Alhambra Negra - Cervezas Alhambra, Granada

I've only had a handful of Spanish beers before and I can't say they were memorable. Those beers were mostly light Lagers meant for ultra mass consumption. This beer, from Granada, is a dark Black Lager style Schwarzbier. Simply labeled "Negra," this beers label doesn't give much indication to the style other than letting you know it's going to be dark. And dark it is... This beer pours jet black into the glass and develops a thin white head that quickly dissipates as the beer settles. The Alhambra Negra is already a million times more interesting than other Spanish beers I've had, and I haven't even tasted it yet.

In the grand scheme of things the Alhambra isn't a knock out... but as far as Spanish beers go, this is the best one I've ever had. Starting with the aroma, this beer has a nice nutty and sweet smell that is potent without being too strong. Behind the earthiness is a hint of cola and dark caramel malt.

The flavor mirrors the aroma, with a nice sweet start that gives way to an earthy dark malt flavor of nuts and caramel. The finish is a little bitter but not enough to detract from this beer's strong points. All in all, this is a solid dark beer. I really have no complaints. I also have nothing especially poignant to say about it. There isn't any inspiring wow factor that compelled me to write a thousand words about this black beer from Spain.