Most bars will only have one beer on tap (though some will have a standard lager and a non-alcoholic version, while a few others will have a pale larger and a dark one). Beer on the whole is sold in very small glasses in Spain. But it isn't all bad news - the Spanish like their beer very cold, you might even be served a glass that has been kept in a freezer!
Top Five Beers in Spain
These are my personal five favorite beers in Spain:- Mahou A standard 5% beer in Spain, available mainly in Madrid and quite a few places in the north-west.
- Alhambra Reserva A strong (6.4%) lager, available mainly in Granada.
- Estrella Galicia A standard 5% beer, mainly available in Galicia and the North-West
- Voll Damm A double malt, from Catalonia but widely available in supermarkets throughout the country, if not common in bars.
- San Miguel Nostrum San Miguel's 'extra' lager, at 6.4% it is slightly stronger (and much nicer) than their standard beer. Not often available on tap.
Dark Beer in Spain
More and more dark beers are popping up in Spain, especially in the north. If you aren't keen on pale lager and prefer darker beer, try Amstel Oro, Mahou Negra, Bock Damm and the aforementioned Alhambra Reserva, Voll Damm and San Miguel Nostrum.Two Beers in Spain to Avoid
The standard San Miguel is gassy and unpleasant - it is marketed around the world as a premium 'continental' lager but it is simply Mahou's 'other' brand, sold more in the south.Cruzcampo is gassier and more unpleasant than San Miguel.
Foreign Beer in Spain
The best place to get foreign beer in Spain is in an Irish pub, which will always sell Guinness and will often sell a variety of other beers. Belgian beer is popular in some Irish pubs, as well as in a few international bars. You will find Heinekin widely available, while Carlsberg and Kronenberg are quite common in the Basque Country.Ordering Beer in a Bar in Spain
Beer in Spanish bars isn't sold by quantity but by the type of glass - and the type of glass in one bar can vary greatly in size to those available in other bars. These are the types of glasses:
- Caña Invariably the smallest beer that a bar sells. Could be a wine glass, could be something resembling a brandy glass, could be a tiny thing, a bit smaller than a half pint glass. Weights and measures evolved in an interesting way in Spain
- Tubo A tall thin glass. About 10oz.
- Botella de cerveza A 10oz bottle of beer.
- Bottelín de cerveza A smaller, 6oz bottle of beer. Not available in all bars.
- Jarra or Tanque Usually the largest glass they'll have, normally about a pint. Confusingly, a 'jarra' might mean a jug which is served with glasses and shared (unless you're feeling extremely thirsty!). Not available in all bars.
Microbreweries in Spain
There are a few bars that make their own beer in Spain, though not many. They will say 'fabrica de cerveza' outside (literally 'beer factory'). There is one, Cerveceria Alemana, in Plaza Santa Ana in Madrid and another round the corner on c/Principe, called Magister. Cerveceria Alemana is said to have been popular with Ernest Hemmingway. If you are ordering food you have the choice of having a table with its own beer tap - very dangerous! There is a bar in Seville that has taps on all the tables - find it in the shopping center opposite the bus station on Plaza de Armas.For a very funny alternative to this page, check out Spanish-Country-Villa.com
