The Famous Patagonian Hops and the Explosion of Craft Beer

Associated with summer evenings and meet-ups with friends, beer has always been a popular alcoholic drink with Argentinians. Its massive consumption was driven by industrial production, with a local market consisting of a handful of brands selling classic lagers.

But the way in which Argentinians consumed this drink underwent a radical change around ten years ago, with Argentinian Patagonia at the epicenter. This region came to be the fountainhead of local craft beer, which quickly developed into a phenomenon throughout the country.

In the Andean region, specifically in the provinces of Chubut and Río Negro, hops were being grown and harvested. As one of the main ingredients of modern beer, they add bitterness, aroma, and flavor. 

Today, 77% of all hops produced in Argentina are grown in cities and rural locations in the Andean region. The town of El Bolsón was the launching pad, and then others such as El Hoyo and Lago Puelo followed suit. The Nugget and Cascade varieties of hops are the most widespread.

Apart from the local production of hops, the phenomenon of craft beer was also driven by two important features of Argentina: the purity of its water and the extensive production of high-quality barley in its fields.

The development of hops at a local level opened the door to experimentation, and many families and small businesses began making craft beer. They combined different ingredients, hops, and cereals to create beers with unique and varied flavors.

In 2018, Argentinian researchers discovered the yeast S. eubayanus in Patagonian forests. This finding revolutionized the local beer industry, as it is the mother of lager yeast, and today is used to make 95% of beer globally.

Argentinians were fascinated by the new craft beers, and over time some family businesses have grown into large companies, with products available throughout the country, opening bars in numerous cities, and making versions in cans and bottles.

Apart from the locally produced hops and cereals, Argentinian craft beers also started to include ingredients with particularly indigenous flavors, like elderberry and calafate berry.

Indian Pale Ale (IPA) is the star of the local boom in craft beer. It is a style of beer with a high alcohol content and an intense aroma and bitterness characterized by the high concentration of hops.

Apart from the small, medium-sized, and large producers, in recent years, many people have taken to experimenting, making their own craft beers at home for their personal consumption.

Almost every city in the country now has its own craft breweries, whether these belong to national chains or local brands. They are popular meeting places for after-work catch-ups with friends, or as a day or evening out on the weekend.

Each of these bars curates beers from different areas of Argentina, which are paired with fast-food style gastronomy such as hamburgers, sandwiches, fries, or other types of snacks.