Beverage of choice?

[Brian E]

So as I near the Camino in May I am starting to focus on the real important things which includes what wonderful beers, wine, etc. await at the end of the day. All kidding aside, besides Sangria (probably the most popular drink in Spain I assume?) any suggestions on must try drinks that wowed you? Being from CO where craft beer kind of reigns it will be nice to embrace the change and try the local beers, wines and specialties.

 

[Robo]

Is Sangria that popular? I don't think so. I always thought it more of a tourist thing but maybe I'm wrong.

For me.?

Vino Tinto
Of course pronounced Beeno Tinto, as I only recently discovered in class!
'Apparently' only Julio Iglesias pronouces the V like we do in English because he thinks it's cool

 

[C clearly]

Simple red wine is more of a staple than sangria. (Crossing posts with @Robo

 

[Tincatinker]

Orujo. Everything else is just a drink

 

[Brian E]

Orujo. Everything else is just a drink

Just looked Orujo up. Looks pretty potent and will definitely give it a try.

 

[naplesdon]

Any local vino tinto which you will never find in a wine shop west of the Atlantic.

 

[naplesdon]

Orujo. Everything else is just a drink

Tincatinker, you are mean. That stuff will make you forget where your bunk is tonight, maybe where your bunk was the night before and conger up dreams of where the bunk is the next night; until you are so confused you pass out in the entry way of someplace you have never been before in your life. Just saying.

 

[Anamiri]

Tinto de verana, its half red wine, half soda, served chilled in a tall glass with a slice of lemon. Very refreshing.
Cerveza and vino are cheap and good.

 

[RJM]

I quite enjoyed the local lagers like San Miguel or Mahou.

 

[natefaith]

Try the bottled cider made by Maeloc, especially once you're in Galicia if you can't find it elsewhere in the country. They have pear, blackberry, strawberry, and of course dry apple varieties and they are delicious. And once you get to Santiago, the sangria at Cervezeria Rua Bella is sooo good. And I can't even have alcohol (I get too light-headed) but I'll always have a sip!

Enjoy all the planning and Buen Camino!

 

[PaulCat]

So as I near the Camino in May I am starting to focus on the real important things which includes what wonderful beers, wine, etc. await at the end of the day. All kidding aside, besides Sangria (probably the most popular drink in Spain I assume?) any suggestions on must try drinks that wowed you? Being from CO where craft beer kind of reigns it will be nice to embrace the change and try the local beers, wines and specialties.

I plan to look for some Mico breweries in Spain. I do know there is one in Logroño called Mateo & Bernabé.

 

[natefaith]

Clara de limon is also good - it's beer mixed with lemon soda.

And the vermouth by Petroni (another Galician brand) is also a favorite of my husband's!

 

[natefaith]

Oh! And don't forget to try the Spanish chocolate (a thick hot chocolate), especially if you can get some fresh crispy churros to dunk into it. That's more of a breakfast food, though....

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

Two beverages to try out in the Basque country:

Txakoli (pron. “chacolí”): a delightful young wine, poured with a flourish from a height to maximize its sparkle.

Patxaran (pron. “pacharán”): a licqueur with a hint of anise, quite refreshing over ice.

Give my wife a glass of txakoli and me a glass of patxaran, and we’re ready to throw away our boots and sticks and just stay in the Basque region forever...

 

[Jim McMurtrie]

This is a perfect opportunity to ask my question. For the past three years I have been drinking nothing but sparkling wine,the reason is interesting but not necessary for this conversation. I enjoy Proseco but my beverage of choice is Cava Brut in a wine glass as opposed to a flute. Will this be acailable on the Camino which I will start i St Jean on April 10/

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Tinto de verana, its half red wine, half soda, served chilled in a tall glass with a slice of lemon. Very refreshing.
Cerveza and vino are cheap and good.

I'll have to remember that on my next camino in Spain. On the days that were hot I started asking for vino blanco at dinner as it's always served chilled. I'm not a beer drinker, but the cerversa limon is refreshing, as well. My favorite mid day drink is the fabulous fresh squeezed orange juice!

