La Buena Pinta

I have to admit, that when I’m in the mood to do some boozing, La Buena Pinta is one of my favorites. First of all, the beers are almost always good and their selection is chosen with care and no too long or complex to where you spend an eternity choosing what you want. Secondly, the vibe is great and it feels like (and is) a neighborhood watering hole, a welcome change from some of the trendier industrial-chic craft beer bars popping up around the city. Finally, you’re in the middle of a market with tons of food stands! Who needs bar snacks when you have fresh seafood, charcuterie, cheese vendors, and grilled meat all around you?

La Buena Pinta also offers courses and supplies for home brewers and regularly hosts tastings and pairing dinners. If you’re interested in seeing what’s scheduled, check out their website. Cheers!

And of course, craft beer. La Buena Pinta craft beer bottle store is run by a big-chested and well-bearded baritone named Juanma (yes, he sings in a choir) and his business partner Anna. They set up shop after each lost their livelihood in Spain’s spiralling economic crisis. And judging by the steady stream of craft beer aficionados every time I stop by, business isn’t bad. Despite the small space, La Buena Pinta is smartly stocked with a vibrant kaleidoscope of Madrilenian, Spanish and international brews.

Juanma likes a chat. About beer, preferably. Plus, he speaks English. What’s more, he keeps a well-stocked fridge of local and international crafts that you can drink at the counter (proper glassware provided). So if you’ve just dropped into town (or have been here all your life) and you’d like to learn a thing or two about the nascent local craft beer scene, I suggest pouring a pint and having a chat. But if you’re not the talkative type, he’ll be just as happy to give you a few suggestions, sell you some beer and send you on your way.

So, what’s typically in stock? At the time of writing, there are five craft breweries in the capital. La Buena Pinta carries beers from three of them. Juanma recommends the larger from brewery La Virgen to newbies – it’s an easy, refreshing drop, and not a shock to the system for anyone raised on industrial suds. They also sell beers by Madrid breweries La Cibeles and Lest (I’m a big fan of the latter, which is run by a German man and his Cuban wife up near the sierras north of the city. Check out Thor, their smokey German-style ale). They also carry upwards of 30 beers from throughout Spain, of which Juanma underlines three popular breweries: Dougalls (from Cantabria up north), Clandestina (from Catalonia to the east) and Mamouth (from Granada in the deep and dusty south).

If all that beer-chat piques your appetite, remember where you are. The San Fernando Market is a mouth-watering wilderness of hanging jamónes, manchego cheese and chubby olives. And everything is at market price. So, grab a few cold ones from Juanma’s fridge, pick up an Iberian deli selection and head out for an al fresco lunch in the nearby Retiro. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, simply unwrap your Spanish feast right there at the market tables. A tip: try pairing a bottle of La Virgin’s Jamonera (Juanma invariably has a couple cold) with some jamón ibérico. In both name and flavour, the crisp, local amber ale makes a perfect pair with those wafer-thin slices of umami bliss.

As an aside, if you’re hooked on Spanish beer and what to know more, La Buena Pinta stock the “Guía de Cervezas Artesanas Españolas” (The Spanish Craft Beer Guide) for€12. It’s a directory of Spain’s 70-odd craft breweries, and the more than 200 beers they produce.