Water & Soil

Galicia gets plenty of rain, and it falls on ancient rock. The bedrock across much of the region is granite and slate. Such stone gives water very few minerals, which is why water from these areas is generally considered soft. There are no documented hardness figures for individual brewing water sources here, but the trend is clear.

Soft water lets hop bitterness come through gently. A lager that relies on this tends to taste round rather than sharp. During mashing—soaking the malt in warm water—low mineral content also keeps the process smooth. That suits a beer meant above all to be easy-drinking.

At Hijos de Rivera, water also has its own history. In the early years, the A Coruña factory sold ice and water, with beer initially just one part of the business. In 1994, the family invested in Cabreiroá, a mineral water brand from Verín in the province of Ourense. To this day, the company produces water and beer side by side.

According to the producer, 1906 Reserva Especial is brewed with water from A Coruña. The city's climate is mild and humid, with barely any hard frost in winter. There's no need for aging cellars dug into mountainsides here—maturation happens in precisely temperature-controlled tanks. The Tower of Hercules, the Roman lighthouse overlooking the city, has stood in the same Atlantic wind as the brewery for centuries.