Best craft beer bars in Barcelona

Just like the businesses in the Gaixample, the area’s beer purveyors have become an attraction beyond the limits of the city, beyond Catalonia and even beyond the borders of Spain. The turning point came when Biercab placed in the world ranking of beer establishments on the specialised website RateBeer, in summer 2014. The knowledge and insight of the brewpub's partners – Navarran brewery Naparbier, distributors Zombier, and two respected professionals from the sector, Sven Bosch (The Drunk Monk) and Manolo Baltasar (Freiburg) – laid the foundations. They've got 30 taps and a huge selection of bottled beers, which is extended now extended at their shop at Muntaner, 57.

Thanks to his Rosses i Torrades, David Pié can claim the title of honorary godfather of the district’s beer culture. Open since 2010, this shop and bar invites you to enjoy a perfectly poured pint while you listen to vinyl on the turntable and disconnect from the outside world on a tour of the more than 500 beers on the shelves (though it’s likely best you don’t try them all in one go).

Only a few metres up the road from Rosses i Torrades there are two more recent arrivals, both obligatory stops. For starters, there’s Brewdog, the first Scottish pub in Spain, offering 20 draught beers (a mix of their own brews and guest beers), including their award-winning Punk IPA. 

On the same stretch of pavement as Brewdog stands Oma Bistró, a heavenly space that serves the best brunches in the area and that seems like it was transported from the confines of Williamsburg through a wormhole right to Consell de Cent. Here you can accompany your selection of craft beer from the various taps with your fill of their enticing NYC-style brunch, which is the cure to any hangover or start to any great day. 

Also on Consell de Cent, just before it meets Biercab Street – sorry, Muntaner – another establishment is a favourite among beer novices and experts alike. It’s Garage Beer Co, a brewpub where, in addition to sampling their own beers, you can make yourself at home on a sofa only a few feet from the fermentation tanks.

Long story short, when people talk about the Beerxample, they’re talking about the ideal showcase and barometer for Barcelona’s burgeoning beer culture. There is at least one establishment in every neighbourhood with something to offer lifelong beer geeks and the increasing numbers of new converts: shops, brewpubs, fashionable bars, and even restaurants with special beer and food pairings, such as Racó d'en Cesc and here at MonDoré.

Near the Sagrada Família is this bar with good music, occasional art exhibitions, and a vibe that will make you feel right at home. They serve excellent hamburgers and tapas (with vegan options even), and quite the array of craft beers. It's hard to find a craft beer you won't like, bearing in mind that they have ten taps they change regularly, and as for the menu of bottles, there are more than 50 on offer.

With eight taps, La Més Petita, though its name means 'The Littlest One' is possibly the beer bar with the most pulls per square metre in the city. Theirs is a careful offering of domestic and imported craft beers in cosy surroundings. You can also get your brew of choice to take away in reusable containers.

Ølgod is a craft beer bar in the heart of the Raval that boasts 30 taps. The name comes from a Danish town, and means 'god of beer', and you'll notice it all as soon as you walk in when you're greeted by runes and a Viking ship. The folks at Ølgod are dedicated to craft beer from the north (although there's always a local representation). In the kitchen is the same chef who worked in the space that stood here before: Juicy Jones. This translates to a small menu of vegetarian dishes made from simple yet quality recipes where everything is home-made (including the tortilla chips). There's also a good, generous set lunch menu, which includes a pint of craft beer, or two half pints if you're in the mood for trying a couple of different brews.

After trying his first bitter thanks to Steve Huxley, and becoming part of the beginnings of the Barcelona beer revolution with La Cerveteca and the association of beer culture Humulus Lupulus, Guillem Laporta headed back to the Sants neighbourhood. There he and some friends opened Homo Sibaris, where they could sell their own beer and have more freedom to try out new recipes. This is a must on any craft beer route. And with a terrace on Plaça d'Osca, what more could you ask for?

Beer'linale welcomes you with 30 craft beer taps and a blackboard with all the detailed varieties. The servers are attentive, quick and know how to give advice if you're overwhelmed by choice. Surely, purists will find gaps in the beer catalogue, but for most of us neophytes, the 30 taps and the more than 180 bottled varieties will be more than enough. They also boast an arsenal of tapas and dishes that are absolutely essential to avoid crawling out of the place like a slug.

You're greeted by a blackboard with six craft beers, five of them Catalan. Beer is the official poison at Il Birrino, a small space that might puzzle you at first, because next to the list of beers there's another blackboard with pasta and starters. Craft beer and puttanesca? Yes, please! The selection of beers in rotation, although short, is impeccable and adaptable to different palates. And if you're hungry, you'll be happy to know that Chef Emanuele is one of the best cooks we've had the pleasure to cross paths with. 

What's so attractive about La Rovira? For starters, there are 18 taps of craft beer, 15 of which are on a regular rotation. If you're a novice, your friendly brewmaster, Noe, or any of the wait staff can give you the info you need before you spend your money. They'll even let you try a finger so you can be sure of your choice. In addition to the beer, you can also get delicious grilled sandwiches with names of surrounding streets: the Reig i Bonet, for example, is chicken, avocado, onion and xipotle. They show Barça matches, have a beautiful jukebox with great singles, and at midday they offer a good lunch combo.

