So I'm going to do my craft beer introduction and I need something to go along with it. I can get American beers in Madrid, but I also think we should be supporting local industries in times like these, so I go looking for Spanish labels. And there's one! La Vicalvarada. American Red Ale, so it still goes along with the topic. The label extols the virtues and bravery of the inhabitants of the former Vicálvaro, now a neighborhood of Madrid, so I imagine it's one of those little beers from little breweries sprinkled around the city. Oh wait, it's...Domus? Not even in Madrid! Well, it's good enough beer anyway, and as far as I know still craft. At least the last time I looked at their website.
It has an earthy, slightly sweet aroma, and a dark brown, rusty color. Definitely one of the better hues to be called a red ale. The head is awfully thick and resistant, it reminds me of ice cream floats, after the ice cream starts to get mixed in with the root beer a little. There's a somewhat woody, nutty sweetness, more sweet at first and then building to bitter in flavor. Strangely the sweetness comes back to hang around after the swallow is gone. It's a very smooth beer, easy going down. There's no sharpness at the edges, no kickiness in the bitter. Although the sweetness has a clearly larger share, there is a balancing bitterness and a range of subtle flavors, making the beer a good fit for casual conversation, academic presentation, or curled-up-reading relaxation.
Supplier: Cerevisia
Price: €2.80
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