The Beer Scene in Argentina

“A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure.”
--Czech Proverb

I have been meaning to post about this and then I saw that LandingPadBA.com just came out with their post listing their top 5, basically kicking me in the ass on this topic.

I do happen to like most of the beers they mentioned and I would have to add that they missed out on some others. In all fairness though, she did have to come up with only five.

This is not a hard thing to do since micro-brewed beer here is still curving up, it´s still up and coming. This is a country where the majority of beer drinkers think that there are three types of beer: Black, Red, and Rubia (blond would be the literal translation).

I have written before on the subject of variety and a nice back and forth ensued between me and Fernando of the now very popular local podcast called BACast.com

This is an interesting article (in Spanish) that mentions the per capita consumption of beer to be 33 liters, but that in Santa Fe that number jumps up to 60 to 70 liters and that in Rosario, which happens to be within the province of Santa Fe, the consumption there is 52 to 58 liters.

They related this phenomenon to two things: First that there were two large breweries that merged (today it is Schneider) and secondly the high temperatures there drives people to order beer over wine in the summer.

Another article pins the consumption at 44 liters. This article goes a step further and breaks down the market share. This is a very interesting point:

74% goes to Quilmes
23% goes to CCU
03% goes to Isenbeck

As you can see, there is no considerable segment assigned to the small microbrewery. In fact, there are two companies that demand 97% of the total volume!

However, it´s not so gloom and doom. Remember, I said this was still an up and coming segment. There is a lot of excitement over micro-brewed beers. The following article from Clarin goes further into this.

In Mar del Plata they just had their third annual Beer Festival and Randy Mosher did not just attend, but he made a Porter with Dulce de Leche for the occasion! This actually sounds like a pretty good combination if you ask me.

And Peter Slosberg, who also attended, said that the Argentina beer scene of today reminds him of the US beer scene of 25 years ago. This is definitely a positive perspective.

But, back to the point at hand. What was missing from that article? I say missing, because I can´t possibly just mention five. Maria you had a very tough job limiting yourself.

1. Cossab - Bohemian little place that brews six varieties and has all you can eat pizza on Wednesdays to go with some of the finest beers in BA.

2. Buena Birra Social Club - This is a closed doors micro-brewery. If that alone does not peak your interest then you have wasted your time reading this. Great place, great beer, friendly people, it´s like beer heaven.

3. Una Mas - This one I tried at Buena Birra Social Club and they only had the Cream Ale and it was great. I am curious enough now to try the rest of their line-up.

4. Gulmen - This is another little brewery (not a microbrewery) that you would need to buy their beer at pubs or bars. I especially like their Weiss beer (ceveza de trigo). You could also order from them and they will ship directly to your house.

5. Otro Mundo - I have written about them in the past and we even paired some of their beers with Sugar & Spice savory cookies.

From Regalos 2009

And this is just Buenos Aires. In the rest of the country the same thing is happening and there are great microbreweries in Bariloche and the 7 lakes region for example.

And finally, there is a blog that is a great resource for beer in Argentina called Logia Cervecera. It is in Spanish and they do write about foreign beers as well, but they also write about local ones and they even have a list of bars that have microbrewed beers.

And finally, finally? I could not help but leave you with this image of a home made beer. I was so fortunate enough to have from James Foster. I sure do hope he gets back to making beer because this was one of the finest beers I have had.

Update: I can´t believe I forgot to include this list. Joy Magazine came up with a pretty good top 10 list as well.

Is Argentina Too Efficient?

Seriously, I am not laughing as I type this.

Let me explain...

You go to a cervecería and you sit down and you order a beer, quite literally that is what you ask for and that is what you get.

This is an example:

mozo: Sí?

me: una cerveza por favor

mozo: chopp?

me: dale

(mozo is what you call waiters here in Argentina)


I could just say "un chopp" instead of asking for a beer and that would cut the conversation down by half!

And what is a chopp you might ask? It's a mug, or a glass. It's how you order beer on tap.

When I first came to Argentina I saw these "cervecerías" and I thought, great, they have beer joints!

I am going to be able to go in and find some varieties of beer that I have not yet discovered since I am from a different hemisphere away.

I wonder how many types of beer I am going to find....

One is the usual number of beer brand you would find at these places.

Fernando of BA Cast has a different point of view. Here is a recent conversation we had on the topic of "variety", his new pet peeve.

Fer: The thing's when you go to the supermarket and ask "where's the bitter?" and instead of pointing you to the alley, they ask you "what bitter do you want? Bitter sweet, bitter sour, bitter sour with a dash of sweet...decaf sweet bitter?"

Me: But, when you go to a "cervecería" here and ask for beer, it reminds me of repo man. There is only "beer", no asking what kind or anything.

Fer: Isn't that great?! Aren't you guys all about "getting to the point"? There you go...

Me: It's too efficient it's scary, it's almost anti Argentine the way it is so efficient. I mean you just sit and say beer and that's it, end of conversation.

At the very most the waiter would ask you if you want head on the beer or not when he serves it.

Also, it's not wine, serve the whole damned thing!

And so it goes. That conversation is still taking place by the way. Who knows where it will end up, but at the very least, we should continue it over beer, but at a real cervecería like Antares for example. 

Your move Fer...

