie Brewery adventure with the aim of combining contemporary and classic skills and ideas to create uncompromising beers that are new, exciting and, above all else, authentic. And in this respect, they have been successful in their endeavour.
In additional to its great beers that are gaining widespread attention locally, nationally and increasingly internationally, Wylie Brewery has earned its parochial stripes in Sitges through its brewery taproom that offers great food, live music, comedy and a convivial atmosphere that welcomes visitors back time after time.
But even if you’re not a regular visitor to the famous Wylie Brewery taproom, and even if you’ve not yet tried any of their wonderful beers, don’t worry. Wylie Brewery are participating in the eighth edition of La Fira del Poblenou Craft Beer Festival, held in Barcelona’s Parc Del Poblenou on 5th, 6th and 7th July 2019. It’s a brewery to which a beeline should be made.