A Beer Tourist’s Guide to…Madrid
They say Spanish beer is a great hangover cure for too much Sangria.
Madrid has never been known as a beer capital, but the scene for indie beer here is as underrated as the city itself. Incredibly affordable by global craft beer standards, here are the top stops to hydrate yourself during the summer heat, all dotted around various neighbourhoods in this easily-traversable city.
Undoubtedly the best beer bar in Madrid, La Osita is run by nearby brewery Oso Brew Co. While it stocks fresh versions of their own beers, it also provides a vast selection of highly artisanal bottles and cans from around the country. Extremely knowledgeable and friendly staff will take you on a Galician beer journey from inside a small, rustic taproom where you can easily while away the warmest hours of the day.
A ten minute walk from La Osita is this dichotomy of a venue. From the outside (and in name), it comes across a little kitsch and touristy, but step inside and a calm, brick lined bar with a huge selection of Spanish beer awaits. You’ll find beers here on draft that you are unlikely to find elsewhere in the city, and the environment lends itself to chitchat and making new friends.
You don’t have to be fluent in Spanish to understand what this one means. If you are looking for a more Madrid-dive style venue, this is the one for you. Both a bottle shop and for drink-in, La Buena Cerveza in Chueca is a locals haunt full of fanatical craft beer nerds fans. Get in there, get recommendations from the bartenders or their friends hanging out around the bar, and listen to them regale you with tales of Spanish beermaking.
Messier and more chaotic than the craft venues above, Maripepa sets itself apart from the thousands of Cervecerias in the city with its stellar beer list – no Mahou allowed. It has tried to sort of look like a British pub, if TV was the only reference point, but don’t let that fool you. It’s a great time, and also notably open much later than all the other bars on this list.
Up in the buzzing student area of Moncloa, this uninventively named bar isn’t exactly nuanced in its design, with a long bar, chalkboard beer list and sleek interior. You will recognise the vibe when you go in, but for beer diversity it wins the prize. There is a HUGE selection here, and their sister burrito restaurant next door means you can enjoy your beer while having something to soak it all up.
Whenever you order a beer in this city, just make sure they give you a small bowl of dried corn or you didn’t do it right.