The take off of Balearic craft beer

“A beer made with love and natural ingredients”. This is how Mariabel Rotger, president of the Associació de Cerveseres Artesanes de les Illes Balears (ACAIB) describes craft beer. More and more
factories on the islands are dedicated to pampering this product; thirteen of them are part of the association, established in 2020. And every year there are more events that make them known: CanPicafort became the world capital of craft beer this year with the celebration of the VI edition of the International Craft Beer Contest (CICA).

“When we presented the project, the idea arose to carry out, in parallel, the First Balearic Artisan Beer Fair”, explains Lorena Vaca, from LVG Eventos, organizer of the initiative that had the support of the Santa Margalida City Council and the Can Picafort hotel group. The result was a resounding success. “There were 10 of the 16 Balearic craft brewers: Mon, Lowther, Sullerica, Brusca, Ralf, Beer Lovers, Toutatis, Ibosim, Adalt and Breaking Brou”, explains Vaca. They presented 25 of the 347 beers participating in the CICA.

The fair, which Vaca hopes to repeat next year, attracted 1,400 visitors, sold 1,200 liters and proclaimed Grahame Pierce, from Menorca, the best Balearic craft beer. Other fairs have also been held on the island throughout the year, such as the Beer Palma -more oriented to industrial beer-, or the First Mostra de Cervesa Artesana de Calvià, which shows the take-off of craft beer in the archipelago.

“Without a doubt there is a positive evolution and little by little market share is being taken from industrial brewers”, points out the president of ACAIB, who concludes that Balearic artisan brewers are committed to “natural, quality, and environmentally friendly product with the environment and with ourselves because, at the end of the day, we are the ones who drink it”.

The 1st Beer Fair Balearic artisan enjoy of the tasting of beers in the exhibitors installed in Can Picafort. Photos: Gema Cristóbal (gemacristobal.com).