 

[naplesdon]

This is a perfect opportunity to ask my question. For the past three years I have been drinking nothing but sparkling wine,the reason is interesting but not necessary for this conversation. I enjoy Proseco but my beverage of choice is Cava Brut in a wine glass as opposed to a flute. Will this be acailable on the Camino which I will start i St Jean on April 10/

There are some sparkling wines in Basque Country but they are hard to find. Cava is not popular.

 

[trecile]

I have to second the suggestion of tinto de verano - very refreshing at the end of the day.

 

[LesR]

Clara de limon is also good - it's beer mixed with lemon soda.

some places served what I came to know as 'limon beer' (Cerveza or San Miguel Clara) out of the tap - great - cold very refreshing and only 2.5% alcohol. Other places mixed beer and lemon soda out of a bottle - very inferior....

Orujo (sometimes known as licor hierbas) and Patxaran are worth a try - you might have to ask for them - they are potent, but great after dinner... But agree - too many of them might not be a good thing...

Good ol' vino tinto with evening meal - wine buffs may not like it as it is very plain - not much acid or tannins, - but it goes down very well with any food...

 

[RJM]

Good ol' vino tinto with evening meal - wine buffs may not like it as it is very plain - not much acid or tannins, - but it goes down very well with any food...

A little too well, sometimes. On at least a couple of occasions I surprised myself how much I consumed with the evening meal.
Wine and bread. As long as they kept serving it, I kept eating/drinking it, ha ha.

 

[tomnorth]

So as I near the Camino in May I am starting to focus on the real important things which includes what wonderful beers, wine, etc. await at the end of the day. All kidding aside, besides Sangria (probably the most popular drink in Spain I assume?) any suggestions on must try drinks that wowed you? Being from CO where craft beer kind of reigns it will be nice to embrace the change and try the local beers, wines and specialties.

To be honest, the Spanish beer I found on the Camino Frances was nothing to write home about, but the vino tinto, that was a different matter. The biggest surprise to me was the marvelous red wine of the Bierzo region. The red wine from there is made with the Mencia grape. It is marvelous! I look for it here in the States, but it’s not often available.

Also, you should try Orujo, an incredible Galician liquor. Be aware, though, that it is high test.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

You may not like it but you should try cidra natural.

 

[Sandra Riordan]

Please help. I looked up Wikipedia and found 4 locations that say CO . It does help if we know where you are from to discuss your requests and what your understanding is. Your CO is ?

 

[LesR]

Please help. I looked up Wikipedia and found 4 locations that say CO . It does help if we know where you are from to discuss your requests and what your understanding is. Your CO is ?

Colorado perhaps?

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Please help. I looked up Wikipedia and found 4 locations that say CO . It does help if we know where you are from to discuss your requests and what your understanding is. Your CO is ?

Clicking on an avatar brings up information on the member (at least as much as they want public.) In this case we see that @Brian E is from Colorado. And actually the name of the location is often linked so if you click it a map is brought up.

 

[Dorpie]

So as I near the Camino in May I am starting to focus on the real important things which includes what wonderful beers, wine, etc. await at the end of the day. All kidding aside, besides Sangria (probably the most popular drink in Spain I assume?) any suggestions on must try drinks that wowed you? Being from CO where craft beer kind of reigns it will be nice to embrace the change and try the local beers, wines and specialties.

Hi Brian,

Good to see someone with their priorities straight.

No that I looked super hard but I'm afraid as others have intimated the Camino is not an easy place to find anything that could be described as a craft beer. The local lagers are all much of a muchness but still welcome after a hot day's walking. But you will be walking through some excellent wine country (assuming you're doing the Camino Frances) and when you get to Galicia I highly recommend going for a seafood and Albarino combo, delicious. You'll also find vinotecas, largely in the bigger cities where you can sample wines along with local charcuterie and cheeses.

Buen Camino,

Rob.

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I liked to to verano also, allthough there are big differences in the preparation/the mixture

 

[Shalaw]

I always enjoyed the cerveza con limon, which is made of half-beer and half-tarty lemon soda. It's so good, and very refreshing, that they even have it on tap in some places. I always looked forward to this when I had about 5kms to go or when I finished walking for the day, but then....vino tinto with dinner.

