Skip to content

Let's Learn Beer!

Facebook Twitter Instagram

Let's Learn Beer!

Twitter Youtube Instagram Facebook

Let's Learn Beer!

Twitter Youtube Instagram Facebook

Let's Learn Beer!

Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

Cervezas Arriaca

a possible preview

  • by

Boy, time flies when you’re having fun with beer, and it’s the last Arriaca in my stash. Maybe the red IPA would have been nice to save for the end, something powerful to go out with a bang to, but I do have a soft spot for märzens. I like to have one at the end of most days to shove me off to sleep. Thus far, Arriaca has been strong in both drinkabiliy and style compliance, so we can expect nothing less from Tostada Märzen. Just letting the Spanish drinker know what they’re in for with that first part, I guess.

It’s as typical a märzen as you could find, with the reddish gold color, the slightly honeyed aroma, and the rough malty flavor. As similar as it appears to Voll Damm, it has a little more stability and body. It’s smooth and soft, very pleasant drinking, and would be a nice counterpoint to sour-savory kraut and wurst or the blandness of potatoes. I have Oktoberfest on my mind already, especially since I’ve already seen signs around town for it. Maybe it’s a little heavy for some, but märzen is supposed to carry the strength of a whole summer of lagering. Once again, Arriaca shows its talent and skill, producing a quality beer that’s a true representative of its style and its maker.

ruby noma

  • by

Now we’re getting daring! Parting from the pale ale and lager, it’s time for a red IPA, and Imperial Red IPA to boot! At least it must have been easy to choose the color for the label. I have learned that Arriaca was the first craft beer to appear in cans, certainly a trend later and practically the norm now, and one of the founders of AECAI, the association of independent Spanish craft brewers. They aren’t as old as some, but they are more than a decade old at this point, and as far as I can tell are still forging their own path. It’s probably a little romantic to hope for things to be long-lasting and unchanging, or at least changing slowly, in this day and age, but we all need some stability in our lives.

This is an appetizing look, with a dark rusty brown liquid and a thick off-white head. This one, despite its IPA category, is not especially aromatic. There’s just a little tickle of hops, but it’s more toasty than fruity. Like many red ales, it doesn’t follow a particular pattern, but has a wavering flavor between sweet and bitter. For most of the sip it’s on the sweet side, but there’s a definite bitter aftertaste. It has a well formed body that fills the mouth without being overwhelming, goes down easily, and is disarmingly soft for its alcohol content. It’s a little dangerous in fact, so easy to sip down that if you’re not careful you’ll have drunk the whole can, and a second one, before you know it.

hop day

  • by

Right in the middle of my Arriaca flight, with a hoppy lager. While a more modern style, I’m expecting something of a traditional bent, much like their ales. My can is a little dirty, which I didn’t notice before, but it must have been something that happened on the shelf. The shitty fridge isn’t going to have dirt raining down from the top, is it? Nobody’s complained about food contamination yet. I’m a little disappointed that Arriaca does not list their hops like some other breweries do; it would be interesting to compare the varieties used in their styles.

This one has aroma that leaps out of the can. It’s not quite head-butting, but it makes itself known. The look is classic lager, bright golden color and bright white head, which really fills up the top of the glass. It takes its protective role seriously for this beer, I see. The taste is also practically an homage to traditional lagers, with sweet maltiness and just a touch of hops to cover up excess grain (not that I suspect excesses). It’s a bright call to arms, more energetic than the session IPA, although not too much more complex. It has a few layers to it, with the malt and a touch of lemon and honey. The frothy head decreases little by little, but pouring out the rest of the can revives it to its original glory. It’s a well balanced hoppy lager, with both components clearly detectable, but in a way that complements each other rather than fighting for attention.

quiet session

  • by

Day two of Arriaca “flight¨, and I’m taking it easy. Today it’s their Session IPA, at less than 4%. It seems like the brewery is more active in fairs and industry activities towards the north of the country, showing in Salón Gourmets and winning medals in Barcelona and Frankfurt. I don’t know if the beer fairs of Madrid have become too small for their gastronomic ambitions, but there’s nothing wrong with pushing beer to a higher standard of recognition. It’s been the drink of kings, after all.

It appears to be a lighter version of the regular IPA, a more sunny golden color, and fluffily heady. Slightly spicier aroma, but still clearly in the IPA family. The session IPA is actually heavier on the citrus than the regular one, very orangey and tart. It doesn’t have the background of maltiness in the taste, being very clean and sharp. It’s a tasty but simple flavor. As a session IPA, it has a light feel and maybe the unsandwiched notes are best for its probable habitat – an afternoon drink or a nightcap, probably no meal, potentially a group sitting around having a good conversation.

a jaunt down memory lane

  • by

My world tour might be over but my month of beer is not. Just over halfway through, so still a few days to go. I have another small series in line – Arriaca. It’s been a while since I’ve enjoyed an Arriaca, they used to be a little more present in the craft beer bars, being from nearby Guadalajara. Now, they’re easier to find canned on a supermarket shelf. Good for them, although it does make you wonder about their craft cred. I haven’t seen anything that shows them “selling out” at all, or doing collaborations that might tarnish their name, like some of our early craft friends. They have changed up the cans and modernized the labels a little, but it looks like pretty standard fare. They’re a brewery that always went for a quality known style rather than being overly experimental. Somebody has to do it! I’m starting simple this, with their IPA.

It looks like just the thing you want in an IPA, very clear, dark gold, abundantly headed. Quite a few bubbles decorate the sides of the glass, without obscuring the clarity. It also has the modern classic aroma, tropical citrus hops. It’s much maltier on the tongue than I expected, adding a touch of honey to the buzzy bitter. It has a pretty robust body on it, although there isn’t a lot of aftertaste or odd sensations left behind. There’s kind of a sugar cookie flavor to it, albeit one without that much sugar. It’s a striking example of the 21st century IPA, while still having nods to the historical style. It makes me wish Arriaca was more easily found on tap. Or hell, in a fridge.

en_USEnglish
es_ESSpanish en_USEnglish