Blomberg Beers

Blomberg Beers are made in Extremadura, Spain at the Artesana del Oeste Brewery. The Artesana del Oeste Brewery is a microbrewery that produces a relatively small quantity of quality, handmade craft beers. The brewery is located in the city of Plasencia, a walled market city in the province of Caceres located on the Jerte River – in fact, one of the ingredients on the beer labels is “Agua del Jerte”.

The brewermaster and co-founder is Dutch-born Jonathan Coosen, who was interested in brewing from an early age and has been experimenting and making homemade beer for many years. The brewery was founded, with two business partners,  in 2013 and the first commercially available beers were released in 2014.

Coosen had heard about the story of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who retired to the nearby Monastery of Yuste in 1556 after his abdication. Charles V was particularly fond of quality beer and brought with him his own brewers from Flanders. Flanders brewers were considered to be some of the best in the world and the imported brewmaster made a beer to a recipe including barley, wheat and oats. Inspired by this, the Cervezas Blomberg labels have “La Pasion de Carlos V” on them in tribute and most of the beers are made from barley, wheat and oats.
There are three beers in the Blomberg range – Blomberg Original Blonde (and an organic version, not imported to the UK), Blomberg Blanca Weissbier and Blomberg Caramel Dubbel.

Blomberg Original Blonde

Blomberg Orginal Blonde is a Belgian style beer made from hops, barley, wheat and oats. Bottled at 5% abv.

Tasting Notes – Blomberg Original Blonde has a good, clear, rich amber colour. It is fizzier than the other two beers and has a good foam. The nose is lightly hoppy, floral and has good fruity notes. It is full and round on the palate with citrus, fruity, elderflower, slight herbaceous notes and a sweetish, clean finish.
Drink with Extremaduran cheeses, meat stews (local ones would most likely be mutton or pork) or migas. It would equally be at home with cold meats and tapas. Serve in a Trappist glass, tulip or tumbler.

Blomberg Blanca Weissbeer

Blomberg Blanca is a Weissbeer or White Beer. This style of beer originated in Belgium and is made predominantly with wheat (although other grains can be added) and are usually pale and opaque with fruity citrus notes. Bottled at 4.8% abv.

Tasting Notes – Blomberg Blanca Weissbeer is a light, golden brown colour with an opaque appearance. It has minimal fizz and small head. The nose is sweet, aromatic and malty. There are hints of roasted cereal, wheaty and fruity notes. It has a creamy and full mouthfeel and is medium bodied. There are hints apricot and citrus flavours.

Drink with trout, medium flavoured cheeses or mussels. Try with Zorongollo salad, an Extremaduran salad of roasted tomatoes and peppers served in their own juices with olive oil and garlic. Serve in a tumbler or weizen, a special Weissbeer glass.

Blomberg Caramel Dubbel

Blomberg Caramel is style of Belgian influenced dark beer known as Dubbel. Dubbel is a rich malty beer with plenty of spicy / phenolic characteristics and is strong, though not as strong as Belgian Dark Ale. Blomberg Caramel is flavoured with honey from the Las Hurdes region. There is also a more fizzy version, these notes are for the less fizzy, still version. Unlike the other Blomberg beers it is made from 100% Barley. Bottled at 6.9% abv.

Tasting Notes – Blomberg Caramel Dubbel is a clear, dark, coppery brown colour. It has a fine foam and minimal head. The nose has strong caramel and honey aromas with chocolate / mocha notes. The palate is rich and complex with dark, rich, roasted barley flavours, rum and spicy liquorice notes. Good long, rich, finish. Not overly sweet.
Drink with cheeses, dried fruit and nuts or experiment with desserts, pralines or cherries. Serve in a Trappist glass or tulip.
 

Why is it called Cerveza Blomberg?

Barbara Blomberg was a lover of Charles V. She was born in Regensberg, then Austria, now in modern Germany in 1527. Blomberg was, by all accounts beautiful, free-willed and rebellious. She was a singer, a patron of the arts and a lover of beer, an interest (amongst other things) that she shared with Charles! She was his mistress for a short times in 1546. On the 24 February 1547 Blomberg gave birth to John of Austria, who was almost immediately taken from her and sent to be raised in Spain.

If you are ever in Extremadura you can arrange visits to the brewery, by appointment only, or take part in one of Jonathan Coosen’s brewing craft courses.