Craft Beer in Buenos Aires

[Jtee125]

The best brewery in argentina (imo) is Strange Brewing. It's not in either of the two places you mentioned above but is worth the visit. It's the only place that beers comparable in flavor and quality to craft breweries outside Arg. They have options for both types of beer you want.

Craft beers at most other locations are limited to what you have listed above. They're never that great and the consistency is hit or miss. Argentina isn't a beer place and I don't most places have the dedication or resources to do beer correctly.

Also check out "Beer Cellar" for a good selection of beers from international and Argentina craft brewers. The man thst runs the place is super friendly and knowledgeable.

Thank you kindly, I decided to check it out and this brewery is a country mile above anything else I’ve had in Argentina. They have mixed fermentation saisons, I’m really impressed! Only thing to note is that there’s quite a queue but it is so worth it. And finally, NEIPAs with explicit hop profiles! This brewery should surely explode in the coming years

 

[Jtee125]

Saigon. Mercado San Telmo, has a very good IPA. And a great bowl of pho.

Also went here today, and the Hazy was very nice, and the food was lovely and pretty authentic too

 

[jblaze5779]

Thank you kindly, I decided to check it out and this brewery is a country mile above anything else I’ve had in Argentina. They have mixed fermentation saisons, I’m really impressed! Only thing to note is that there’s quite a queue but it is so worth it. And finally, NEIPAs with explicit hop profiles! This brewery should surely explode in the coming years

Yeah the Bodega de Cervezas guy told us about strange a few years ago. We definitely stop in every time we visit Buenos Aires.

The place is unique in Argentina for beer in that they give a damn about quality and consistency.

 

[Ries]

The craft beer fad peaked here 4 or 5 years ago. Which is to say, the large scale interest and investment boom. The survivors are making better beer, but mostly more conservatively targeted and commercial.
At that time, there were probably 8 to 10 places within a half mile of my place where I could refill my growler.
Keg only production was cheaper than canned or bottled, which allowed for a lot of ambitious experimentation, some of which, of course, failed.
The idea of growlers in general was kind of a failed experiment- one which works really well in the USA, but was a brief fad here.
The actual growler bottles had to be imported from the US, and were pretty pricey to buy empty.
The rise of Patagonia in cans, widely available in convenient sizes with no refill trips required, caught on- convenience usually wins over nerdy quality standards.
I think many of the wackier brewers have given up, and the mass market has been taken over by Patagonia and Temple bar, with relatively small ranges of more recognizable beers.
But compared to ten years ago, when it was basically quilmes, heinecken, or stella, the beer choices today are so much better, and the argentine palate has been broadened a lot, which means places like Strange can exist.
I think they have a more reasonable expectation of success, as opposed to the wild days 5 years ago when a new shop was opening up on every corner with a dozen taps.
It was fun while it lasted.
Now, if only someone would make a Gueze here. (I realize I am likely the only potential customer in this city of 4 million, but hey, a boy can dream).
At my current advanced age, various bodily mechanisms have kicked in that dont like hoppy beers, so my current choices are much reduced from my serious beer drinking days.
So the current situation of fewer choices, but better quality (as opposed to, say, 2018) is still pretty great, especially compared to 2008.

 

[jblaze5779]