 

[november_moon]

I am a beer drinker also - and a fellow Californian We found a lot of good beers in Spain. There were sometimes craft brews in bottles from small breweries. Bars will usually have a few bottles of what they have up on the bar in addition to what they've got on tap. For beers with wider distributions, we found Estrella Galicia to be good - especially the 1906 (mil-novecientos-seis).

I'm not a fan of Cruzcampo or Mahou, but they will do in a pinch - and those are the ones you want to mix with lemon soda for a cerveza limon.

 

[Prentiss Riddle]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When in Spain and drinking beer, drink the unpretentious lager! (And the wine, and the sidra, and the patxaran, and the orujo, and the excellent coffee which is probably better than what you drink at home anyway...)

 

[Kev]

Breakfast: freshly squeezed Orange Juice.
Kas Limón was always good mid-day
and to finish the day:
Orujo
Orujo de Hierbas
Crema de Orjuo
Cafe Orjuo

oh, and don't forget to drink water, it is all good.

 

[pitztop]

Licor de Hierbas with friends is a wonderful way to finish the evening meal.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Chocolate con churros at breakfast time although have been know to "rinse out" the breakfast coffee cup with aguadiente/orjuo
KAS Limon (NEVER Fanta) while walking
Vino tinto with dinner
Pacharan before bedtime (but always with ice - warm pacharan tastes like Galloways cough syrup, ask a Brit what that means)
And that cloudy vino turbio they serve with the pulpo at Ezekiel's in Melide.

 

[KariC]

Go with the flow. Order a vino tinto o vino blanco, per your preference, or una cerveza, and just drink what's local. Be surprised.

 

[Anamiri]

Chocolate con churros at breakfast time although have been know to "rinse out" the breakfast coffee cup with aguadiente/orjuo
KAS Limon (NEVER Fanta) while walking
Vino tinto with dinner
Pacharan before bedtime (but always with ice - warm pacharan tastes like Galloways cough syrup, ask a Brit what that means)
And that cloudy vino turbio they serve with the pulpo at Ezekiel's in Melide.

I have to admit to becoming a KAS Limon convert as well. Nothing like a cold can, rub the can on your face first and then drink it.
Sometimes I'd put a wee bit in my water bottle to give it a bit of taste.
Normally I hate flavoured fruit drink, But when in Spain..

 

[LesR]

Go with the flow. Order a vino tinto o vino blanco, per your preference, or una cerveza, and just drink what's local. Be surprised.

I agree - drink what the locals drink... Isn't one of the reasons for walking the Camino the opportunity to experience spanish culture 9in its many forms)?

 

[hielienie]

Tinto de Verano! I am still drinking it back in South Africa

 

[jeffnd]

Aquarius Limon

 

[Former member 22438]

Is Sangria that popular? I don't think so. I always thought it more of a tourist thing but maybe I'm wrong.

For me.?

Vino Tinto
Of course pronounced Beeno Tinto, as I only recently discovered in class!
'Apparently' only Julio Iglesias pronouces the V like we do in English because he thinks it's cool

Julio Iglesias originally is from Galicia where the language sounds more like Portuguese and in Portuguese they pronounce the "v " as a " v"
Sangria is for tourists. When I worked in Spain and Portugal during the lunchtime menu del dia I allways took ,just like the spanish and portuguese workers , a vino tinto (vinho tinto in Português ) . coming home at night or staying overnight somewhere else, I went to the terraces at the seaside or at the plazas and drank vino tinto too as the majority of the locals.

 

[notion900]

Love a Kas Limón. Weirdly you can't get it in some areas which have been taken over by the evils of Fanta.

This year discovered Bitter Kas - o lordy how delicious. It's pink and tastes of Angostura bitters. On a montón of ice please. People laugh about my enthusiasm for it, as it's a bit retro apparently: sometimes bartenders have to root about a bit to find a bottle from the back.

San Miguel Selecta Tostada bottled beer - like bitter from the North of England. Marvellous stuff.

Gaseosa - various brands. Sometimes described as soda water but it's not the same - soda tastes of bicarb, but good gaseosa has a delicious faintly bleachy flavour. Can be mixed with red wine to make a more bleachy version of a tinto verano.

Liquor de Bellota. Out of Extremadura, made out of acorns. Sounds nasty but tastes like a more earthy version of Baileys. Mmmm. Just the chupito with a morning coffee.

