Where the nectar of life comes from :-)
Fabrica Moritz:
Looming large on Ronda Santa Antoni in the El Raval neighborhood of Barcelona is the ever buzzing Fabrica Moritz Microbrewery, a favorite destination of tourists as well as locals. Even though it is not close to the usual suspect places, it is definitely worth a visit if you are in Barcelona. We have just returned from a one week trip to Marrakesh. I am extremely tired and have yet to edit the pictures, so l will save that for next week. I didn’t want to finish the Barcelona visit without writing about this fantastic joint, the Fabrica Moritz, a beer lover’s haven.
Louis Moritz moved to Barcelona from Alsace in 1851 and started producing his own beer in 1856. He acquired the old Maurer factory three years later. Over the years, he won several distinguished awards for the beer and sold quite a lot, setting a new record in Spain. After his death in 1920, his family took over. The company was reborn in 2004. This was our final stop on the awesome, different side of Barcelona tour.
The Fabrica Moritz space is humongous and spread out over 2 floors..
Part of the bar space..
Fabrica Moritz fermenting tank.
The basement stage
We got to tour the microbrewery. Yearly production of fresh, unpasteurized beer is about 3,000 hectoliters! That is a whole load of tasty beer. It is made with fresh spring water that is collected in the Montseny region of Catalonia, just a few miles away from the factory. According to our guide, only the freshest hops, malt and yeast are used to make the unpasteurized beer according to German purity law standards. In addition to the brewery and restaurant, there is also the M concept store and a bakery on site. If beer is not your thing, there is a full wine bar that sells wine by the glass and even by weight. Over 500 kinds if l remember correctly.
The Moritz Epidor Fresca – the darker, roasted flavored one.
We were shown the various room where the beer is produced. Most were in the basement. It was kind of heady going down the steps with the strong smell of hops and wheat and yeast. I wish l could describe it more in detail, but l am not proficient in beer or brewery lingo. I just know what l like. I can definitely tell you that l loved, loved, loved the Moritz Fresca Lager. It was the lighter shade of yellow, and was so crisp and refreshing :-). It’s made from the fresh spring water, Saaz hops flowers, which are allegedly one of the most expensive hops in the world and extra pale malts that are exclusive to the Moritz. I’m not surprised l liked that one better, l have very expensive tastes :-). The other kind that we tried was the Moritz Epidor Fresca, which was a darker shade. That was way too strong for my taste. Caramel malt, along with a long fermentation time gives it the (in my opinion) very harsh taste. I noticed that a lot of the guys at the table preferred that one. I have never liked stout beers.
My precious! The Moritz Fresca
They have a dizzying array of over 300 items on the menu, mixture of German and Catalan influences. The prices were pretty reasonable too. I especially liked this pizza they had called the Flammkuchen. It was a very thin and crunch dough, square, with bacon and onions and some sort of cream. Everything we ate were so delicious. I can’t wait to visit Barcelona again, so l can return to this place. There are so many other things l want to try.
You know it has to be good when even the German guys at the table raved about the wiener schnitzels!
I can’t even remember what the dish on the right is made of, but it was so frigging good!
Yummy..
I really liked this fish tapa with sun dried tomatoes
I loved this pizza! It was so delicate
very tasty..
I think l can safely say this is the best ice cream l have ever tasted! So fresh..
The remnants from the brewery does not go to waste either. They go into making things like beer flavored biscuits and bread, even cosmetics that are sold in the M concept store. How cool! One of the other things l liked was the little concert stage in the soundproof basement that is used for private parties and concerts. There is a bar down there too. No disturbing the neighbors :-). Fabrica Moritz stays open till 3AM for the night owls. Great food, great beer, great atmosphere..what else is there? You just need great friends to share them with!!!
Have you been to the Fabrica Moritz? If so, did you enjoy it? More importantly, would you recommend it to others as a must visit like l do?
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