Hopulist issue 5

GROUP
b
SPAIN - espana
GROUP B
PORTUGAL
SPAIN
MOROCCO
IRAN
Fri 15th JUNE
Morocco v Iran
Portugal v Spain
Wed 20th JUNE
Portugal v Morocco
Iran v Spain
Mon 25th JUNE
Iran v Portugal
Spain v Morocco
Spa|n has been a little slow in forming part of the European craft beer
landscape but is more than making up for lost time. Catalonia has a
tradition as the gateway for new trends in Spain and it was no different
with artisan beer – news soon spread and inroads are now being made all
across the Iberian peninsula.
The foreign influence on the Catalan craft scene is clear to see with
American styles featuring heavily in most brewers arsenal. Barcelona’s
Edge Brewing was itself founded by two American’s eager to join the craft
beer revolution in Europe. It was however a Liverpudlian, the late Steve
Huxley, that really championed the progression of craft beer in Catalonia
and thus is somewhat of a local industry legend.
Not surprisingly then Barcelona is a popular choice for craft beer
tourists – well worth a weekend trip if you get the opportunity – and the
annual Barcelona Beer Festival, traditionally held in March, is regarded
as one of Europe’s finest.
Never one to be outdone by Spain’s second city, Madrid now also has a
booming craft beer scene with a fast growing number of both breweries
and bars, likewise Seville, Valencia and Bilbao.
We have chosen a collaborative brew from two of Spain’s most
progressive breweries (Garage Beer Co and La Pirata working together
like Xavi and Iniesta in their pomp) as the Spanish star player. Downfall
is a double dry hopped DIPA fermented with a Vermont ale yeast, this is
a real juice bomb of a beer.
kEY PLAYERS:
The days of Sagres and
Super Bock dominating
the PORTUGAL beer
market are finally being
challenged thanks to
breweries like MUSA,
OPO 74 and Lince.
Lisbon has an exploding
craft beer scene that
is also touching other
areas of the country. In
football terms Portugal
has been a bit of a
sleeping giant but things
are definately changing.
Enjoying an American
IPA in the sun of the
Algarve is no longer just
a pipe dream.
Although
predominantly a Muslim
country MOROCCO
is not dry. Don’t be
expecting any craft beer
though, sadly the macrobrewers
dominate this
largely tourist market.
The production or
possession of alcholic
beer in |RAN is illegal.
GARAGE x LA PI RATA
BEER: DOWNFALL
style: D|PA
abv: 7.2%
volume: 440ml
untappd: 4.09
FOOTY pred|ct|on:
Group W|nners: SPA|N
Group Runner’s Up: PORTUGAL