The number of bars and restaurants serving craft beer in Madrid continues to multiply. It is a process similar to the one that has been experienced with the bakeries and the specialty cafeterias the way of consuming something as common as beer is changing. Traditionally, people here have always drunk lager and blonde beer, very cold and the only complexity was to know how to pour the beer well.
Now, with a more informed and well-traveled consumer -especially by in Northern Europe, where stronger beers are served the interest in other flavors, colors and intensity of this beverage has grown. So much so that it has led to the opening of stores that manufacture and sell their own beers, or distribute others that are also produced locally and with more natural processes than industrial beers.
1. Fabrica Maravillas
In Fábrica Maravillas they brew the beer in the morning and sell it in the afternoon. In this Malasaña have been playing with the balance between being a brewery and a bar for ten years, which is more in favor of the former in terms of space, but in essence it is one of the first temples of craft beer in Madrid. So the experience is twofold, while you try some of their beers with different malts, you can visit the process that has led to that pint of beer to your hands. Its FLIPA is already an icon.
Calle de Valverde, 29 (Malasaña)
2. La Tape
In a corner of Malasaña and with two floors of premises is La Tape. Lager, IPA and Ale are some of the many types of craft beers, both on tap and in bottles, that you can find in their menu. They can also boast an extensive menu that is completely gluten-free. In addition, on weekends they have brunch and between daily menu of the day, both options have gluten-free dishes.
📍 Calle San Bernardo, 88 (Malasaña)
3. Mad Brewing
Mad Brewing defines itself as an urban restaurant and craft brewery. They have ten taps of beer that varies between their own production of beers, with different types of toasting and fermentation, and other local producers such as Cibeles or Cerveza San Frutos, among others.
They also have a second floor where art and culture go hand in hand with beer. The Mad Beer Hall is their factory of experiences dedicated to humor, poetry, monologues, theater, music… Where they make visits to the brewery -with tastings included. A round plan.
Julián Camarillo Street, 19 (San Blas)
4. Fogg Bar
Fogg Bar opened its first location in 2005 with the idea of pairing beer and artisan cheeses. Today they have another location near Retiro where they serve burgers with seven taps from the best craft breweries in the country, including Soma, GarageBeer Co., Saltus, Mager and Saez & Son. Their beer sommeliers will guide you among so many options, but if you also want to go deeper into the subject, they also do beer tastings.
Calle de Moratín, 5 (Las letras) and Plaza de Reyes Magos, 6 (Retiro)
5. Beerhouse Madrid
In Beerhouse they seek to serve the best craft beer of the moment. They have been offering the best quality craft beer, both national and international, to everyone who visits them since 2015. It has two spaces: one on Cardenal Cisneros street, where they have twelve beer taps and four screens on which you can watch different sports and another location in Majadahonda, where they also prepare hamburgers on a charcoal grill.
16 Cardenal Cisneros Street (Chamberí) and 5 Gran Vía Street (Majadahonda)
6. Labirratorium
Labirratourium wants you to learn about beer. It is not a regular bar, although you can have a beer on site. They fit better with the concept of a specialty store in which beer tastings are held to get you started in the subject. Here you can learn to differentiate basic styles of beer, to recognize the ingredients that compose it and to detect the aromas. They also include pairings to find out which type of beer goes best with which type of cheese. And, of course, specialty tastings to learn about some of the specific beer styles that are becoming more widespread, such as IPA.
34 Vallehermoso Street, Chamberí (Chamberí)
7. The Virgin
Although the la Virgen beer has closed its factory in Las Rozas continues to open its five bars throughout the capital, in addition to selling it in associated bars and distributing it in supermarkets.
La Virgen uses artisanal production methods, i.e., it does not filter or pasteurize and respects the fermentation and resting times of the natural ingredients.
Various locations.
8. The Stuyck Co
The Stuyck Co. makes it all clear from its logo, inspired by a famous 1931 photo of a demonstration in New Jersey against the Volstead Act -also known as the Dry Act-, calling for its abolition. The sign reads a laconic “we want beer”. Its beer menu, almost as extensive as its food menu, varies every week. In case you’ve been left wanting, they bottle craft beer on tap on the spot for you to take home.
Corredera Alta de San Pablo, 33 (Malasaña)
9. Brew Wild Pizza
Varied beer and good pizzas, everything you need for a good plan. Brew Wild Pizza was born from the union of La Quince Brewery, a craft brewery; Labirratorium, which we talked about above; and photographer Beer Xposer. All this takes place in a cave in the neighborhood of Las Letras of the eighteenth century and with rock music in the background to accompany the atmosphere. They also conduct experiences to learn more about beer with beer masters and you can buy packs of La Quince.
Calle de Echegaray, 23 (downtown)
10. The Cannibal
At La Caníbal they define themselves as nomadic brewers because, although they make their own beer, they do not have their own brewery. They elaborate them in two ways: in regular series, where they interpret the tradition in their own way. And, in Amiga series, where they share recipes with the best craftbrewers. Behind this idea are sommelier Álvaro Vera, master sommelier Luis Vida and entrepreneur Constanza de Giovanni. All three have been able to combine beer, wine and cheese on a par, without detracting from any of them.
28 Argumosa Street, Lavapiés (Lavapiés)
11. Peninsula
Peninsula Brewery crystallizes the dream of Román Jové and his family, who got their start in the art of fermenting barley in Colorado, where their passion for West Coastbeers was consolidated. Some time later, Joyé travels to Madrid and falls in love with the city and decides to found this craft brewery that brews in Alcobendas and sells in the neighborhood of Las Letras.
They brew a beer with many nuances, fleeing from the generic taste and managing to surprise, so it is not surprising their success. So much so that they already have taps of their beer in points of the Basque Country and Catalonia, and of course in other craft breweries in Madrid
Calle de Echegaray, 11 and the factory at Calle La Granja #5, Nave 1 (Alcobendas)
11. The little bear
La Osita is a small place where the craft beer brewers of Madrid, Oso Brew Co, have a point of sale and direct contact with their regular customers. In addition to the beer they brew in this bar in Cava Baja, they have a wide variety of other beers, excellent gins and whiskies, and several wines. But since you have to know how to alternate between drinking and eating, they invite chefs like Hype or African Choice to take the reins of their kitchen from time to time.
Calle de la Cava Baja, 10 (La Latina)
In a country where so much beer is consumed – the average is 417 beers per person per year – it was logical that there should be an openness and interest in a market that has a lot to offer and is also easy to produce locally. Craft beer has become commonplace in the most specialized places, and even the best-known industrial brands have taken notice and are starting to join the trend.