International students from ESIC Barcelona visit the Estrella Damm Brewery, a discovery (and tasty) experience about the secrets of the Mediterranean beer

A group of international students that are carrying out a postgraduate program at the ESIC Campus in Barcelona visited last Tuesday the Estrella Damm brewery located in El Prat de Llobregat, the largest beer factory currently operating in Spain. During the tour, our students were able to learn the whole brewing process of Estrella Damm beers, still stick to the original 1876 recipe by August K. Damm. To end the visit with a pleasant taste in the mouth, they enjoyed a beer tasting of Estrella and other beers of the family.

One of the first things that our students discovered were all the ingredients that make up an Estrella beer: barley (as the essential ingredient), hops (for the bitter taste and characteristic aroma), water and… rice! Yes, the secret component of an Estrella is the rice, to make the taste a little smoother than other kind of beers, which commonly do not have other cereals apart from malt. As referring to the water, it is important that it still contains its minerals and natural properties, this is why the factory is located in El Prat, where there is aquifers to extract groundwater (from the Llobregat river). Guaranteed 100% natural ingredients!

The elaboration process of an Estrella beer is also unique, and it takes patience to achieve its quality standards. While the grain is stored at the right temperature, the professionals that work at the plant (chemists, biochemists, nutritionists, etc.) monitor its germination, until is the right time to toast it and initiate the maceration. Henceforth, the beverage goes through many processes, with their own time and temperature settings. All in all, the whole process, from collecting the ingredients to delivering the product, takes between 7 to 9 months, whereas drinking a bottle of Estrella beer takes only 5-10 minutes! In addition, many quality tests are performed during the brewery process to ensure it has de same flavour as always, that it is a trait of industrial beers.

For our marketing students, it was also very interesting to know some of the strategies that Estrella Damm has implemented in order to differentiate and expand its products. Recently, the company has decided to change the style letter of the brand’s name within the logo: it does not follow the typical German typography anymore, as they want to highlight the Mediterranean identity of this beer. It is also remarkable the creation of their two “gastronomical beers”: “Malquerida”, created by the Adrià brothers and their team, and “Inedit”, created by Ferran Adrià and the elBulli’s sommeliers. Both beers are been carefully produced to pair with specific types of food or dishes and, on the other hand, being a kind of gourmet beers allows the company to introduce them in exclusive high-end restaurants and hotels all around the world. Therefore, Damm gastronomical beers are helping the expansion of the brand into the international market.

Finally, the students were able to enjoy a beer tasting, where they tried different Damm beers and learn about their distinctive appearance, bouquet, body, and flavour.