Following a spate of recent consumer headlines, Lizzy O’Riordan delves into the confusing and divisive world of ‘Spanish’ lagers.

If someone were to ask what makes a Spanish lager Spanish, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was a trick question. You might say that what makes a Spanish lager Spanish is simply being from Spain: the answer is in the question. But it’s not so simple. Much of the Spanish lager consumed in the UK isn’t brewed there at all.

Madrí, owned by Molson Coors, is brewed in North Yorkshire for the UK market, a discovery that caused outrage in consumer publications such as the Daily Mail and The Spectator last year.

And it isn’t the only one. Cruzcampo, a beer originally from Seville, is brewed in Manchester for a UK audience. Estrella Damm, from Barcelona, opened its first UK brewery in Bedford last year. And San Miguel was produced by Carlsberg in Northampton for several years, until the UK production, distribution and marketing of the brand was taken over by AB Inbev on January 1.

The answer to the question of what makes a Spanish lager Spanish is, then, more complicated than it first appears.

For Estrella Galicia, which brews all its beer in its Spanish home of A Coruña, the definition is clear. Last year, the brand launched a Spanish not Span-ish campaign, highlighting the fact that, according to the brand, 80% of the so-called world lagers in UK supermarkets are brewed in the UK. The brand claimed to be more authentic due to its heritage and, importantly, geography.

Katie Mather, deputy editor of drinks magazine Pellicle, agrees. “When a beer starts being brewed elsewhere, it stops being Spanish,” she says.

Yet for many producers, the answer is less clear cut. In response to a question about authenticity, the Cruzcampo team says its beer has a rich history in the “home market”.

But, it adds, authenticity can exist even if the beer is not brewed directly in that home market.

A spokesperson for Heineken UK, which owns Cruzcampo, says: “Authenticity should be defined by flavour and quality rather than geographical location.”

Madrí claims its connection to Spain through its relationship with La Sagra Brewery, also owned by Molson Coors, which is based in Toledo, around an hour’s drive from Madrid.

Carlos Garcîa, founder and master brewer at La Sagra, explains: “We created Madrí Excepcional together with one of Molson Coors’ master brewers in the UK, Matt Barr.”

Many industry pundits are unconvinced, though.

IMPLIED CONNECTION

Beer writer Pete Brown argues that the problem isn’t necessarily where the beer is brewed. The issue is when a marketing campaign implies a stronger connection to a country than the brand has.

“If you brew in the UK, say you’re brewed in the UK. If you’re genuinely imported, say that. And if you don’t get anywhere near Spain, then say that,” Brown says.

He adds that when a brand implies its product is made in Spain – or any other European country – consumers tend to assume it is of higher quality.

“Whichever country you go to, people think that imported beers are better than domestic beers,” says Brown.

He argues that to allow consumers to believe something is premium because of its supposed Spanish-ness feels disingenuous.

Dave Timbrell-Hill, owner of Llanelli bottle shop Beer Park, says: “People buy Madrí based on marketing that makes them think they are drinking something authentic and premium. Don’t pretend that the cachet of being a Spanish lager automatically makes it a better lager.”

But do consumers feel conned? It depends, says Simon Yarwood, founder of Manchester retailer Epicurean Beer People. Some don’t mind and others “will stop drinking a beer if they discover it is not made by whom they thought or where they thought it was made”.

Mather points to the media as a gauge of feedback. “I think, judging by the press coverage of Madrí over the past six months, people do mind that they’re being duped,” she says.

On the other hand, Madrí’s growth and popularity tells a different story. The brand tells DR it has “sales increasing by 39.3% in value over the past 12 months”.

There are many reasons why a Spanish beer brand may choose to brew in the UK for a UK audience.

Cost is one, the environment another. The Heineken spokesperson says “90% of our beers are brewed in the UK, contributing to jobs, the economy and – by brewing locally – reducing the impact on the environment”.

Yarwood acknowledges that “there are clearly environmental benefits for beers to be made closer to the end consumer.”

Brown adds: “You’ve got the argument that there is no point in shipping heavy liquid in an age of climate crisis when you can brew it just as well in the UK.”

However, the pundits agree that if producers do brew in the UK, they need to be explicit with their consumers.

Brown says that Cruzcampo is a good example of transparency. “When it launched, it said ‘we’ve got research to show that people don’t care where it’s brewed’ and were open about it.”

But of other brands, Brown adds: “If it’s hard to find out [where it’s brewed] then every single time it means that they’ve got something to hide.”