T(welve)-6

On the sixth day of Beermas I went and bought for me

Six plans a-hatching

Five collaborations

Four miles of nowhere

Three tropical tree eggs

Two staring wings

And an icy raven looking needy

This was one of the bird suggestions, grabbing at straws a little bit.  It is a bird, for sure, not one that's in the song I think, but maybe I can make do...in fact, I'm sure I can make do.  Look at that face!  That bird has a plan.  We might even say he's hatching something.  A plan like an egg, right?  Right?  It's not that much of a stretch!  This might be the first can of Cosa Nostra I've picked up, although I remember them from the Vallecas beer fair.  Then it was a porter, and now it's a Double Hazy IPA, a little backwards some might think.  But, Brufol might have some tricks up its feathery sleeve.

Extra juicy looking, with very fine bubbled head, very much like a fresh-squeezed orange juice.  Similar aroma, maybe a little bit lighter.  The feel is also very juicy, thick and mouth-filling.  It feels like it wants to get to sweet, but can't quite make it out of bitter, although it isn't fair to call it a bitter beer either.  It's weighty and pleasant to drink, without disappearing into the ether, but there's no over-reliance on acidity or citrus, so it's really well balanced.  I'm hoping the plan was to make a perfectly drinkable hazy because that's what was achieved.

T(welve)-5

On the fifth day of Beermas I went and bought for me
Five collaborations

Four miles of nowhere

Three tropical tree eggs

Two staring wings

And an icy raven looking needy

What do I get for number five this year, another golden ale?  Can I get away with any blond beer on color alone?  Actually, Península comes to the rescue with Entre Amigos and its friendly circles on the can.  Not only is it an invitation to potential drinkers, it's a collaboration beer, with Sparkle, only deepening the ties.  It's a hazy IPA, so a style that several friends of mine would be happy to share a can of.  Later I found out there were more than one iterations of Entre Amigos, with different partners.  Makes sense, and now I'm wondering if I can track more down...

For an IPA, it has a surprisingly ruddy color, even being a hazy.  Quite opaque too.  The aroma is perky and sharp, with a very modern feel to it.  The taste is no surprise based on that: a little spice, caraway, snappy, not very citrusy but there's some light summery fruit in there.  In the mouth it makes itself unignorable, but once swallowed it disappears cleanly, so really a very nice drink.  I might prefer it on a warmer day, on a sunny street, but then again I drink inside whenever I can.

how could you!

I got my beer calendar, weeks before I even expected it, and excitedly ripped into day 1...only to see sin alcohol on the can.  Alcohol free?  In a craft beer calendar?  Is the universe trying to tell me something?  At least it is an interesting craft style, a hazy IPA, and from a reliable brewery.  Actually, Boira is a collaboration between trusty Guineu and Althaia.  If they made the effort to bring the beer out, I guess I can make an effort to drink it.

Very cloudy and a very pale color greet me, not a bad aroma at all with a little bread and a little ginger (but not quite gingerbread), and a wrapping of grapefruit.  The head forms with relatively large bubbles and vanishes within seconds.  Now it really looks like a fizzy lemonade, one you would expect to be "organic".  Flavorwise, it's the grapefruit that comes out on top.  The bitterness is heavy although the beer itself feels almost effervescent, and it doesn't have the sharpness that some hazies or NEIPAs end up with.  It's not a bad imitation of its alcoholic counterpart, maintaining a feeling of bitter beer juice and citrus snap that is the attraction of the style.  It has less juice than many "real" NEIPAs, but there are quite a few that it lines right up with.

my country

Yes, another beer fair snuck up on me, one that changed location before beginning.  I guess they realized the Metro would be of use after all, since the nearby line reopened their repaired section the very day the fair started!  And of course I went out to IFEMA on the Metro, and everything seemed perfectly normal in the tunnels and stations.  It's been a while since I've been out that way, though, so maybe it was rougher before the repair.  País de Cervezas has gone the Founders Fest route of tokens for beer instead of paying directly, but every beer costs the same token, with a value of €2.50.  You just get more beer from some pours than others.  Actually, a reasonable system, although the tokens themselves are a little bit of an unnecessary step.  Make you think twice before shelling out another €5?  Anyway.

The idea was to showcase the cooperation between industrial and craft beers, and many were side by side or sharing stands.  There were a couple of names that I do not recall seeing before, such as Almogáver of Barcelona.  They also had a stout, so that caught my attention right off the bat.  An interesting looking stout too, with several fruits being added in.  The name, Black Pear, makes it almost sound dangerous, like some illegal gardening project.  It looks good, smells like choco-vanilla, maybe there's a little pear in there too.  I might be fooling myself, though, searching too hard for it.  It has a fruit-in-chocolate kind of flavor, not quite sweet at first, but then it comes out with a soft touch of delicate fructose.  The beer is very light for the amount of flavors packed in, although it also leaves an interesting, burny aftertaste.  It's one of those somewhat rare stouts you (not me) could probably stand as a summertime drink.

