Lorenzo Quinn: Beer Pump Sculpture for Barcelona Auditorium

One of the most artistic and impressive beer pumps I have ever seen (I've seen many!) is this sculpture that Lorenzo Quinn dedicated to L'Auditori of Barcelona (Barcelona Auditorium).

The bronze sinewy arm holding a golden jar of San Miguel beer is just a tiny drop in the vast collection of the famous sculptor born in Rome in 1966, son of Anthony Quinn and Jolanda Addolori and brother of four.

At present he lives in Barcelona with his wife Giovanna and their two sons, Christopher and Nicolás.

He studied art at the American Academy of Fine Arts in New York.

Moritz Beer is Here to Stay

Moritz is an old brand of beer still present in the collective mind of Barcelona, in spite of the fact that the factory was shut down in 1978 due to financial problems. Moritz became the first big brewery in Spain by 1864 although it had been founded some years before (in 1856) as a small factory in the Raval quarter by Louis Moritz Trautman, an Alsatian brewer. Moritz company came to life again in 2004 and the 1864 brewery of Ronda Sant Antoni was commissioned to famous architect Jean Nouvel for restoration. The place is to become a new leisure and gastronomic project called “Fábrica Moritz” and is due to open in 2007. As a curiosity you should know that the basement of the building is a wonderful sample of XIX industrial architecture according to experts. The brand is easily recognizable by a blue M on top of a canary yellow background as seen in this picture of a van at the entrance of Fira de Barcelona venue. The company has reinvented itself not long ago by means of an aggressive and clever marketing campaign that associates itself with major Barcelona city assets. Its most fierce competitors San Miguel and Estrella Damm (featured in Barcelona Photoblog some months ago, see Damm Group post here), are still the predominant brands, especially Estrella, but Moritz is squeezing itself into the little niches big brothers neglect such as a more direct relationship with clients, an impeccable efficiency in production (now you can buy it almost at any bar in Barcelona after only two years of relaunching itself), an attractive design and what's more important an exquisite flavor.

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Estrella Damm, Damm Good Catalan Beer

One hundred and thirty forty years  is enough time for a beer to be prestigious and renown.

Founded in 1876, the Damm Beer Group has consolidated as one of the most solid beer brewers in Spain. The Catalan beer reinvents itself every year with aggressive and successful campaigns like the Monoblock 2006 and 2008 with Custo Barcelona among others or their sponsorship in many sports events especially soccer games.

Aside from other products sold by the group likeVoll-Damm, Inedit, Daura, Xibeca, Free Damm, Damm Lemon, Bock-Damm, AK Damm, Saar or Redeberger, it is Estrella Damm, by far, the most popular beer in Catalan bars. 

Such is the popularity that instead of saying 'a beer please', you say 'give me a Estrella'. Moritz, an old competitor, has regained position in the market in the last years. But there is an enormous list of crafted beers made in Catalonia that are knocking at the door of consumers and that are by far, much more pleasant if you are into finding new flavors. We old buddies from the block gathering around the counter are still fond of classic stuff, be it because of quality, tradition or commercials.

Here is a full view of the Damm brewery  and a link to the Damm Group Site and the Estrella Damm web site where you can learn about its history or watch their gallery.

Biker's Beer Pump at Escriba's in Barcelona

Today it was a holiday, so we went to take a walk along the beach now that warm days are coming to an end. The day was sunny but a little foggy so most of my pictures came out dull and boring. We approached this restaurant with terrace facing the beach called The Xiringuito of Escribà, yes the same family that runs the pastry shops at Las Ramblas (remember my post: Antigua Casa Figueras ) and Gran Via, and while waiting for the waiter to accommodate us I set eyes on this beautiful beer pump fancied after a motorbike engine. The small letters on each side read "Escriba since 1908" and "For rock 'n' roll and its faithful beer drinkers", see detail here.