Being one of the largest cities and most popular tourist destinations in Spain, the capital of the region of Catalonia is the perfect destination for craft beer lovers.
With breweries, brew pubs, and craft beer bars, it is the perfect city to learn about the revolution in craft beer in Spain. This Barcelona craft beer guide will share all of our tips on how to explore the city through a glass.
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Learning About Catalan Beer
Our early experiences with Catalan beer came before we even moved to Girona, just up the road. We’ve done a lot of research on Catalan food and drink and started to learn just how ahead of the curve Catalonia is when it comes to beer in Spain.
There are, supposedly, over 100 craft beer producers in Catalonia alone, and yes many of these are breweries in Barcelona Spain, and the surrounding provinces.
I was impressed with just how many Catalan brewery options there were in the Costa Brava and throughout the region. Some of our favorites along the coast include Cervesa Marina& Popaire, both in Blanes, as well as Cervesa Minera, which is closer to the Pyrenees.
After we tried a lot of the craft beer in the province of Girona, it made sense to inch our way down to Barcelona to search for the best beer in Barcelona too.
Spanish Beers List
Even before getting to craft beer, it helps to know a little more about the commercial beer industry in Spain. The most popular beer in Spain is Estrella, which translates to star in Spanish.
Damm is a Barcelona brewery that produces a wide variety of labels. Estrella is just one of their brands.
Other popular commercial beers include San Miguel and Moritz, which I prefer over Estrella as it has a bit more flavor. There are other beers that are popular elsewhere in Spain.
For example, Alhambra and Cruz Campo are popular in Andalusia, including Seville and Mahou are popular in Madrid. But, in Barcelona Estrella rules.
And Spanish beers are cheap in comparison to many other European countries. A simple cana, or small beer, can be as little as €2 or less outside the city center.
When in Barcelona, though, I try my best to avoid Estrella in search of something more unique and more local.
Breweries In Barcelona Spain
There are a few different options when it comes to microbreweries in Barcelona. A few are solely brewers who distribute to bars within the city and around the region.
They may offer tours but really are traditional craft brewers. Then, there are craft beer brew pubs. These are bars or restaurants that brew their own beer on-site, where you can see the brewing process in the back or nearby.
Edge Brewing Company Barcelona
One of the more popular breweries, Edge Brewing is an award-winning and pioneering craft brewery in Barcelona. Edge is very active in festivals and events relating to the craft beer movement. Edge Brewing was founded by two Americans to join the craft beer revolution in Barcelona.
Using American equipment, ingredients, and know-how, Edge produces fresh American craft beer for one of the most exciting cities in Europe.
It’s pretty easy to find Edge beer at craft beer bars around the city. Beers include American IPA, Blonde, and Porter, among others.
Edge Brewing Barcelona, Carrer de Llull, 62. The brewery is open to the public for tours and tastings by reservation only. Tours of the brewery are in Spanish, Catalan, and English. They have a calendar of events on the site.
Barcino – Barcelona Craft Brewers
Barcino Brewers
Tired of drinking the same old mass-produced beers found across Barcelona, in 2011 Barcino Brewers started brewing using a small brewing system on a rooftop patio in Barcelona’s Gòtic neighborhood.
Today, Barcino offers a core line of handcrafted beers using natural ingredients and traditional methods. Beers on offer include IPA, Amber Ale, Gotic Ale, and Blonde.
Barcino Brewers, Plaça del Regomir. At the moment, they do not offer tours but are working on it for the future. You can find their beers at Bodega Tesi Saez in the city center or Verema Club in Gracia.
Tibidabo Brewing
Using the best locally sourced ingredients and handcrafting each beer, Tibidabo Brewing is looking to change how people drink beer in Barcelona.
Tibidabo offers a range of American-style craft beers with new flavors, textures, and aromas. We only found these beers at a couple of bars in Barcelona, with the best selection found at CocoVail.
Tibidabo Brewing Barcelona, Carrer del Cobalt, 54, 08907 L’Hospitalet de Llobregat. Although they’ve had a taproom in the past, it has been closed for renovations. Tours are available by appointment only and include a tasting of six beers.
Almogaver Brewing
Handcrafted in the center of Barcelona, Almogaver’s motto is “real craft beer for those who like real things!” Almogàver is committed to making the highest quality craft beer using only the best ingredients. Available both in Spain as well as overseas. Beers include Red Ale, Belgium Witbier, American Imperial Stout, and IPA.
Almogaver Brewing Barcelona, Carrer Binèfar 19
Barcelona Brewpubs
One of the things we don’t have up the road in Girona is a brewpub in the city. I like the idea of a brewpub, where they brew their own beer.
