A Hap Beer of Kings

Hello again! As promised, I said I would talk about my travels to the two people who actually might read this blog. Well ok, maybe more than two. Say three or four. Anyway, I thought I would start my recap of my amazing travels talking about beer. Yes, beer. It is one of the things that I share in common with my daddy. I like beer. Root beer, ginger beer, beer. Beer beer beer. One of the great things about travelling is that not only can you see the museums and sights of a city but you can also sample the local brews. Travelling through Spain has given me the opportunity to sample many of the country's lagers.

One of the most popular lagers in the country is Cruzcampo. It is considered to be the biggest beer producer in Spain. Founded in 1904 by Roberto Osborne and Agustin Osborne in Sevilla it took the name of La Cruz del Campo (The Cross of the Field) because of a cross that stood in the middle of the field. It still stands today next to the brewery in Sevilla. Not that I've been there. Yet. Cruzcampo is owned by the Heineken brewery who bought it from Guinness. Their logo is the figure of King Gambrinus (who I am posing with in the picture above - outside the Cervecería Gambrinus in Toledo).

King Gambrinus, known as "the patron saint of beer," has long been a universal symbol of beer and brewing. But who was Gambrinus? I need to open another beer first before I answer. Ok, in 1891, George Ehret a great New York City brewer (although I've actually never heard of him), published a book entitled Twenty-Five Years of Brewing. In his book, Ehret briefly commented on the origins of King Gambrinus:

"While some attribute the invention of hopped malt-beer to Jan Primus (John I), ..others ascribe it to Jean Sans Peur (1371-1419), otherwise known as Ganbrivius. A corruption of either name may plausibly be shown to have resulted in the present name of the King of Beer...popular imagination, it seems, attached such great importance to beer, that in according the honor of its invention, it could not be satisfied with anything less than a king."

Whew! Those are a lot of big words. Good thing I cut and pasted there!

Anyways, Cruzcampo is a very refreshing lager. Perfect on a hot summer afternoon or any afternoon for that matter. So, I guess this blog didn't really talk about my recent travels but I'll save that for my next post.