Amistad Beer

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Location: Voluntari, Ilfov county
Open since: July 2017
Brewers: Doru Negrei & Cătălin Minea

GENERAL INFORMATION:

Emerging unto the craft beer scene in July 2017, when their first beers were made available for sale, Amistad Beer is the coming together of an architect and a construction engineer who, after several years of home brewing on the kitchen hob, decided that the time has come to kick things up a notch and open a brewery. The name itself comes from Spanish, meaning ‘friendship’, and it tells the story of how the friendship between two brewers, Doru and Cătălin, and their marketing partner Bogdan, came to a fruitful result in the shape of beers.

Self-dubbed ‘the smallest microbrewery in Romania’, their initial 50 liter setup was dangerously straddling the border between brewery and glorified homebrewing, as it allowed for a maximum output of 100 liters per day. Either way, it doesn’t seem to have been a setback, as Amistad made its debut with a core range of surprising variety: 7 different beers, from IPAs and Porters to a bolder flavor approach, incorporating ingredients such as chili, chocolate or passion fruit.

In 2018, they started tweaking their recipes a bit, as well as tarting them up with new labels and names. Not only that, but their growing popularity has also seen them brewing limited edition batches for local bands, and even football clubs.

Early in 2019, they have increased their capacity with a 600 liter equipment, as well as brewing several batches at Carol Beer. Not long after, in September 2019, they announced the purchase of 6 new fermenting vessels, which took their output to a potential 5600 liters per month, thus ensuring that their beers will become available in an increasing selection of pubs and shops around the country.

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Old label design

PRODUCTS:

  • Red Riding Hood (previously Amistad Red Ale) – 5.10% ABV
  • Amistad Spicy Chocolate – Chili Chocolate Ale – 4.2% ABV
  • Amistad Patriot Ale – American Pale Ale – 4.96% ABV
  • London Knight (previously Amistad Brit Porter) – English Porter – 5.5% ABV
  • La Granadilla Indio (previously Amistad Indian Passion) – Passion Fruit IPA – 6.5% ABV
  • The Quick Brown Fox (previously Amistad Brown IPA) – Brown IPA – 4.75% ABV
  • From Dusk Till Dawn – Red IPA – 6.4% ABV
  • From India With Love (previously Amistad IPA) – IPA – 7% ABV
  • The Patriot’s Ale – American Pale Wheat Ale – 7% ABV
  • Saison (limited edition preview release) – 6.2% ABV
  • Saison IPA – 6.3% ABV
  • Pure Blonde – Pale Ale (brewed at Carol Beer) – 4.6% ABV
  • Quince Saison – 6.3% ABV

Contract brewing:

  • Partizan – American Pale Ale (1000 bottles limited edition brewed for the band Partizan) 
  • Locomotiva – Pale Ale (brewed for the supporters of Rapid Football Club) – 6.5% ABV
  • Switch.eat IPA – IPA (brewed for Switch.eat Bistro) – 6.5% ABV
  • Pure Blonde – Pale Ale (brewed for Grădina Eden) – 4.6% ABV
  • La Caliente – Lager with cardamom, Cayenne pepper & black pepper (brewed for 5th anniversary of Burger Van) – 5% ABV

For reviews, check out RateBeer, Untappd, BeerAdvocate and Universitatea de Bere.

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