Craft Beer Find - Sevilla, Spain

Craft Beer Find in Sevilla, Spain

Introducing Zurda Golden Ale – a craft beer find I stumbled upon while having dinner at a topnotch restaurant in Sevilla, Spain. It’s been a challenge to find a wide variety of craft beer while traveling in Spain. There are craft beer bars in some cities but when dining out, oftentimes the craft beer selection is limited. I’m a Caribbean girl traveling world in search of the perfect pairing of craft beer and food so naturally, I look for a craft beer selection while dining at various establishments.

Zurda Golden Ale w: watermark

I learned about conTendor from the good folks of Devour Seville Food Tours. This slow-food dining establishment within the city of Sevilla offers a cool, hip ambiance and an eclectic menu of made-to-order dishes that leaves patrons wanting more. Luckily, their menu included regional wines and craft beers and I was fortunate enough to try the Zurda Golden Ale. “Zurda” in Spanish means left-handed but little information was found about the origin of the name. Perhaps the beer brewer was left-handed or maybe they poured all the ingredients from the left? Who knows? We can speculate and create a number of reasons for the name but that’s not what’s important here. Zurda is all about flavor!

Craft Beer Food Pairing - Sevilla
Arroz con detas y pato

Made in Sevilla, Spain by Cervezas Abril, this all natural, 100% handmade Amber lager has flavors of apple and lemon notes that tingles the tongue but lacks aroma. With no additives or preservatives, it boasts a 5.2% ABV with a subtle bitterness. On the pour, it has a light head that dissipates quickly, indicating little carbonation in this brew. Light and refreshing with a balanced body and maltiness, I paired this easy drinking beer with Contendor’s classic dish: Arroz con detas y pato (Rice with mushrooms & duck). The rice had a crispy, crunchy exterior with flavors of rosemary throughout the subtly sweet mushroom sauce that balanced out the saltiness of the duck. I could not have chosen a better craft beer than Zurda to pair with my meal. The subtle bitterness and smooth texture of Zurda complemented the light, crispy duck and crunchy rice flawlessly. Because duck is a lighter meat compared to that of a steak, the golden ale light mouth feel makes this pairing work well. I was elated that my waitress was able to describe the characteristics of the craft beers they had available. Again, the options were limited but having Zurda as on option was a win-win!

If you’re on the hunt for a light, refreshing beer, be on the lookout for Zurda Golden Ale from Sevilla, Spain. I plan on seeking this out as I continue my travels throughout Europe and must concoct a way to bring a few bottles back with me to the U.S.

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2 Comments

  1. You could be forgiven for thinking that it is impossible to find anything other than Seville s local brew, Cruzcampo, in bars in Seville, but the good news is that craft beer is slowly arriving, and we think it s here to stay!

    1. Thanks for reading! I was happy to find some great craft beers during my Spain travels. Craft beer is definitely here to stay in Spain!

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