The craft beer fad peaked here 4 or 5 years ago. Which is to say, the large scale interest and investment boom. The survivors are making better beer, but mostly more conservatively targeted and commercial.
At that time, there were probably 8 to 10 places within a half mile of my place where I could refill my growler.
Keg only production was cheaper than canned or bottled, which allowed for a lot of ambitious experimentation, some of which, of course, failed.
The idea of growlers in general was kind of a failed experiment- one which works really well in the USA, but was a brief fad here.
The actual growler bottles had to be imported from the US, and were pretty pricey to buy empty.
The rise of Patagonia in cans, widely available in convenient sizes with no refill trips required, caught on- convenience usually wins over nerdy quality standards.
I think many of the wackier brewers have given up, and the mass market has been taken over by Patagonia and Temple bar, with relatively small ranges of more recognizable beers.
But compared to ten years ago, when it was basically quilmes, heinecken, or stella, the beer choices today are so much better, and the argentine palate has been broadened a lot, which means places like Strange can exist.
I think they have a more reasonable expectation of success, as opposed to the wild days 5 years ago when a new shop was opening up on every corner with a dozen taps.
It was fun while it lasted.
Now, if only someone would make a Gueze here. (I realize I am likely the only potential customer in this city of 4 million, but hey, a boy can dream).
At my current advanced age, various bodily mechanisms have kicked in that dont like hoppy beers, so my current choices are much reduced from my serious beer drinking days.
So the current situation of fewer choices, but better quality (as opposed to, say, 2018) is still pretty great, especially compared to 2008.

Strange sometimes has bottle of 3F for purchase so you could get your fix there....

Any of the mass produced beers here run probably a 75% chance of getting something completely burnt or skunked. Patagonia is the only thing I will drink out of a bottle here. Not trying to be elitest or anything but I hate paying for poor product. Maybe it might have to do with living in the interior where that beer probably took a 16 hour trip across the desert and then sat in the sun in front of a kiosko for a few days before it was sold.

Stella and Corona are the worst for quality. Imperial is better but I think that has to do with the cans.

 

[Redpossum]

I’ve seen Strange Brewing when I searched for breweries but it was a little far out. I’ll try do a day trip there. You are right that beers here are super hit and miss. One man’s NEIPA here could be my IPA and one man’s IPA here could be my red ale. Temple have a good NEIPA but I tire of visiting them each time.

Is Beer Cellar in Palermo?

Originally I brought 16 cans of my favourite craft English brewery to share with my girlfriend but we have since exhausted our supply and I am craving a good NEIPA with an explicit hop profile

I don't know if you'd define it as "craft", but Andes Origen makes a very good beer. I like the red and blonde myself, but they make an IPA that is bitter AF, if that's what "explicit hop profile" means.

You can usually find it at almost any Carrefour Express. Yeah, I know, but try it.

 

[carride]

Strange sometimes has bottle of 3F for purchase so you could get your fix there....

Any of the mass produced beers here run probably a 75% chance of getting something completely burnt or skunked. Patagonia is the only thing I will drink out of a bottle here. Not trying to be elitest or anything but I hate paying for poor product. Maybe it might have to do with living in the interior where that beer probably took a 16 hour trip across the desert and then sat in the sun in front of a kiosko for a few days before it was sold.

Stella and Corona are the worst for quality. Imperial is better but I think that has to do with the cans.

Right, Stella and Corona are terrible beers anywhere in the world. A scam that they are promoted as premium. Then even worse they are more likely to “skunk” like all the other simple mass produced lagers like Budweiser when sitting at the wrong temperature.

 

[Che1990]

I recently moved to Colegiales, and live near Strange.

There is another great place a few blocks away, called Charlone (Freire y Lacroze) and they make their own beers on site, as well as being a nice “lugarcito” with internal patio and service so great it surprises you.

I recommend a visit there if you visit Strange too.

Buena Birra Social Club, also in this part of Colegiales, does good beer too.

 

[Jtee125]

I feel like patagonia is the best mass produced beer in argentina but not necessarily craft beer. It's made by Quilmes in Buenos Aires and marketed to look craft. It's is the most consistent in quality though.

I especially like the Patagonia "brewery" in Bariloche that doesn't actually brew beer.

What’s different about the one in Bariloche? Sorry, not quite sure I understand. I’m heading to Bariloche soon so will check it out

 

[jblaze5779]

What’s different about the one in Bariloche? Sorry, not quite sure I understand. I’m heading to Bariloche soon so will check it out

They have it all setup like it's brewed there but it's just a tourist trap that is extremely crowded where you wait to enter and drink beer that is brewed in Buenos Aires.