Cervezas Alhambra

Cervezas Alhambra is a brand of pale lager owned and produced by Mahou-San Miguel since 2007. That same year the group’s factories attained the EMAS environmental certification. The foremost beer of the brand is Alhambra Reserve 1925, launched in 1997. In recent years, the brewer has been honored with various medals and awards for its innovation, commitment to the client and artisan quality.

History

Alhambra Beers was founded in 1925 with capital from Granada and with the participation of Carlos Bouvard, owner of La Moravia factory. The brand owes part of its evolution to the chemist D. Miguel Hernainz, who created Alhambra Reserva 1925 when the brand was going through a difficult period, along with other creations that followed. Despite the setbacks of the time in the midst of the Spanish Civil War, since 1936 Alhambra began growing and didn’t stop its production.

In 1954 it entered the shareholding of the Spanish company Damn and in 1979 Cruzcampo also became a part of the group. In the following decades, the company experienced years of growth and industrial modernization of its facilities.

In 1995 the company accumulated debts in the value of 600 million pesetas, which led it to renegotiate its debts with its creditors. In 1995 Cruzcampo and Damn abandoned the shareholding and Alhambra sold 99% of its shares to an external group at a low cost. In 1996 the company began to turn a profit. In 1998 the company made a profit of 300 million pesetas and in 1999 it bought the Andalusian Beer Company, producer of the Cordoba brand, Sureña, which was part of the Colombian group Bavaria.

In 2001 Heineken Group (owner of Cruzcampo and El Aguila) sued Alhambra to keep them from producing Aquila Negra. The suit was accompanied by a report from a detective that informed of the production of Aguila Negra by Alhambra. However, Aguila Negra originated in Asturias in 1901 and was bought by Alhambra in 1997, therefore in 2002 the Court of Granada approved the company to brew the beer.^[1]

In 2001 Alhambra sued Heineken for industrial espionage. Although the judge imputed two of the heads of Heineken, finally the suit was thrown out because the hired detective for Heineken only wanted to know if Alhambra was producing Aguila Negra, which was not considered a trade secret.

In 2006 Alhambra was bought by Mahou- San Miguel. The cost of this operation was 200 million euros.^[2] The company focused its sales in the region of Western Andalusia, although in the beginning of the decade of the 2000’s it began to spread its brand to the Spanish region of Levante and Madrid.

Range of Alhambra Beers

Alhambra Reserva 1925: Is the foremost artisan beer of the Alhambra brand both for its tradition and for its quality and elegance. Artisanally produced, this is a lager beer that is low in fermentation and stands out for its intense flavor. It is a bitter beer, with consistent foam and an alcohol concentration of 6.4º. Its inspired by the first beers of the brewery from 1925. Its unmistakeable golden color and recipe that combines cereals from the south of Spain and water that comes from the Sierra Nevada, make Alhambra Reserva 1925 a unique artisan beer on the palate.

Alhambra Special: This Alhambra beer is produced with 100% natural ingredients and is, among all of the maker’s beers, a symbol of purity and elegance. Alhambra Special is a low fermentation lager with an intense malt aroma and hops characterized by its smooth taste on the palate. it has a 5.4 Alcohol Content and is recognized by its signature white and gold packaging.

Alhambra Traditional: this classic Alhambra beer is elaborated with top quality barley malt and is classified as a premium lager with low fermentation. It’s a smooth artisan beer, with a light bitterness and a taste that is refreshing to the palate, for which it is the perfect candidate to drink in any occasion. It has a characteristic golden color and 4,6 º alcohol content.

Alhambra SIN: this non-alcoholic beer stands out for its light fruity taste. For the brewing process 100% natural ingredients are used, providing a great consistency that makes the beer more frothy. It is refreshing and it has an alcohol content below 1º.

Alhambra Negra: this beer is the leader in the mediterranean market. With an ABV of 5,4%, Alhambra Negra is a low fermentation lager that stands out for its spiced and intense bitter taste because of its blend of licorice, coffee and molasses caramel. What sets this beer apart besides its taste is its reddish color and its spongy foam with a creamy touch.

Alhambra Mezquita: this homage to Cordoba and its extinct local brand is an artisan beer with an ABV of 7,2% which is characterized for its distinctive taste: beginning with intensity and dryness, with a touch of smokiness, and then the taste continues into a warm finish. Its recognized from afar for its abbey red color and body.

Complete list of company beers

• Alhambra Especial
• Alhambra Premium Lager
• Alhambra Sin
• Alhambra Negra
• Alhambra Reserva 1925
• Mezquita
• Sureña (antes propiedad de la Compañía Andaluza de Cervezas)
• Adlerbrau
• El Águila Negra.11
• Agua mineral natural Sierras de Jaén

References

External links

• Official website