I couldn't resist upon seeing something was "experimental", but then I saw it was Moritz, oldest of Barcelona's beers still being produced.  They are part of a larger group now, but they do play up their historical association with the city, I'm told.  This is Alkimia, the experimental lager, which is not actually being sold on its on, but used in restaurants for tastings and the like.  The recipe is still being tweaked a little.  It has a very clear color, and good white head, an appetizing appearance overall.  However, I get a whiff of sulfur and maybe seawater, which makes me wonder if I really want to drink it.  I better at least give it a try...and am impressed.  The flavor is quite subtle, blended and refreshing, just a tad bitter at first, then citrus leaps out, very low and grapefruity.  Floral notes also rush by, dragging some other spices behind them.  The aftertaste brings back the sea with a touch of salt, and some cucumber notes also make their appearance.  The aroma doesn't really improve, but in the right conditions it would be a damn fine sitting-back-and-relaxing beer, although it might not go so well with the beach.

I swing back to black beers, unsurprisingly, and picked up a Black Block Imperial Stout from La Pirata.  I wonder if I have tried it before, it seems to have a familiar name.  (Oh, there it is)  I have not had a professional serving of it before at least.  Kind of loose bubbles in a somewhat scanty head, but color's alright and there's a nice stout aroma, toasty and earthy.  There's a much bigger punch than with Black Pear, thicker, rounder feel, even a little oily.  There is a chocolate aspect too, but a hot chocolate powder kind, not rich bar chocolate.  It's a strong beer at over 11%, although it doesn't feel quite that heavy, but it maintains a good balance of flavors and while thick doesn't detour into syrupville.

The pendulum swings back and also a memorable name doesn't hurt.  Antiga of Valencia is offering a hazy IPA called Do You Marry Me?, which...well, do you have to ask?  It's definitely hazy, going so far as to look puddingish, nice white head on it too.  It has the predictable citrus aroma, very orangey.  The flavor is restrained, subtle, not a lot of punch but a gentle caress.  Along with the expected citrus contents is a distinct lack of bitter, making the beer feel soft and friendly-like, although it doesn't quite get to sweet.  It is a fresh, very clean and healthy flavor, something reminiscent of authentic horchata.

I got one beer with my entrance, and I got four tokens because it's an even number and easy to buy, so one more!  I notice that people are really not gathering around the big beer stalls, although a few do go up, which makes me laugh on one and and feel sorry for the people behind the bar on the other.  I don't go to give solace, however, I'm on a craft journey.  For the most part.

So, the last one was Basqueland.  A safe choice in terms of name, I don't think I've been disappointed by anything I've had from them.  No black beers, sadly, but there is What A Life, DDH East Coast Hazy IPA.  A complicated name for an actually not too complicated beer.  I don't mean it has no complexity - first there's the color, which is hazy but not as opaque as Antiga's, and a very bright shade.  In comparison, it's a little heavier in aroma, a little hoppier, the flavor is more upfront, stronger on the citrus hops, sharper in the throat.  It does that little catch thing that some hazys and NEIPAs do.  Overall, a bright and uplifting hazy, not as juicy as some, but it certainly has the basics covered.  It's more snappy and provocative than Antiga, with more prominent hops, a lot of mouthfeel and a demanding aftereverything, to be honest.  It leaves a little bit of sticky and a little bit of bitter/sour so you don't forget what you're drinking.

Surprise encore beer!  I was pestering the speaker at the beer history talk and he took me over to get a freebee from Moritz.  Since I had already had Moritz, I got Ambar's non-Pasteurized IPA, just to have something new.  It's slightly darker than the normal IPAs, with a good strong aroma.  Very standard, light citrus.  The flavor is heavy on the hops, not very bitter, but not your typical midday brew.  Not a bad way to go out, really.  Although it doesn't have many markers of differentiation, it's a perfectly fine beer and one I would not be unhappy to drink in a bar with a little conversational distraction.  It does seem like there's a little hair-care product that starts to come out in the aroma after a while though.  Maybe being a Spanish beer it's not made to be savored.

still easing into spring

Beermad seems to be back on track, with its biannual schedule.  They're also touting this as being completely COVID-unrestricted, so maybe the glasses will be back.  Assuming, of course, it was a hygiene thing that pushed them to using the plastic cups the last time.  I take a gamble that the first day in the morning won't be excessively crowded and metro it on out to Case de Campo.  Not too crowded actually, but it is only about noon.  There's plenty of time for people to decide it's time for a Saturday beer.

