Dean Carroll: Pour yourself a taste of Barcelona’s locally-brewed beers
Whether you’re in the Catalonian capital or at home, you can access some great craft beers from the city this summer
After a recent trip to Barcelona, I was struck by two things. The first, based on the number of Irish people I encountered during my week in the Catalonian capital, is that half the country must be planning to visit this summer. The second is that everyone I met was drinking an Estrella Damm.
The locally-brewed lager is widely available, but I thought I could recommend a couple of alternative breweries to try out if you’re heading to the city. And even if you’re not, don’t worry - they’re all available in Ireland too.
Garage Beer is based in Barcelona and has two brewpub locations to visit. Both offer a ton of options fresh from the beer tanks and fridges. Known for high standards and exceptional quality, Garage’s most famous beer is probably Soup IPA.
First brewed in 2018 with heaps of oats and wheat alongside the malted barley, Soup is a dense, heavy take on the IPA style. It pours as a hazy orange topped by a thick white foam that dissipates quickly. While it’s heavy, the intense burst of fruits and low bitterness at the finish mean this one is easy to drink even on a hot day. It’s €5.75 a can from Martin’s Off Licence in Dublin, and is 6 per cent ABV.
Oddity Brewing was founded in 2020, and while it is operating as a gypsy brewery at the moment, Barcelona will eventually be its home. Ivan Raho, its head brewer, used to brew with Whiplash in Dublin before starting the new venture with his partner Vicky Navarro.
The brewery has strong ties with the art world, and the amazing cans reflect that. Things We’ve Done is a double black IPA that is truly unique for the style. Made up of eight different malts, it offers up dried dates and sweet coffee on the nose. It's surprisingly light and shows none of its 8 per cent ABV in its drawn-out finish. Find it at Baggot Street Wines for €6.75 a can.
Founded in 2015, in the years since Basqueland has been brewing beers to match the diverse Basque culinary scene. While they don’t yet have a taproom in Barcelona, they are represented at many of the local craft beer bars such as Ale & Hop and Blacklab. Their bright and colourful labels are impossible to miss and the beer inside them matches the expectations set.
They are fond of west coast-style IPAs, and an example of that is available to try here at home. Rocky Point is light bodied and refreshing, with a bitter dry finish that’s reminiscent of the more traditional IPA style. If you have grown tired of the sticky, heavy New England style of some IPAs, this one is for you. It’s €4.45 a can from yardsandcrafts.ie, and the ABV is 6.5 per cent.
