Photo credit: Jordi Beltrán Hermosilla
With a decade of experience, the Barcelona Beer Festival (BBF) is well established as the leading craft beer event in southern Europe. But this festival is much more than a meeting point for producers and enthusiasts, it is also an example of good practices and a commitment to sustainability.
From beer lovers for beer lovers
Every year, the Barcelona Beer Festival brings together thousands of beer lovers and industry professionals to celebrate and spread the culture of craft beer. For three days, the city becomes the beer capital of the world, with lots of activities and thousands of attendees who can taste the latest new features in the market and be surprised by the variety of flavours and aromas to be found.
Born from the brewing passion of its founders, Mikel Rius, Salva Marimón, Rubén Río and Joan Fiol, the main objective of the BBF is to be a recreational and, at the same time, gastronomic space that values the brewing craft and careful and artisanal production. As a result, the festival has initiatives such as Beer Informers, who help visitors find the beer that best suits their tastes, the InnBrew, a meeting point for industry professionals, the Barcelona Beer Challenge, which rewards the best beers of the year, and the Gastro Show, a gastronomic exhibition in which beer is understood as another expression of the culture and gastronomy of a country. In this respect, the BBF is committed to inviting projects linked to craft beer and local products, in order to promote a constant dialogue with the region.
Sustainability in its DNA
Beyond following a trend, the festival is committed to social and environmental responsibility as part of its identity. Sustainability is fully integrated into the Barcelona Beer Fest and is an aspect that is present in all its decisions. That’s why the organization has professionals trained in the Environment and Renewable Energy and uses impact matrices to evaluate each action.
This philosophy is reflected in a number of initiatives aimed at minimizing the environmental impact of the festival and focusing on adding value to the region. One of the highlights is the selection of responsible suppliers, prioritizing those that use local ingredients and follow sustainable processes. In addition, the use of single-use plastics has been completely eliminated (they were pioneers in the use of glass cups), a self-service system has been developed to rinse glasses efficiently and reduce water consumption, beer is only served in recyclable kegs to avoid the use of bottles and cans, and reusable design is favoured in information and signage elements, among many other actions.
A safe, inclusive and ever-evolving space
The BBF also places special emphasis on the inclusion and safety of attendees. The festival is fully accessible for people with reduced mobility and has developed a protocol for prevention and action in case of harassment, in order to ensure an environment of respect and coexistence.
Actions such as these have made the festival a benchmark in the sector; a responsibility that the organization sees as an opportunity to further amplify the positive impact it generates. This is why it works to continue giving visibility to local projects that care for the region, and in order to improve everything related to sustainability. To achieve this they have the advice of experts from the Barcelona Commitment to Sustainable Tourism a, who will help them to identify areas for improvement and set new objectives. The BBF will thereby continue with its mission to promote craft beer as a fundamental part of the Catalan gastronomic culture and to promote a festival model that is committed to quality, sustainability and connection with the region.
In 2025 the Barcelona Beer Festival will be held on 11, 12 and 13 April.
If you are a Biosphere company certified by the Barcelona Commitment to Sustainable Tourism and you are interested in attending and supporting the consumption of craft and local beer in your establishment, Barcelona Beer Festival makes it easy with an invitation that includes free attendance to the training and the masterclass on Friday, plus €5 in consumption preloaded on wristbands. All you have to do is apply for it at jfiol@bcnbeerfest.com
