Alhambra
Alhambra is rightly regarded as the leading craft brewery in Spain. It is at the vanguard of innovation when it comes to beer styles and modern brewing technology. As a symbol of excellence Alhambra has experienced exceptional growth in the UK beer market over the past few years.
The Alhambra brewery was founded in Granada in 1925 and is named after the city’s magnificent Alhambra Palace. The brewery was at that time situated on the outskirts of Granada, not far from the foot of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains – the source of Spain’s finest water. The growth and expansion of Granada has resulted in the brewery now forming part of the downtown area. In 1999 another brewery, located in Cordoba, was acquired and with it the Mezquita brand (from the Spanish/Arabic for mosque) deriving its name from, and in homage to, the temples of the city of Cordoba.
Despite the arrival of modern equipment little has changed in the overall brewing process since 1925. There is a great deal of difference between the Alhambra brands and other beers produced by the modern continuous brewing processes. In the case of the latter, fermentation is often accelerated and batches take approximately one week to produce. The traditional method employed by Alhambra involves slow, natural fermentation over periods of up to 39 days, depending on the brand and the desired characteristics. All the Alhambra brand beers are made with no additives. Furthermore, the water used is still drawn from the Sierra Nevada Mountains.