I seek out Dichosa, which was in Vallecas but I didn't get a chance to sample.  There they are, conveniently near the entrance, and with barrel aged stout to boot.  It's a wine barrel, which I'm not not completely sure about, but what the hell?  I'm happy to give De Tranquis Ribera del Duero a shot.  It smells like wine immediately, although it looks like a good stout.  It also has a distinctly winey taste, very red, with a little tannin skin on it.  The stout part seems to give the drink a creamy undertone, but no earth or smoke.  The flavor notes are very high, so it's more like a turned-down wine than a jacked-up stout you'd expect from barrel aging.

What else is new?  Ossegg Pivovar.  I was immediately intrigued by the Czech name, and unsurprisingly the brewmaster is Czech.  It seems it's a collaborative investment of Czech and Spanish capital, with a mix of talent as well; so traditional for Spanish brewing!  They boast of the quality of their ingredients, imported from Czechia, and the solidness of their Czech recipes.  I decide on Karlovy Vary dark lager, because I still feel like staying on the dark side a while longer.  It's not super dark, but it is super fizzy, with a cap of strong thick head, just like a Central European would want.  Not too aromatic, which isn't too surprising for its kind, and also very light flavor with just a touch of lager grain.  It feels fizzy in the mouth, almost like a tonic or mineral water, but without any weird salts or sulfurs.  It's remarkably subtle, in comparison with other crafts you might call it bland, but it has the weight of tradition behind it.  Really, as a mealtime or snack beer it would be perfect.  Still, as a standalone it's a little sad, like it's missing something, either stronger flavors or conversation, to add some spice.

The Hop Wear people are here, as they usually are, and they recommended I stop at Octavoarte.  I'm happy to take some advice on breweries I don't know yet.  They have mostly varieties of ale, and now I am in the mood for something lighter colored and brighter tasting.  I choose Cryptohop Hazy IPA.  Not actually that hazy, but a good IPA color and bright head, not overabundant but resistant.  There's a slight citrus hops scent, but it's more teasing than powerful.  Interesting caraway/cardamom flavor, but a lot of citrus or fruity hops though.  As a hazy, I was expecting it to follow the juiciness of the older NEIPA denomination, but this is more of a spicy hop-West Coast feel.  Is that surprise the "crypto"?  After a while I do start to detect some kind of hoppy citrus, like a modern IPA tends to have, but it's very light, hide-and-seeking, not the open performance that the typical NEIPA would have.

Another newcomer for me is Dos Dingos, another example of craft beer pulling the world together.  Argentinians, learning beermaking in Australia, deciding to serve the world their take?  Can't say no to that.  I decide on another shot at a juicy ale and select their Brekkie NEIPA.  This one looks a little more classic with an opaque color and a good fluffy head almost like whipped cream.  It does fizz away, though.  There's a hoppy, piney aroma, sharp like a good specialized IPA.  The beer isn't really bitter, just putting forth a tinge of citrus taste, but it is smooth and soft.  It has a lot of modern IPA feel, the taste is pretty much NEIPA on the nose, citrus and barely any bitter, but it has so little body that it's almost a light lager.  Still, a very refreshing and tasty beer on its own, something you could have on a beach, on a porch, in a beer garden.

There are a few people wandering around who seem to have bought hats from Chouffe, like this is Belgian Oktoberfest.  They are also selling the Beermad glasses, along with shirts and bags, so I guess they think we've had enough of a chance to get souvenirs in the last few years.

It's almost time for me to leave, but I have time for one more and I want to find something special.  I think I can go back to the dark side since I found my good NEIPA, and I see Raíz Cuadrada's Cenascura Oatmeal Stout (with milk balls!) jut waiting for me.  This one isn't on tap, but I get a fine serve from the bottle.  It has a good color, not too much head, recognizably stouty aroma - earth, basement, growth.  It's slightly sour and milky, not really sweet or malty.  It's not bad, but I think it feels a little bit papery, actually kind of an "organic" feel; that is, something sour and natural, or at least naturally fermented.  I would wish for something hardier, but it has a good backbone and isn't too bitter or salty.  To be honest, it's rather nice as a stout on its own, although it wouldn't be bad with some little snack too.

Not payment, just bartering, very traditional

And that was my spring Beermad...and now I hear there's another fair before the month is out?  I guess I should enjoy them while I can, you never know what the future will bring.  Like monkey pox.

roads long untraveled

As we wake up again to life outside, both thanks to spring and to the idea that we don't have to worry about certain viruses anymore, celebrations that we remember fondly also reappear.  Beermad did shake off its sleep last fall (and will be up again shortly), but Artesana Week was nowhere to be found for a couple of years.  Happily, it has been awakened.  A few places I remember from other years aren't on the list, but some familiar names are, and there's no reason to shun new opportunities anyway.  As a grumpy introvert, I went down in the afternoon, hoping there would be relatively few people.  There might have been, but there were still more than enough for me.

