Nowadays, we can find a huge diversity of beer brands available on the market. Many of them are imported, but there are also many Spanish beers of great quality, and it is not surprising, because this drink is booming and more and more foodies are enjoying it.
If you are a beer lover, you can not miss this list of the most popular and most consumed beer brands in Spain. Surely you have your preferences and your favorite brand, but we encourage you to try some of the Spanish beer brands, and how knows, maybe it will inspire you to take a trip to the sunny peninsula.
- This article about "The Most Loved Spanish Beer Brands" was originally published in Spanish in Viviendo La Salud
Spanish beer - 10 most loved brands
Although beer is closely linked to the idea of summer because it is a refreshing and light drink, the truth is that it is consumed throughout the year. Beer leads the ranking of the most consumed drink in Spain and the variety is getting bigger by the day. However, most brands that we find belong to 4 large groups:
- Heineken Spain
- Mahou-San Miguel
- Damm
- Hijos de Rivera
We have compiled a list of the 10 most loved Spanish beers that ale aficionados have recommended. You can find them in any supermarket or bar, so take note to know what to ask for next time.
1Estrella Galicia 1906
This Extra Lager toasted beertops the list of the best Spanish beer brands. It has a graduation of 6.5% Alc. and it's made with water, barley malt, corn, and hops. Its origin is Galician and it has an amber color with abundant white foam.
It has an intense toasted malt flavor. This beer brand has other interesting products, such as the 1906 Red Vintage and the 1906 Black Coupage. These two Spanish beers have also been awarded and highly valued by experts and consumers. Estrella Galicia 1906 belongs to the Hijos de Rivera group.
2Alhambra 1925
The Alhambra 1925 is an Extra Lager beer of low fermentation. It has an alcohol content of 6.4%. It is made with barley and hops. It is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 4ºC and 6ºC. This Spanish beer is the most famous blonde beer from the Alhambra portfolio and has received several awards.
It belongs to the Mahou-San Miguel brewing group and its origin is from Granada. Its flavor is soft and fruity and presents a well-balanced bitter and sweet taste. It has a caramelized fruit aroma with toasted touches.
3Mahou Maestra
Another famously consumed beer brand in Spain is the Mahou Maestra. It's an Extra Lager toast with a graduation of 7.5% and it is made with malt, hops, yeast, and water. It has to be served at a temperature between 6 and 8ºC.
It is the best selling beer brand in Spain and every year its sales increase. It has double hops, giving an intense flavor to the roasted malt, cocoa and sports an aftertaste of coffee caramel with a bitter finish. Its aroma is notable for its nuances of dried flowers and citrus.
4Ambar Centeno
Amber Rye is a type of ale toast beer. It has an alcohol content of 6.4% and is made with ingredients such as barley malt, water, rye malt, rice, and hops. It is served at a temperature between 8ºC and 10ºC and it is considered one of the best Spanish rye beers.
It is ideal to serve in wintertime since it should be served at room temperature. It belongs to the Grupo Zaragoza beer group. Finding it in supermarkets or bars is more difficult, but it is worth trying his delicious brand.
5Inedit
Another example of the best-known beer brands in Spain is Estrella Damm. Inedit is one of the creations of this brand, elaborated by Ferran Adrià and the sommeliers of elBulli. It is an author beer, a Pale Ale type from the blonde class. It has a graduation of 4.8% and its consumption temperature is between 4ºC and 6ºC.
It is made with barley and wheat. It has an intense flavor and a complex aroma with sweet notes, fruit, flower, and cereal. Its texture is creamy with a balanced flavor and it is ideal to accompany any type of dish, being a good substitute for wine.
6Legado de Yuste
The monastic Legacy from Yuste is an Abbey-style blonde-class Lager beer. It has a graduation of 6.5% and is made with yeast, aromatic hops Perlee and Saaz, Vienna malt and sugar. Serving is recommended at temperatures between 4ºC and 6ºC. This beer brand belongs to the Heineken Spain group.
Its formula is an old flamenco style recipe that was recovered, close to the classic Belgian abbey beers. Its color is amber brown with some coppery reflections. Its flavor is intense with coffee and honey notes, and a bitter aftertaste. It is considered one of the best Spanish beers of the Heineken brand.
7Cruzcampo Gran Reserva 1904
The Cruzcampo Gran Reserva 1904 beer is part of the Lager Special type of blonde beer class. It has an alcohol content of 6.5% and is made with water, barley malt hops and hops extract. Serve chilled, between 0ºC and 3ºC.
It is considered the best beer from the Cruzcampo portfolio and it has a dark amber color. Its flavor is very balanced and its texture is creamy. It is a very light and refreshing beer and has a very floral aroma with citrus notes. It is part of the Heineken Spain group.
8San Miguel 1516
The San Miguel 1516 beer is a type of Pilsen Lager beer. It is a blonde beer of 4.2% graduation. It is made with malt, hops, yeast, and water and it should be served at temperatures between 5ºC and 7ºC.
This Spanish beer stands out for its bright and golden color. It has an intense flavor but with a soft, creamy taste and a slightly bitter twist at the end. Its aroma is that of cereal, with caramelized fruit and toasted nuances. It is an ideal beer to accompany appetizers and tapas. You can easily find it in any establishment or bar.
9Amstel Oro
The Amstel Oro beer is a Large type from the toasted class. It has a graduation of 6.2% and is made with water, barley malt and hop extract. Serve it chilled, between 0ºC and 3ºC.
Amstel Oro is the most important beer of this brand and has received several awards. Its caramel aroma stands out and you, like so many others before, risk falling in love with it after you try it.
10Ambar Especial
We're coming to the end of our Top 10 most loved Spanish beers and our final entry is Ambar Especial. It is a type of blonde Pilsen Lager beer with a 5.2% graduation. Its ingredients are barley malt, hops extract and malt. Its consumption temperature has to be between 4ºC and 8ºC.
This brand is one of the best valued Spanish beers on the market. The Ambar Special has an amber color and presents a medium toasted flavor. The selection of ingredients and the degree of roasting of the malts have achieved a perfect balance with the bitterness of the hops. Ambar Especial has been awarded numerous times.