Another gem for craft beers in Barcelona, El Drapaire de la Cerveza Artisana occupies a long, lean…read morespace that evokes a cave, dark and a bit claustrophobic. It is casual and unfussy, the furniture rough hewn. There are tables in the back but a seat at the bar puts you front and center to the large chalkboard listing the beers, always a great place to be.
The rotating selection veers local. Of the bakers' dozen on tap this visit, about half were Spanish, the rest European, from England, Germany, and Scotland. The beer styles curated make few concessions to the craft beer neophyte; one, arguably, is the German weizenboch. The rest: IPA, pale ale, berliner weisse, smoked ale, porter, pilsner, and spiced ale, the last based on a regional specialty, Creme Catalan. All in all, a fun selection to try, and three glass sizes in all, priced accordingly.
Despite the language barrier, the bartender was clearly knowledgeable and more than a bit excited about a pair of American craft beer drinkers. We sampled a few, then enjoyed a glass each, served in branded Teku glasses.
There is a food menu, not tried. There is liquor, and thus mixed drinks. And there is also a refrigerator filled with bottled beer.
A must stop for any who is hitting up craft beer bars in Barcelona, but it's also just a nice stop as a laid back, uncrowded bar.