First, I just love trying to drink as locally as possible. Second, it gives you a chance often to chat with the brewer about the beer, or at least someone super knowledgeable about craft beer.
Abirradero Brewpub Barcelona
The team at Abirradero says they love craft beer and they want you to love it too. Abirradero brews over 40 Mediterranean-style craft beers in the heart of Barcelona’s Poble Sec neighborhood.
Their slogan in Spanish translates roughly to “We produce our beer zero meters from the bar.” And, that’s true. All of their beers are brewed at their Craft Beer Institute, just a few doors down.
Although they have 40 taps in the bar, they are not always filled. Because they only serve their own beers, it’s difficult to keep them all occupied with fresh brew.
If you are concerned about variety, don’t worry. From IPAs to tasty sours and stouts, they offer it all. This was one of our favorite craft beer bars in Barcelona, from the atmosphere to the variety to the staff. A must-visit!
Abirradero also serves up delicious Spanish dishes and tasty burgers. They have ample outdoor, covered seating.
For those inspiring home brewers, Abirradero offers once-a-month home brewing classes. Look for their beer sangria and their craft beer cocktails, including a pink gose and Campari cocktail.
Abirradero, Carrer Vila i Vilà, 77, in Poble Sec. Tours are available with a tasting of 3 of their beers. Beer and cheese pairing classes are also available. About once a month they host an all-day learn to brew your own beer course.
BlackLab Barcelona Brewpub
BlackLab Barcelona Brewhouse
One of our favorites, BlackLab beer is a family business created by the marriage of Matt the American, and Jing the Spanish-born, second-generation Chinese immigrant family.
Founded in 2014, the Blacklab Brewery brews American-style beers including four year-round beers, 16 rotating seasonals and experimentals, and two guest taps.
All their beer is poured directly from the onsite tanks. They offer a good variety of styles considering they only really pour their own beer. They also offer a handful of cans.
Blacklab’s kitchen features nontraditional gastropub food with an Asian-American twist in the east-meets-west menu. There is a large outdoor space and they have live music nights.
We really enjoyed our beers from BlackLab, even though it is in a decidedly touristy part of Barcelona, right near the water. Check out their sours and fruit beers – totally refreshing on a hot Barcelona afternoon.
BlackLab Brewhouse, Plaça Pau Vila 1 near Barceloneta Metro. They offer beer tours on Sundays at 5 pm. BlackLab beer also has a “beer garden” in the back of the mall at Avenida Diagonal 557.
It’s a little hard to find, just keep walking back behind the mall. It felt a little strange sitting behind the mall, even on a Saturday evening. We liked the atmosphere of their brewery location better.
Garage Beer Company Barcelona
Garage Beer Company Barcelona
Eric’s favorite, Garage Beer Barcelona is probably one of the most popular and well-known Barcelona brewpubs with the locals.
Located in the L’Eixample neighborhood, it’s a small storefront, with a small bar. In the back, they have high-top tables and a handful of leather sofas, all with a view of the beer-making facilities in the back.
For food and drink travelers, this is probably the most difficult Barcelona craft beer brewery to visit. Their menu, both draft and cans, was hard to understand. It was hard to tell what was what, what was theirs, and what was brewed by others.
When we visited, it seemed like they only had their own IPA on tap. We saw more of their beers elsewhere in Barcelona but realized some of these were also on tap at Garage but we couldn’t decipher their menu.
Afterward, I think I drank some of their cans in Girona but didn’t know they were from Garage Beer. Even without knowing what were Garage beers, the menu was very IPA-heavy.
Garage Beer Co., Carrer del Consell de Cent, 261 in L’Eixample. They are only open in the evenings and don’t provide information on tours and tastings. It’s also common to find beers from Garage Brewing at pubs around the city.
Brew Pub Le Sec
Another option in the Poble Sec neighborhood, Brew Pub Le Sec brews their own craft beers on-site, in a handful of tanks upstairs. They also offer other craft beers from some of their favorite breweries. They offer beer flights for tasting. Charcuterie and tasty tapas are also available.
Brew Pub Le Sec, Carrer de Margarit, 52. More of a late-night and weekend place than the others on the list.
INTERNATIONAL CRAFT BEER BRANDS
Brewdog Barcelona
Brewdog Barcelona
I’ve been hesitant about Brewdog since the beginning. I am always hesitant about “international” craft beer.
Since our recent trips to the UK for craft beer, though, I’ve started to take a turn to be more positive about Brewdog. I like that they are using their position to bring craft beer to the masses in a very accessible way.
