The arrival of good weather also means recovering customs forgotten due to the cold and winter darkness, such as walking on the beach, going out to dinner or having a beer. This weekend in Barcelona, more than 400 craft beers from all over the world and of all varieties can be tasted at the Beer Festival. An event that aims to disseminate and make known the culture of craft beer through activities and tastings to the 15,000 attendees who annually come to the event.
This year, the festival celebrates its 13th edition from April 11 to 13 at Fira Montjuïc. The event seeks to vindicate the sensory experience of beer, valuing not only the result of this drink, but also its process and local ingredients. This year, coinciding with the recognition of Catalonia as a World Gastronomy Region, the festival has also opted to give visibility to local producers, with a representation of 18 local and emerging breweries. In addition, there will also be space for artisan wine, thanks to the Gremi de Vinyataires Lliures.
But, in addition, attendees will also be able to try not only a wide selection of Catalan beers, but also from producers from all over the world, such as Germany, Belgium or Ireland ---countries renowned for their beers--- and even from Quebec or Poland, with a bar of more than seventy taps. An essential event not only for professionals in the sector, but also for lovers of this drink and even for those who want to get started in this field.
The festival will be open Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm, while on Sunday it will close at 8 pm, and will occupy more than 7,000 square meters of Fira Montjuïc. Beers have a variable price depending on the alcohol content and variety, but to access the venue, a daily ticket of six euros must be paid, which includes the map with the different beers and a reusable glass. In addition, during the festival, different activities will also be organized to enjoy the beers in all their forms, pairing them with dishes, enjoying non-alcoholic beverages or even getting to know other drinks such as wines or ciders up close. A variety of activities and producers that make the festival one of the reference events for both professionals and enthusiasts in Europe.
Space for professionals and gastronomic proposals at the Beer Festival
For those who want to pair beers with gastronomy, the festival will also offer a wide selection of restaurants from the city. With special emphasis on traditional Catalan cuisine dishes, but also a wide variety of tapas, tacos and sandwiches, and even surprising proposals such as a beer cheeseecake. There will also be events ofshowcooking live from the hand of chefs like Luís Rosich, from the Cachitos venue, who will pair three star dishes from the venue with craft beers present at the festival. In addition, there will also be live music from different DJs from the city.But the festival will not only be based on beer and gastronomy tasting, there will also be a space dedicated to professionals in the sector with InnBrew: The Brewers Convention, the only beer convention in Spain focused on the professional public of the sector. In this section, producers, distributors and restaurateurs will be able to continue training to discover new trends and techniques, through conferences and an exhibition space for products and services. In addition, the most innovative beers will also be awarded with the Barcelona Beer Challenge, the annual awards presented at the festival.