Good to know we are well watched over

We begin at Casa Zoilo, one of the old standards.  They had four Península brews on tap, and I considered the sour at first, just for something different, but ended up with Sendero Hazy IPA.  For whatever reason I felt like starting off slow and the sour was a fairly strong 7%.  Sendero has a cloudy look, thick head, what I tend to like in a NEIPA.  It's bitter-juicy, a natural, fresh squeezed kind of tasting beer, not super citrusy, like a mild grapefruit.  The chorizo tapa is ok, a little grease to balance the bitter, almost tart, of the beer.  Despite appearances it's not a super thick hazy, feeling very light and easily drinkable.  Also not exceptionally strong, at just over 5%.  It's a good starter, just a little push-off for a beer march.  Crawl is not the word I want, especially early Saturday afternoon.

 

Now on to a new name, Beer Joint.  They offer Oso's Dignity IPA for the Week.  It's similar to Sendero, down to the cloudy color, but much lighter head.  It has a somewhat flatter taste, a little bit planty, less overt hops, tingles a bit more.  In fact it's weirdly tickly for such a mild flavor.  Again, nice afternoon starter drink, good to talk with since it doesn't demand the limelight.

I think Taberna Filomena used to operate under a different name; I might have to dig through some old posts to see if I can track it down.  Their sponsorship goes to Groovie, with a session IPA and an amber ale.  I've already had two IPAs, so Gabba Gabba Hey it is.  Nice caramel color, low aroma, kind of salty sweet to the taste at first.  Maybe like a candy you forgot in your pocket.  Still, it has a certain charisma, an allure with a touch of bitter that maybe, just maybe, hints at something more.  Eventually it mellows out into a malty sort of refresher, a little bit heavier after the IPAs, feels like a good step on the path.

 

Chinaski has shown some good times in the past, and they've done a little redecorating.  Gone is the board on the wall with the scribbled names of brews, up is the shiny new screen behind the bar with names, prices, percentages etc.  The menu is long and varied, but I'm dedicated to Artesana Week, and what they have for that is La Quince Roots Red Ale.  La Quince is good and red ale is normally good.  I dive in.  Also good color, much like Groovie's, but there's something in the aroma a little like when you first open a freezer.  The flavor is a ball of surprises - grainy, sour, bitter - all strangely pleasant.  There's a slight cucumber/melon with a touch of salt in the aftertaste.  I'd say this is a more grown up beer than the previous ones, a beer that isn't afraid to stand alone.  That little bit of saltiness even makes it seem like its own snack.

Wandering down Argumosa, I remember how much I didn't like going out before the pandemic.  It's good to see people patronizing their local watering holes, but the crowd is a little too much.  I sit down in La Buga del Lobo anyway, after asking for Speranto's Blanka Trigo at the bar.  I wait quite a while before a waitress takes pity on me and brings out my beer within a minute.  We're back to a cloudy beer, with that sweet, light wheat aroma.  It's just a little sour in flavor, but mostly sweet and summery.  It's a nice wheat beer in that it doesn't have that weird aftertaste a lot of the German ones have.  It's a step back from Roots, into lighter territory, but it's a solid step in a series of afternoon beers.

Old El Pedal was taken over by the more traditional cafe next door, I guess.  Maybe to have a space to appeal to hipsters, and take advantage of all kinds of promotions.  Of course, the offer isn't what it once was; La Virgen is on tap.  I risk a Jamonera for old time's sake.  It's what it has been for years - vaguely beer tasting with a nice color.  The more bitter note is nice after the sweet wheat beer, and is in fact more impressive than Jamonera has been in the last 5 years or so.  It's an ok mid-romp beer, a little thick and sticky, something that doesn't flow past you perfectly unnoticed.  I still might keep badmouthing the beer, at least in comparison to what else La Virgen puts out these days.

I've been traipsing around for a few hours now.  One more to call it a day, and another new place: La Caníbal.  I'm hoping for something dark and substantial, but it's just a pilsner.  With a little raspberry though, so that's something.  Dessert?  The brewery is San Frutos, so I can trust that it's at least pleasant.  It looks very normal, nice little head, really no aroma at all.  The taste is certainly different from what I've been having today, a lot of woodiness, a very bitter and stimulating kind of pilsner.  The aftertaste does have some fruit in it, but unprompted I don't think I would identify it as raspberry.  It's sharp and driving, the kind of beer you don't fall asleep to, not the most obviously pleasing however.  After a bit of time a sweeter, softer, more desserty flavor comes out, but also only in the aftertaste and it vanishes quickly.  It's an interesting beer, I'll give it that, stout and built up in sensation, delicate and easily crumbled in flavor.

Artesana Week comes to an end in Lavapiés, but Beermad is just around the corner!