Barcelona.
One of Europe’s top tourist destinations, but not by any stretch of the imagination a haven for beer lovers.
There are however a couple of interesting quirks to the city when you scratch the surface.
Even though this is most definitely wine and ice-cold bland lager country, the last couple of years have seen more and more interest in beer, which can only be a good thing. Time Out Barcelona[/url:36en7nvb] did a special on good watering holes a few months back (Catalan only, unfortunately, but you can check them out on Google), and 2008's been good year for festivals and micro-brews[/url:36en7nvb] (most of which I missed, as my car got mangled in an accident back in May).
This thread was going to be to keep everyone wise about the Cerveteca, as it gets little mention on the European Beer Guide[/url:36en7nvb], but I thought I’d add my thoughts on a few others as well.
[b:36en7nvb]La Cerveteca[/b:36en7nvb][/url:36en7nvb] (Gignàs, 25: at the end of Via Laietana besides Barcelona’s GPO, Correos. The area is the called the Barri Gòtic)
Basically my local, even though I have to travel 30 mins to get to it.
This is the same concept as a vinoteca/enoteca, but for beer – essentially a shop, but at a surcharge of 1 euro on the retail price you can drink in store, always from the correct glassware. The owners, Guillem and Rubén, are both Catalan, but they are assisted by an English guy, Steve Huxley, who’s a brewer (unfortunately no brews on sale at the moment, but they are starting classes).
They also have 4 taps (2.50eu for 300ml, 3.50eu for 500ml), which currently stock the following, even though they change it around from time to time:
Hoepfner Porter
Hoepfner Kellerweizen
Hoepfner Krausen (gold medal winner at this year’s Beer Cup for cellar/unfiltered)
Taras Boulba[/url:36en7nvb]
Here you can get your hands on some of the local micros, in Barcelona there are two principal brands – CCM and Glops.
Among the Glops beers you’ll find a rauchbier-style and a winter ale, both quite interesting. Pagoa, the Basque brand, is usually available here as well, another nice Spanish beer that’s worth a look.
They do a large selection of Belgians, many of which come in 75cl format as well, and a decent selection of German (Aktien, Hoefpner, Schlenkerla and some more) and American (selected beers from Anchor, Sierra Nevada, Left Hand, Great Divide, Flying Dog).
Hoepfner[/url:36en7nvb] won medium-sized brewery of the year at the Beer Cup so it's great to see it on draught here (watch out for their Marzen during the winter!)
They also keep customers updated on micro beer festivals in Barcelona and environs, so you might get lucky.
A must if you’re in town and somewhere I’ll really miss.
[b:36en7nvb]Alt Heidelberg[/b:36en7nvb] (Ronda Universitat, 5: right in the centre of town, close to Plaza Catalunya)
Pilsner Urquell on tap, very reasonably priced for both food and drink, a nice selection of German beers.
[b:36en7nvb]4 Pedres[/b:36en7nvb][/url:36en7nvb] (Lleó, 33, Badalona)
If you happen to be up the coast at the beach, you can hop off the train at Badalona and drop in here. They open at half 7 in the evening if my memory serves me. Family run, with a great selection (even though the menu doesn’t reflect it). When I went here the first time and told the guy who served us I was Irish he said he was trying to see if he could get O’Hara’s Stout on tap(!)
[b:36en7nvb]El Flabiol[/b:36en7nvb][/url:36en7nvb] (Rambla del Brasil, 55)
Tiny little bar packed with Belgian beers. It’s a little off the beaten track but if you like Belgians this is the place to go as according to their website they have about 150 in stock. I’ve only been once – thought the owner was an absolute c*nt so never went back. I couldn’t remember what they had on tap, so checked their website – it seems they have the following:
Litovel
La Chouffe
Mac Chouffe
El Flabiol Blonde (undoubtedly a contracted Belgian one)
[b:36en7nvb]La Cervesera Artesana[/b:36en7nvb][/url:36en7nvb] (Sant Agustí 14, in the bohemian neighbourhood of Gràcia)
Apparently this place was really buzzing during its heyday 15-20 years ago, but after it was closed down and the founder had to sell up, the life of the place seems to be gone. It is Barcelona’s only brewpub (as mentioned[/url:36en7nvb], the beer in El Vaso de Oro, while decent, is brewed by Damm), but I’m told the recipes have never been changed and the place lacks soul for me. It seems a lot of its ex-customers now drink in La Cerveteca (where the original owner, Steve Huxley, now works).
[b:36en7nvb]Nuevo Mosquito[/b:36en7nvb] (Jaume Giralt 53: a little difficult to find, Google map it for best results)
Notable because it also has some lovely Hoepfner beers on tap (as well as CCM and Furstenburg)
I went for the opening last month and everybody got a free beer and tapas until you were stuffed.
I’ll definitely be back.
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