The Happy Threesome

Last night I went out to the new Antares in Las Cañitas.Yeah, it was part business visit part socializing which made it an incredibly fun way to work.

Weather or not Antares decides to give Sugar & Spice or El Tejano a try we at least had fun pitching ideas to them over some ice cold beer.

Our copetines (cheese based cookies) just go hand in hand with El Tejano´s home made, and now very spicy Nº4 salsa.

Our cookies have a lot of taste to them and if you pair them with something you better bring something that can stand up to them. In this case, the salsa was fantastic and we had the added benefit of washing it all down with very good artisan beer from Antares.

Amanda Robert Jones wrote about our last trip to Antares and you can read her write up here , and watch the birth of a new expat Blogger writing from Argentina. I highly recommend her blog.

My new favorite beers at Antares are the new Pilsner, Cream Stout, Honey Beer and the Kolsh.

I will eventually make it to the other beers they have. I want to go back and try something different each time.

And if they add either the copetines or El Tejano´s salsa they might as well reserve a permanent spot for me and start calling me Norm.

"What's the story, Norm?"
"Boy meets beer. Boy drinks beer. Boy meets another beer."

Antares Las Cañitas
Arevalo 2876
Happy Hour from 7pm to 9pm
They have a very cool upstairs deck and a fashionable main room (with A/C) downstairs.

The pictures are courtesy of El Tejano and Antares.

Secrets of Home Beer Brewing

Guest Post by James Mowery

There's nothing quite like enjoying a glass of home brewed beer, especially when it's made the right way using handed down secrets that only you and grand pa know.

Of course, any great home brewer knows that the best beers are brewed using quality supplies, because what you brew your beer in and the ingredients that you use, all lend to the flavor and crispness of your beer.

Now this doesn't mean you have to run out and buy the most expensive brewing supplies and ingredients. What you should do is go to a reputable brewing supply shop and find out what's available for the type of beer you wish to create.

Some true beer aficionados like to experiment with different shops to compare which they like most. But most go the easy route and pick up a micro brewery kit.

The most challenging part of home brewing is having the right fermenter. It should be capable of brewing up to six gallons of beer with enough room to allow for foam.

You'll also need a hydrometer to measure the alcohol content in your beer. Always stir with a plastic spoon, a tap with sediment reducer to prevent sludge in your bottles, an airlock and grommet, a thermometer to keep control of the all important brewing temperature and plastic bottles for your beer.

Some like glass bottles, but they are more likely to explode.

Beer is made by boiling malt and water and adding hops. This becomes unfermented beer, which is then cooled and yeast is added to bring on fermentation.

There are also other ingredients that make 'your secret
recipe' truly yours, and they can include spices, gains, fruit, sugar,
honey, etc.

Perhaps the biggest secret brewing the best beer is proper hygiene. You have to start with impeccably clean equipment, or you'll run the risk of poor beer fermentation. Any residual sugar left in a bottle will ruin a good beer.

About the author: James Mowery is a computer geek that writes about beer brewing and related topics. To read more blog posts by him, go to led tv.

Beer Goes Artsy

“Filled with mingled cream and amber I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber Through the chambers of my brain -- Quaintest thoughts -- queerest fancies Come to life and fade away; Who cares how time advances? I am drinking ale today.”

Edgar Allan Poe (American short-story Writer, Editor, Poet and Critic, 1809-1849)

When I first arrived in Argentina there was very few artisan beer makers. This is the land of Quilmes and in most places you just ordered beer. Sometimes they would have Heineken or some other equivalent of an excuse for a beer.

Now there are many microbreweries and I think it´s fantastic.

One of those microbreweries that I like is Otro Mundo.

My favorite is the Nut Brown Ale; it is made with a blend of 70% Pilsen and 20% Munich malt with the remaining 10% coming from caramelized malt from Bamberg, Germany.

It is a dark, top fermented beer, its aroma is pure malt and toasted nut heaven, with a taste that includes hints of chocolate, nuts and butter.

They just came out with artwork on their labels. I really like the look of them. I think they are fantastic!

What do you think?

Oh, by the way, that beer goes great with our savory Parmesan cheese cookies.

************castellano***********

Cuando llegue a la Argentina me acuerdo que una de las cosas que estrañaba era la cerveza artesanal. No habia muchas opciones.

Hoy en día sí las hay y estoy recontento.

Unas de mis favoritas viene de la empresa Otro Mundo. En particular me gusta la Nut Brown Ale.

La cerveza Nut Brown Ale de Otro Mundo cuenta con un blend de maltas compuesto por un 70% de malta tipo Pilsen, 20% de malta tipo Munich, ambas originadas a partir de cebada cultivada en el sur de la Provincia de Buenos Aires.

El 10% restante corresponde a maltas especiales caramelizadas y tostadas en la renombrada maltería Weyermann, de la zona de Bamberg, Alemania.

Se trata de una cerveza café oscuro, con tinte rojizo. El aroma inspira sensaciones de malta y nuez tostada y el sabor tiene notas de chocolate, nuez, y manteca. Con cuerpo mediano y suave, posee un final a malta.

Ahora tienen Art Series - "una muestra de arte exhibida en las etiquetas" y ademas un maridaje de esa cerveza con nuestros copetines es espectacular!