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Love a Kas Limón. Weirdly you can't get it in some areas which have been taken over by the evils of Fanta.

This year discovered Bitter Kas - o lordy how delicious. It's pink and tastes of Angostura bitters. On a montón of ice please. People laugh about my enthusiasm for it, as it's a bit retro apparently: sometimes bartenders have to root about a bit to find a bottle from the back.

San Miguel Selecta Tostada bottled beer - like bitter from the North of England. Marvellous stuff.

Gaseosa - various brands. Sometimes described as soda water but it's not the same - soda tastes of bicarb, but good gaseosa has a delicious faintly bleachy flavour. Can be mixed with red wine to make a more bleachy version of a tinto verano.

Liquor de Bellota. Out of Extremadura, made out of acorns. Sounds nasty but tastes like a more earthy version of Baileys. Mmmm. Just the chupito with a morning coffee.

EVERYBODY with taste likes Kas . . .



But no mention of Pacharan - is it a case of ¡No Pacharan!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

EVERYBODY with taste likes Kas . . .

View attachment 47341

But no mention of Pacharan - is it a case of ¡No Pacharan!

I loved Kas orange, but also Fanta orange. I drank whichever one of the two was available and thought they both tasted the same...is something wrong with me?

 

[jpflavin1]

Cold weather - Heirbas, Orujo
Warm weather - Clara (Half beer, half lemon drink)
Rainy weather - espresso with a shot of Baily's
Wine (red) - with dinner

 

[Rebekah Scott]

This is a perfect opportunity to ask my question. For the past three years I have been drinking nothing but sparkling wine,the reason is interesting but not necessary for this conversation. I enjoy Proseco but my beverage of choice is Cava Brut in a wine glass as opposed to a flute. Will this be acailable on the Camino which I will start i St Jean on April 10/

There´s plenty of cava available on the Way, but you´d better have company... it´s usually only available by the bottle!

 

[Anna Cameron]

Try the bottled cider made by Maeloc, especially once you're in Galicia if you can't find it elsewhere in the country. They have pear, blackberry, strawberry, and of course dry apple varieties and they are delicious. And once you get to Santiago, the sangria at Cervezeria Rua Bella is sooo good. And I can't even have alcohol (I get too light-headed) but I'll always have a sip!

Enjoy all the planning and Buen Camino!

YES to Maeloc cider, which I discovered in Santiago de C last week. I'm not a beer drinker but I loved the cedresa.

 

[Miki Goldie]

My only contribution as a rare non drinker on this knowledgeable forum is water, Aquarius, and freshly squeezed OJ. Guess what? not one hangover in 3 Caminos and so much fun watching faces go red.....
Love to all xxx
Miki Goldie

 

[oursonpolaire]

Bitter Kaz is wonderful and perhaps a bit like nonalcoholic Campari but sometimes barkeeps were a bit nonplussed at the request. Sidra natural is most easily found in Asturias and Cantabria, on the del Norte and the Primitivo, and is not to be missed-- it has an extraordinary balance of sweet and tart but pilgrims should beware that it is powerful and a second bottle can impede one's bunk-locating abilities. It so happens that earlier today I was on the telephone with a Californian with whom I walked the Primitivo many years ago and we were discussing the potency of orujo blanco and how one does not need to floss for three or four days after a sip. I recall us sharing a table and a half of the bottle of orujo blanco casero which a waitress carelessly left on the table.

I am another fan of cava and it is a very pleasant accompaniment to one's morsel of fish after a long day of pilgrimage, and is particularly appropriate on a saint's day. On the Cami Catalan I had occasion to try the reds of Borja and the Costers de Segre, and happily grab bottles whenever the LCBO or SAQ (local provincial booze authorities) provide them. Indeed, I feel obliged to buy anything from the Borsao vineyard as an armload of their grapes kept me hydrated on a very long, dry day.

Another poster mentioned Mencia, which a friend of mine thinks of as being like Burgundy, but good. However, the godellos and albarinos of Bierzo and Galicia are among the more remarkable white wines to be had. Indeed, a bottle of Paco y Lola awaits my Friday fish. I may raise a glass in the honour of other posters on this thread.

 

[The Austrian]

Ehm, I can't be the only one? Best Gin Tonic culture in Europe.

