		MORE OUTINGS IN San Carlos de Bariloche

Corridor Lakes > Province: Río Negro > San Carlos de Bariloche

A Classic in Bariloche, Blest Beer

Mónica Pons

Rocío Vega

A certain kind of intrigue led us to do some research about the task of brewing draft beer.

An old painted truck standing in the garden caught our attention and we approached it in order to take some pictures. Built in 1929, according to its plate, it was loaded with some barrels surely used for delivery. We were feeling more and more intrigued.

It Looks like a Brewery

As we browsed the area, a boy saw us and invited us into the building. It was a brewery and we felt very much like visiting it and learning about the process of making beer.

The entrance gate and the large windows featured hop plants climbing and hanging and we had to duck to go under them. Some old copper pots ornamented the venue.

Oscar, our host, introduced himself as a technician and invited us to start learning about the ingredients and the procedure to make genuine beer. The tour was just beginning.

Attention to Detail

At first sight, a very spacious venue with large windows and a very evident European style is observed. Oscar escorted us to an area close to the counter, where large metallic barrels stood out for their huge size and clean aspect.

Our first question referred to the difference between the craft and the industrialized processes. “The latter use additives to be preserved for a longer period and to lower commercialization costs”, Oscar replied.

“The raw material is made up by hop, barley, yeasts and mountain water. The difference between the pale and dark beers depends on the use of pale or roasted barley. The process of roasting may be carried out at various degrees of intensity in order to manage the different kinds of dark beers. The hop comes from El Bolsón and it is the element that will provide the classical sour taste and the aroma”, the lesson continued. In the meantime, all of us were paying attention to some large pots that caught the eye of visitors.

“The ground barley is cooked with mountain water at previously studied temperatures. Then, it is blown into another tank, which contains several filters, and so the wort rich in sugars, similar to that obtained in the process of winemaking, is managed”, Oscar continued enthusiastically.

Something Else to See

We kept asking about the fermentation, maturation and storage periods. The answers were extremely interesting. Then, we were invited to taste some kinds of beer brewed in the venue.

As we sat down, we noticed something for the first time: the walls were completely covered with writings. This is the proof of a cozy and charming atmosphere in which visitors also take part. Their impressions, jokes, comments and even drawings are also pieces of furniture. A very amusing thing to enjoy while tasting one of the best beers in Argentinian Patagonia.