An oasis of craft

Jesús continues: “We carefully balance refreshing drinkability with depth of flavour, to complement Mediterranean cuisine and the social ritual of tapas. A prime example is our Trigo, where we reinterpreted the traditional wheat style to deliver a fresher, more sessionable beer ideally suited to pairing with local dishes and our hot summers.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Arriaca’s main focus is its domestic market, with its beers available in hundreds of specialised bottle shops, as well as supermarkets, bars, and restaurants throughout Spain. Jesús is proud of Spain’s position in the global craft movement though, and keen that Arriaca helps fly that flag. “The Spanish craft beer industry, despite being one of the last in Europe to emerge, has rapidly positioned itself internationally, avoiding early pitfalls and earning a reputation for quality and originality. We continue to explore strategic export opportunities, such as our inclusion in Beer52’s craft beer boxes in the UK,” he says.

Spain as a whole has been on a remarkable journey over the past decade. Around 2014, the craft movement here was characterised by enthusiasm and experimentation, often at the expense of consistency. While the nation has followed a predictable path toward greater sophistication in consumer tastes, a greater emphasis on consistent quality, and a vibrant network of craft-focused bars and specialist retailers, what is remarkable is the speed with which the scene here has matured. Jesús believes this is largely thanks to something inherent in Spain’s food and drink culture.

“The growing community of curious newcomers, eager to explore high-quality beers, has driven continuous innovation in styles and local ingredient sourcing. Notably, Spain — a global gastronomic powerhouse — had long treated beer as a generic refreshment. The arrival of craft beer sparked a shift toward valuing beer’s complexity, diversity, and pairing potential with good food. While the landscape remains competitive, the focus has shifted from merely establishing a presence to deepening authenticity and storytelling. In this way, we’re trying to ensure the industry’s long-term sustainability and foster a community that values craftsmanship and diversity.”

As Jesús notes though, the home-grown success enjoyed by Arriaca and its peers has been hard-won; as with many European markets, Spanish beer is still dominated by the global macro breweries with vast resources and distribution networks, who will fight for every point of market share. 

“These large brands often appropriate the language of craft — quality, variety, authenticity — and even resurrect historical beer brands they once acquired and shuttered, repackaging them with a veneer of nostalgia and pseudo-craft,” he says. “This strategy makes it increasingly difficult for genuine microbreweries to stand out. 

“Additionally, the bureaucratic burden on small producers is significant; regulations designed for high‑volume operations complicate labelling, ingredient approvals, and alcohol‑free certifications, demanding time and money that small teams struggle to spare. Despite the exponential growth in beer culture since the craft movement began—thanks to consumer education efforts and community support—there remains much work ahead to level the playing field and secure broader recognition and fair treatment for artisanal brewers.”

Looking ahead, Jesús sees Arriaca leaning further into this “artisanal” identity, capitalising on the points of quality and innovation that set it apart from its macro competitors, for example by exploring barrel-aged and mixed-fermentation styles. It also intends to broaden its collaborations with nomadic brewers and boutique brands, and to deepen its presence in key craft markets such as the UK, Germany, and the Nordics, harnessing Spain’s reputation as a foodie nation.