Last updated on May 8, 2019
Vikings and craft beer snobs rejoice! Ølgod craft beer bar brings a touch of Scandinavian sophistication to Barcelona’s bohemian Raval neighbourhood.
The Vibe
Squirrelled away between the Halal butchers and Punjabi supermarkets of Carrer de Hospital, you’d be forgiven for completely missing this stunning Norse-themed temple of beerology. Shadeless lamps shine brightly over the crisp white walls, illuminating fairytale drawings of unicorns, trolls, pixies and beautiful forest fairies – the first hint (unless you know from the name) at the bar’s Danish heritage.
Ølgod ~ “Beer God” in Danish
The Beer
A twenty-something-foot long concrete bar almost spans the entire length of the room, with 30 taps sparkling and seducing under the lights. Only about twenty of them were in use on my visit, but, to be fair, they’d only been open a couple of weeks.
Like the more mature but smaller sister bar, Kaelderkold – Yes, that’s why it looks so familiar! – there’s a great selection of Danish beers to choose from, as well as local Catalan brews and a good selection from other parts of Scandinavia and the UK.
Other standout features include a creative “beer cocktail” menu, which includes 15 varieties such as the “Beer Pirinha”, “Black Russian”, “Ølgod Shandy” and “Nordic Sour”. I haven’t tried them here, but I’ve had one or two at Kaelderkold and they were surprisingly satisfying.
The Food
With more space to play with than Kaelderkold, the atmosphere lends itself more to the idea of having something to nibble on whilst quaffing your way through the beers. A very well priced tapas menu features beer-friendly flavours such as patatas bravas, hummus, paté, nachos with guacamole, pickles and veggie burgers.
Yes, it is all vegetarian! A throw back, perhaps, to the venue’s previous incarnation as a vegetarian/vegan restaurant known as Juicy Jones – who ever knew it was owned by the same people!
In a Nutshell
A simple and modest space that offers a comfortable setting for enjoying serious beers from serious brewers, this is my kind of craft beer bar. I think the owners have managed to improve on what they’ve achieved with Kaelderkold – more beer taps, more space, more food – and if the prices were about a euro cheaper per glass, I’d probably spend an unhealthy amount of my time here.
Make it Happen
Address: Carrer de l’Hospital, 74, 08001 (Click to see in Google Maps)
Nearest Metro: 5-minute walk from Liceu (Green line)
Phone: 934439082
Opening Times: 5pm-2:30am
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Want more? Check out my guide to the best craft beer bars in Barcelona here!
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[…] a visit to a local beer bar. With over 30 taps pouring both local and international craft beer, Ølgod is the perfect option tasting artisan brews in Barcelona. You can even try their famous beer cocktails. Don’t worry […]