There’s much more to Canarian beer than Tropical and Dorada. Small microbreweries have popped up on all the islands, with Lanzarote no exception. Here’s some of Lanzarote’s craft beers.
The Canaries have a wine culture and, even though Lanzarote was once an important wheat and barley producer, there’s no real history of brewing on the island. All beer was imported to the islands until just a few years ago, and for many years all you’d be likely to find were Pilsners brewed by Tropical or Dorada or national beers such as San Miguel, Cruzcampo and Mahou.
That’s all changed now, and there are now three established craft breweries on the island.
NAO
Located in an old fishing net workshop in the heart of Puerto Naos, Arrecife’s fishing port zone, Miguel Lasso brews Nao’s beers on the premises and opens a bar on three evenings a week (Thursday, Friday and Saturday).
Nao make several beers, with several special editions popping up all the time. This, combined with a smart, attractive marketing design, has made them perhaps the most visible craft brewer on the island.
Among their beers is Capitán, an American Pale Ale; Mucho is an IPA, while Hoppyness is a lager whose name speaks for itself. Then there’s Black Patrón, a black IPA, and a range of other fascinating brews.
Nao has also pioneered links with other craft brewers, including Mondo Brewers in London; and has produced Marseia, a unique beer made with Lanzarote malvasia grapes from Bodegas Vulcano.
MALPEIS
Malpeis was formed by local tenor singer and master brewer Orlando Niz and wine expert Tania Delgado in 2016, after Orlando had spent years experimenting with brewing in his garage. Since then, their beers have become well-respected on the island, as well as on other islands.
The Malpeis brewery is located at Plaza San Roque No 3 in Tinajo, and the brewery is named after the jagged volcanic landscapes of the area.
The names of their beers also reflect the island’s landscape: Jable (which means sand) is a light blonde ale; Bermeja, (a word meaning vermilion given to a couple of mountains on the island) is a hoppy red coloured IPA, and dark Rofe is named after the black volcanic gravel. The beets can be found in certain restaurants and shops around the island as well.
LOS ALJIBES
The first craft beer on Lanzarote was named Tea, a hoppy Indian Pale Ale developed by Hernan Martín at his sprawling, rural restaurant Los Aljibes in Tahiche. He has followed this up with the American Pale Ale Agüita, the lager Helles Beer, the double-malted Oktober Fest, Hellest Twist – a lager-ale, and Picón, a dark beer.
WHERE TO FIND THEM
The reason Tropical and Dorada (and Spanish beers like Cruzcampo, Mahou and San Miguel) are everywhere is distribution. Smaller businesses simply don’t have the same ability to get their products into every bar or supermarket.
The best place to try these beers is at the brewers’ own premises, of course. But you’ll also find Nao and Malpeis’s brews are available at selected bars and restaurants in Arrecife and the resorts, and you’re also likely to find them in smaller shops that sell local products, such as Queso Project in Arrecife.
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