Direct from Copenhagen, Mikkeller Bar Barcelona brings you 24 different taps of the craft beer you crave. The space is cosy, modern and 100 percent Scandinavian. It's one of the most 'hygge' places in the city. What's that now? 'Hygge' is a Danish concept that has become synonymous with a nice afternoon at home on the sofa watching films under a blanket, with candles and an herbal tea in your hands. Or a good beer, of course. 

A beer a day... is the sage advice La Cervetica's Quim and Angie offer. This friendly spot represents the essence of beer, with a dozen varieties on tap (including three hand pumps) and more than 300 bottled beers. It's the brewing soul of Poblenou, where you'll find a die-hard group of faithful local customers as well as in-the-know visitors stopping by after a long day at the beach.

Behind this name many of us find tongue-twistingly foreign – it literally means 'cold basement' – is a desire to bring the spirit of Denmark to La Rambla. After all, the Scandinavian country is home to prized breweries such as Mikkeller, Amager and To Øl. Not only does Kælderkold boast 15 quality taps, this small bar was a pioneer in implementing a menu of beer cocktails. Cheers! Or as they say here, skål!

Bodega Berlanga aims to be that kind of a place where you can have a few quiet beers with some good friends. But what beers! There's value on making the good stuff great here. You'll be licking your lips over the local craft beer Fort (brewed in L'Hospitalet) on tap, in blonde and black. They also have beer-based concoctions, like the Austrohúngaro, with beer, apple syrup, tequila and mezcal. As if that weren't enough, you get a little tapa with every drink order. Everything seems to have lined up nicely to guarantee a good time at Bodega Berlanga.

Hidden in the Gothic neighbourhood, Enkel is an all-day restaurant combining Mediterranean and Latin American influences into one delicious cuisine. Their brunch is a culinary delight made from fresh produce from the local area and offers various vegetarian options. Be sure to try their craft beer on tap, local wine list or speciality coffee.

The gourmet area of Cervesa Moritz, in what used to be the old factory, is a non-stop food and drink extravaganza. In the brewery area, which has the longest bar in the city, you can try unpasteurised beer from a beer tap connected directly to a barrel in a microbrewery. You can also choose from a long menu of tapas from around the world. In this building, which was completely renovated by Jean Nouvel, you can also visit the microbrewery, but the best thing is to just take a stroll around and discover the little architectural details – the plant-lined walls, the periscope windows – that make the Fàbrica Moritz one of the city’s most amazing public buildings.

With everything in its place, Anna Cufí's vast knowledge and alchemist Bernat Diego's experience are the best guarantee for that this lovely micropub that youll find just in front of the Cervecería Jazz and Steve's Academy. Wordplay aside, BrewPub Le Sec is changing the face of Poble-sec, we're sure of it.

A great location and a fusion menu (combining Asian and US influences) are the strong points of this ambitious project that seems to have won over a fair chunk of the city’s beer-drinking public. Their Claudia IPA and Cosas Que Pasan APA were some of the best in 2015.

As well as producing legendary tapas for almost 50 years, since 2009 El Vaso de Oro has been serving Fort beer at the perfect temperature, straight from the brewery in L’Hospitalet. One of their delectable 'platillos' (small plates of food) accompanied by a slender flute of ice-cold beer should be a rite of passage for any beer fan in Barcelona.

Since 2013, brewers Scott and Alan have been working hard in this corner of Poblenou, and they still find room in their busy schedules to share their passion for craft beer. This artisanal microbrewery brews beer with American hops. You can buy a kind of pack of tickets that will get you the good stuff at an even fairer price (two litres for about a tenner) and visit their anti-aircraft battery, with tasting included, of course. Check in on their website, where you'll find upcoming activities and pairings, always with beer as the star of the show.

Beer fans in Barcelona were sad when La Maison Belge closed down, but soon Henk filled the void in the hearts of hops fans with the opening of this shop that boasts almost 500 different beers and two inviting taps to go along with the range of local products. Unbeatable.

Those in the know agree that the real revolution in brewing is home brewing. If you have the the right refrigeration conditions and the space for it, you can find everything you need to make beer at home right here: four-litre kits, mixtures and ingredients galore, accessories, courses and more. Is that the sound of Heineken quaking in its boots?

In the heart of Sant Andreu, you can find this shop with over 200 varieties, four beers on tap, and a list of programmes, including tastings of British and German beers, and a session of beer pairings with Asturian cheeses.

Wine aficionados will be happy to know these brilliant Barcelona wine bars can certainly compete with some of the best in Spain. That means you can get it red, white, pink, fizzy, by the glass or by the bottle here. And whatever you fancy, this list’s got it. With this guide, you don’t have to be an expert; just pop along, ask, and the sommelier will help you choose what best suits you.