Brewdog opened in Barcelona in 2015. They have a large selection of Brewdog beers, guest taps, bottles, and cans from Spain and around the world.
They offered a wide variety of beers from Basqueland Brewing during our recent visit. The gastropub features 20 taps, on two floors. The kitchen serves classic Spanish beer snacks, hamburgers, and international favorites until midnight.
Brewdog Barcelona, Carrer de Casanova, 69. They have a handful of tables outside and a large number inside. I was looking forward to their wings (being an American living in Spain) but they were so big that most of them were undercooked.
From that standpoint, they were a little disappointing in comparison to our Brewdog experiences elsewhere, but the beers were still good.
Mikkeller Barcelona
Mikkeller Barcelona
The Mikkeller bar feels more like a Scandinavian coffee house than a craft beer bar. It’s no surprise because they are a Danish brewer, with locations around the world.
They feature 24 beers on tap, Mikkeller Bar Barcelona is situated in the old part of the Eixample neighborhood.
Mikkeller works closely with local Spanish brewers to feature their craft beers alongside those from Mikkeller. The bar also serves up tasty Catalan dishes until midnight.
Mikkeller Barcelona, Carrer de València, 202, in L’Eixample. They offer loads of sours and fruits in addition to IPAs and stouts, all with helpful color coding. In the summer, look for their sour grapefruit spritz, which is super refreshing on a hot Barcelona day.
Best Bars In Barcelona For Craft Beer
There are so many more Barcelona pubs and bars that specialize in craft beer, or cervesa artesana. They are located all over the city. Some are very much like traditional pubs, others act more like restaurants that offer a good selection of craft beer.
I will say, some of these craft beer pubs in Barcelona have so much of a restaurant feel that I felt strange walking in just for a beer.
BierCab Barcelona Craft Beer Bar
BierCaB Barcelona
Hungry and thirsty? BierCaB is a gastropub with a passion for craft beer. Featuring 30 taps and a wide selection of tasty Spanish taps, sandwiches, and of course Jamon.
Large Spanish and International selection on tap, in bottles, and in cans. We found their can selection small, but that’s because our most recent visit was in the summer.
They have a large selection of cans and bottles in their bottle shop, which closes in August. On tap, they offered Spanish biers from Naparbier in Pamplona and Spiga, a Catalan brewery.
BierCaB Barcelona, Carrer de Muntaner, 55. No outdoor seating. Very cool, contemporary feel behind the bar with more space for eating in the back.
Ale & Hop Barcelona
Ale & Hop features 10 taps and a wide bottle selection from the best breweries in Spain and from around worldwide.
This includes Lagers, Ales, Porters, Stouts, and gluten-free beers. A wide range of bar snacks are available including many vegetarian options.
Ale And Hop Barcelona, Basses de Sant Pere 10 bis. Not to be confused with the Spanish chain of shops known as Ale & Hop. The name makes more sense for a Barcelona craft beer bar.
CocoVail Beer Hall Barcelona
CocoVail Beer Hall
An American Beer Hall in the heart of Barcelona, that’s CocoVail. Housed in an 18th Century textile factory, CocoVail is the first true beer hall in Barcelona.
CocoVail features a wide range of Catalan, Spanish, and International beers on tap. Although in a more ritzy neighborhood, inside it feels like a California college bar, complete with student specials and promises of NFL games and happy hour specials.
CocoVail Beer Hall, Carrer d’Aragó, 284. Their menu includes favorites like chicken wings, nachos, and burgers. There is outdoor seating. Look for Barcelona breweries here, including Garage, Edge, and Tibidabo.
bELchiCA Barcelona
Belchica is an eclectic Belgian bar in the center of Barcelona featuring over 60 Belgian craft beers with eight on draft. The bar offers a mix of audiovisual arts and the best Belgian beers.
A small snack menu is also available. It’s a little more hipster than some of the others, with live music and late nights.
Belchica Barcelona, Carrer de Villarroel, 60
Homo Sibaris
Set on a quaint plaza in the center of Barcelona, Homo Sibaris specializes in unfiltered and pasteurized Spanish craft beer.
With an extensive menu of tapas and dishes, Homo Sibaris is a relaxing place to enjoy great craft beer. They have an outdoor seating area in the plaza and a handful of tables inside.
Homo Sibaris, Plaça d’Osca, 4, close to the Barcelona Sants station. Their menu is a little more focused on IPAs and blondes.
