On December 2, we had the opportunity to visit the organic brewery of Borda Beers.
Menchu and Felipe decided to establish the organic beer factory in the small municipality of Aineto, located in the Guarguera Valley (Alto Gállego, Huesca), with the aim of promoting economic activity in this sparsely populated rural area. In May 2016, they created the “Bebidas y Maridajes de Aineto Cooperative Society,” where Borda beers are produced — a product that is not only local but also artisanal and organic. The factory is located in a building provided by the Government of Aragón, refurbished as a beer workshop to meet all health regulations. The production process of the craft beer begins with the selection of raw materials from organic origins, including malt sourced from Belgium and hops grown in León. In the factory, the malt is milled and mixed with hot water during the mashing process, allowing fermentable sugars to be extracted from the grain. Notably, the water used is heated using solar panels, contributing to the sustainability of the process.
After mashing, the resulting wort is separated from the solid remains through filtering, and then boiled with hops, which provide the characteristic aroma and bitterness. After boiling, the wort is rapidly cooled to reach the appropriate temperature before yeast is added, initiating the fermentation process.
The wort ferments in isobaric tanks for a week at controlled temperatures between 18 and 24°C. During this stage, the sugars are converted into alcohol and CO2. Once fermentation is complete, the beer undergoes a two-week maturation process at low temperatures (between 2 and 4°C), allowing suspended particles to settle and resulting in a clearer, more balanced-flavored beer.
In the factory, isobaric bottling is carried out, and production is demand-driven, considering that the production process takes approximately a month and a half.
The final product is partly bottled and partly kegged. Of the approximately 20,000 liters produced annually, most are sold directly. They offer between 7 and 8 different types of beers.