 

[Pelegrin]

YES to Maeloc cider, which I discovered in Santiago de C last week. I'm not a beer drinker but I loved the cedresa.

A double surprise for me:
Galician cider (not usual)
Its name , because Maeloc was a bishop from the group of Britons that settled in Galicia in the 5th and 6th centuries escaping from the Anglosaxons.

 

[Stewpot]

A good drink is always improved with good company, friendship and love. My good lady thinks I am an old romantic. Maybe I am romantic. Go well my friends

 

[Jeff Crawley]

I loved Kas orange, but also Fanta orange. I drank whichever one of the two was available and thought they both tasted the same...is something wrong with me?

The fact that Fanta (subsidiary of Coca-Cola) subsidised youth groups associated with the NSDAP leaves a nasty taste in my mouth at least!

 

[Via2010]

My favourites, depending on my mood and the time of the day:

Coffee - Café solo, Café con leche and - when it is cold and raining: carajillo (with a shot of orujo in it)
Water, Kas Limon,
Cerveza clara
Estella galicia
Vino tinto (Rioja, Toro, Bierzo)
Vino blanco (Rueda Verdejo, Albarino)
Pacharan
Hierbas
Brandy de Jerez

 

[Kev]

I loved Kas orange, but also Fanta orange. I drank whichever one of the two was available and thought they both tasted the same...is something wrong with me?

Nothing wrong with you, some of us find Fanta very sweet and Kas less so. With the Limon I found it more tart with Kas and more enjoyable while walking.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I am amazed on this thread that so many contributers have such a vast knowledge of all things relating to alcoholic drinks in Spain. I can't even grasp all of the unusual names that have been listed. I'd have to make one flash card for each name and hold it up for the bartender to see in order to try any of the many favorites listed on this thread!
There are many connoisseurs out there in Caminoland for sure!

 

[Deleted member 39850]

I post this only because fellow walkers found it curious and funny behavior on my part. My preferred beverage while walking (aside from cortados) is milk. I carry a one litre UHT bottle in each of my side pouches. In the heat of the meseta I drink 2 litres per day. I might supplement that with about 500 ml of water, and generally with 500 ml of OJ. But the milk really makes people look at me funny.

I’ve always been curious to know if I am the only person who gets dehydrated on pure water. I just can’t hold onto it in my system (3 kidneys, so maybe that’s why?). BUt add some salt, fat and natural sugars as are in my milk, and I have enough energy and enough hydration.

In sum, though I was delighted to discover the Godello grape with my gorgeous seafood dinner in Fisterra this year, and have certainly become a collector of different Spanish wines from across the CF regions... it is milk drinking that allows me to arrive at dinner each day.

Hire as I have sipped twice and never need to do again. It’s like Jaeger...

 

[Antomuchacho]

As draught beer goes i thought amber was the best!!
But i didnt see it too often

 

[Albertagirl]

Cafe con leche and fresh squeezed orange juice with breakfast; Kas limon during the day - I always refused Fanta limon when the barkeeper drew it out instead, which happened more often than not on the VdlP - I'ld rather drink tap water than something that sweet; any vino tinto with my evening meal.

 

[Kazza57]

Loved my Kas Limon during the day. So very refreshing. Found a bottle of Cava Brut in a small shop in Linares.

 

[Former member 59618]

I was all about the cafe con leches, until someone turned me on to cortados. After that I was hooked. I also l dearly loved my Estrella Galicia at the end of a long day of walking hills. Yes, not a "craft" beer (I'm from San Diego-great craft beer scene here), but more of a nostalgic taste.

of course a nice house vino tinto with some local cheese always made me happy.

 

[trecile]

I had the BEST tinto de verano in Gernika this year. The bartender made it with vino tinto, agua con gas, and squeezed some fresh orange and lime juice into it. Sooooo good!

 

[Jeff Crawley]

Cafe con leche and fresh squeezed orange juice with breakfast; Kas limon during the day - I always refused Fanta limon when the barkeeper drew it out instead, which happened more often than not on the VdlP - I'ld rather drink tap water than something that sweet; any vino tinto with my evening meal.

 

[SYates]

Cafe con Leche in the mornings and alcohol-free beer after midday whilst walking and in the evenings local vino ;-) Buen Camino, SY