Next Saturday, September 20, La Plaza del Agua in the Marina of Valencia, next to Tinglado 2, will celebrate the 6th Edition of ‘World Paella Day’, a gastronomic experience that will pay tribute to the epicentre of the Mediterranean pantry with 12 chefs from around the world. The celebration will not only highlight our most universal dish, but also Valencian craft beers. Bierwinkel demonstrates that paella was created here and that we have also entered the craft world with a vending machine.

Althaia and Zeta are the Valencian Craft Beer® beers that will be present at World Paella Day and will be tasted by both the public and participating chefs from France, Poland, Denmark, Romania, Bulgaria, Mexico, Uruguay, Colombia, Brazil, Puerto Rico, China, and Japan. Each of them brings a story, a recipe, and a passion for rice that makes them ambassadors of paella in their cultures. And, along with all their companions, they will also experience the quality of a significant sample of craft beers produced in Valencia.

For the first time, the event will run all day, with semi-finals in the morning and a grand finale in the afternoon. This time, the offering will be balanced, with both non-alcoholic and alcoholic beers. Attendees will appreciate this opportunity, as they can enjoy the culinary spectacle from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., purchase portions of Valencian paella for five euros, and immerse themselves in the festive atmosphere of this global celebration with a much more relaxed atmosphere. Everyone will enjoy the hint of Mosaic hops from Zeta Hell with floral and herbal notes; a championship non-alcoholic IPA, Zeta’s BE-LOW. Althaia also presents two non-alcoholic beers, a toasted one and an IPA, along with its Mediterranean Lager, with citrus notes from hops; and Flama, a smoky blonde lager that fits perfectly with a paella gastronomic event.

Zeta Beer, founded in 2013 and with 12 years of experience under its belt, was born from the passion of two young Valencian engineers. With a strong commitment to bottom-fermented (lager) styles, they soon began to stand out for the high quality and differentiation of this type of beer in their portfolio. Today, they offer more than 20 different beers spanning the entire spectrum of categories and a line of ultra-hopped, trend-setting beers. All of them are based on four pillars: Helles Lager, American IPA, Amber Ale, and Hefeweizen, four classic styles that can be enjoyed year-round.

Althaia Beers, the most awarded brewery in the Valencian Community and one of the most recognized nationally, joins the celebration with a product that perfectly matches the spirit of the event. With 11 years of experience and more than 40 medals—30 of them international—Althaia will premiere its new Mediterranean Tostada Sin, an alcohol-free and gluten-free beer that expands its commitment to quality and innovation. Its Mediterranean IPA Sin Alcohol has been awarded best alcohol-free beer at the international Barcelona Beer Challenge for three consecutive years, and has been recognized by El Comidista as “a sin that tastes like con.” During the event, a selection of its most outstanding beers will be offered, reaffirming the role of craft beer as an ambassador of Mediterranean flavour.

Since 1992, Bierwinkel has been the leading importer and distributor of European beers in Spain, selecting the most iconic beers of all types, fermentations, colours, alcohol levels, formats, and origins from each country, bringing them closer to our culture and raising awareness of them.

Back in 2002, Bierwinkel created its own Finest Beers Selection, joining forces, expertise, and expansion guarantees with the Belgian brewery John Martin, SA. In 2010, the German breweries Dinkelacker and Sanwald joined forces with the Belgian breweries Huyghe, Bosteels, and Belgoo Beer. A few years later, the Het Anker and Chimay breweries joined forces to consolidate and expand this unique and select brewing joint venture in Spain. They are also working intensively on the introduction and marketing of craft beers from the Valencian Community. A good example of this has been the development and implementation of the Valencian Craft Beer® concept.

Last year, it sold 19,000 hl of beer in Spain, 69% of which was Belgian, as this country is the birthplace of European beer, followed by Germany with 11%, Ireland with 9%, craft beers from the Valencian Community with 9%, and other geographical origins with 2%.

Report by ‘24/7 Valencia’ team

Article copyright ‘24/7 Valencia’

More info: https://worldpaelladay.org/en/world-paella-day-september-20/