Grupo Cervezas Alhambra - Alhambra Negra

Note the Moorish lions on the label, a nod to the regional heritage of Granada, Spain, where this beer is brewed. A dark, reddish-brown lager, Alhambra Negra offers up creamy, nutty aromas with some caramel touches and a light roasted malt character. On the palate, expect a creamy backbone with some mild, roasty, caramel notes, a distinct note of dark rum, and some subtle underlying hints of anise and licorice. Finishes clean with a bit of caramel and lingering hints of rum. Overall, we found this beer extremely approachable – laid back enough for easy, tasty drinking, but possessing ample complexity and depth of flavor to keep us engaged in our moments of beer “connoisseurism.” Dark lagers often pair well with various smoky, grilled meat dishes, and Alhambra Negra is no exception – we’d especially recommend dishes with a Spanish or Catalonian attitude. Cheers!

Situated on a hill overlooking Granada, Spain, is the Alhambra, a sprawling citadel-palace composed of court buildings, royal residence halls, official chambers, gorgeous fountains, baths, and a mosque. So stunning is its splendor and beauty that the whole city has been declared a Spanish national monument. Built by the Moors, the Alhambra’s construction started in the 1200s under Ibn al-Ahmar, who founded the Nasrid dynasty that reigned over the region at that time. With its unique style and character, the Alhambra palace is considered an architectural wonder to this day. Naming a brewery after this famous and majestic palace of kings leads us to suspect the founders of Cervezas Alhambra must have had a tremendous passion for their beers, and possibly a little ambition, too. The brewery was founded in 1925 by two accomplished brewers: Carlos Bouvard, owner of La Moravia brewery, and Antonio Knörr, who descended from a long line of family brewers. The duo traveled to Granada with the goal of establishing a new brewery with a bit of local Granadan flavor, and the groundwork that their collaboration laid was instrumental in the brewery’s continued success through the succeeding decades. During its 87 year history, ownership has changed, brewing equipment modernized, and capacity increased. Known these days as Grupo Cervezas Alhambra, the brewery is owned and controlled by the first independent brewery group in Andalucía, who have pursued the goal of developing a unique brand identity for the Alhambra line of beers. Their philosophy is centered on the idea that there are certain moments or occasions in life that warrant the pairing of exceptional beers to suit those exceptional times. You’ve got the exceptional beer – special times anyone?