Spain is often associated with Bullfights, Flamenco dancing and red wines like Tempranillo or whites like Albariño. Spain is also known for having one hand in a rich culinary tradition while the other is leading the world with its culinary innovation. In any culture such as this, beer can seem like an afterthought.
Yet, Spain has a significant beer scene dominated by large breweries that serve some pretty decent lagers. All this is merely the backdrop from which our story begins. There is an emerging craft beer movement happening in France, Italy and England, among others, but especially in Spain.
Meet Mauricio Mata, an American from Oregon who opened Stone Castle Brewing and Portland Ale House in Valencia Spain. He is a part of this craft beer movement by brewing and serving NW American style beers with a distinct Mediterranean influence to both locals and tourists in the coastal city. In this conversation, Mata shares his story of origin and execution as we explore craft beer in Spain.
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