SPAIN'S first-ever beer museum is now open in the far north-western region of Galicia – another great excuse to explore a part of the country not on the Costa package trip trail.
Its founders hope the MEGA museum will become a world-renowned attraction and that tourists will make a 'pilgrimage' to this new 'beer cathedral'.
Given that the MEGA is in the city of A Coruña, the capital of the province of the same name which is home to the famous pilgrims' cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, it is likely this mission statement was carefully chosen.
Anyone who has ever set foot in Spain will have heard of Estrella beer – this comes from Galicia and gives the museum its name: Mundo Estrella Galicia ('Galicia Estrella World'), shortened to MEGA.
'Estrella' is the Spanish word for 'star', and the six-point star was always the logo on an ale bottle in the days when few but the most highly-educated could read or write, so they knew what they were drinking.
The six points of the star depict the number of steps required in making beer.
Visitors start by entering a giant atrium and then walk into a huge revolving beer glass.
They are given a wristband at the entrance so they can personalise their visit in their chosen language and which allows them to see virtual-reality footage of the history and manufacturing of beer.
According to the information in the museum, beer was invented over 10,000 years ago – at exactly the time the human race had finished its evolutionary process, meaning the drink is as old as the species which consumes it.
It originated in the Middle East, and some of the earliest real ale masters were based in Egypt – a country where, ironically, beer is now only available in major tourism hotspots and carries a fairly hefty price.
Panels in Spanish, English and the Galician regional language take visitors through the ages of beer, particularly the Mediaeval era when ale was the drink of choice for monks.
The tour, which visitors can make at their own pace or via a guided trip, ends with a beer-tasting session of five very different varieties, and the opportunity to take part in an ale-making workshop.
Tickets can be bought online and the museum, open Tuesday to Sunday inclusive, has space for up to 800 people at a time.
Although famous for its wine, Spain is also a great consumer of beer – cosmopolitan parts of the coast celebrate Oktoberfest every year, and the country has plenty of its own manufacturers.
Recent research carried out in Madrid and Castilla-La Mancha has found alcohol-free beer has several health benefits, including protecting against neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, and also improves insulin levels in patients with Type II diabetes.