Chivou’s Barcelona Craft Beer And Street Food
Chivuo’s Barcelona
Slow Street Food & Craft Beer. That’s how Chivou’s describes themselves. With multiple locations in Barcelona, Chivou’s was founded in 2014 with the goal of providing excellent and affordable craft beer and street food to the working class.
From pulled pork sandwiches and burgers, Chivou’s pairs these classic American dishes with a wide variety of Spanish craft beers. They have a few Garage Beer Company Barcelona beers on tap as well as other Catalan brewers, like Moska.
Chivou’s Barcelona, with multiple locations spread throughout the city. Definitely, more of a restaurant feel than a bar feels at some of the locations. The one in Gracia has a little more bar space than the one in L’Eixample, where there is a small bar in the back.
Ølgod Craft Beer Bar In Barcelona
Ølgod Craft Beer Bar
With 30 taps in the center of Barcelona featuring both international and Spanish craft beers, Ølgod has been serving up great craft beer since 2016.
Ølgod regularly has tap takeovers that feature brewers from around the world. Ølgod serves up great tapas and has a sister bar, KælderKold in the Barrio Gòtic. Both are Danish bars so they feature mostly Spanish, British, and Danish beers.
Ølgod Craft Beer Bar Barcelona, Carrer de l’Hospital, 74. No nonsense interior, with no outdoor seating. Simple snacks menu.
More Craft Beer Bars And Pubs In Barcelona
We’ve covered all of our favorites, but here are some more in case you run through the list above!
Cervecería Jazz, Carrer de Margarit, 43, located in the Poble Sec neighborhood, Cervecería Jazz has mixed great food and incredible craft beer since 1993. Both Spanish and international beers are available.
La Cervesera Artesana, Carrer de Sant Agustí, 14, founded in 1996, La Cervesera Artesana was one of the first microbrewery pub to open its doors in Barcelona.
La Cervesera Artesana brews 10 different varieties of beer including their own Iberian Stout, Blonde, and Wheat beers. They also have over 100 bottled beers from around the world. Visits to the brewery, as well as pairings, are available.
Barcelona Beer Company, Carrer de Muntaner, 7, brews beer in the heart of Barcelona, Barcelona Beer Company uses only the best ingredients and incredibly pure water from the Montseny Nature Park.
Barcelona Beer offers five classic brews as well as several seasonals. Their taproom is open seven days featuring all their delicious beers and a range of tasty dishes.
Cerveseria La Més Petita, Carrer de la Diputació, 30, showcases a wide selection of handmade Catalan, Spanish, and International beers in a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. Beers and food can be enjoyed at the bar or for takeaway, “para llevar.”
Barna Brew, Carrer del Parlament, 45, opened its doors in 2018 in the Sant Antoni neighborhood of Barcelona. They produce award-winning Belgian-style craft beers onsite with a Spanish twist.
With its core beers always on tap, Barna Brew serves up several seasonal drafts throughout the year. Alongside their beers, Barna Brew offers tapas, burgers, meats, and cheeses.
Taking A Food Tour In Barcelona
After drinking all that Spanish craft beer, you’re going to be hungry so why not take a food tour in Barcelona?
People often ask us how we find great food in a city we’ve never visited. In addition to doing our own research and asking friends, we always take a food tour. Not only will you learn what to eat and where, but food tours are also a great way to learn your way around a city.
There are lots of great food tours in Barcelona and choosing the right one is tricky. We are big fans of Devour Tours. Devour Tours does a great job of explaining the food and drink in a city.
They have the local knowledge to discover off-the-beaten-path bars and restaurants only locals go to. Over the past decade, we’ve easily been on a dozen Devour food tours across Spain.
In Barcelona, Devour Tours offers a mix of food tours and sightseeing tours. Tour prices range from $70 to $130 per person. Most of Devour’s tours max out at 12 guests making it a more enjoyable experience.
Here are the food tours Devour currently offers in Barcelona.
Barcelona at Sunset: Tapas & Wine Tour
Tastes & Traditions of Barcelona Food Tour
Taste Barcelona Like a Local: Gracia Neighborhood Food Tour
Montserrat & Cava Winery Tour: Day Trip from Barcelona with Lunch
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FAQs – Drinking The Best Craft Beer In Barcelona
Spain has several large beer producers. One of the most popular in Barcelona and in Spain is Estrella Damm. They brew a wide range of beers including a pilsner-style and stout.
This is an annual event that features craft beer from around Spain, Europe, and the World. It’s open to the general public and features food, live music, and of course beer.
You will find both commercial beers like Estrella Damm and Mahou as well as craft beers. Craft beers in Spain are very regionalized. Meaning, it’s difficult to find them outside of their immediate area.