La Osita, great craft beer (and big plans) in La Latina
La Osita is a newly opened bar in the heart of La Latina, created by two beer lovers from the UK, David and Patrick, who are also the founders of the Madrid-based Oso Brew Co. Come pay them a visit, enjoy some refreshing beers and stay tuned, as they’ve got some very cool beer-related plans in the works!
How it all started
The story of La Osita started over ten years ago when David and Patrick met during Erasmus in Madrid (at an Irish pub), and they’ve been dreaming of coming back ever since. With David’s experience in the food and beverage industry, and Patrick’s experience working at one of London’s leading craft breweries, Anspach & Hobday, they make the perfect duo.
When they returned to Madrid a year ago, they founded Oso Brew Co. and started selling their beers at popups in Mercado de Vallehermoso, a great neighborhood food market. It was the perfect place to test their brews with the locals, as patrons could pair them with foods from a myriad of stalls. And they got particularly interesting feedback from the elderly Spaniards, who had been content with their Mahous yet ventured to try something new and liked it!
Just this March, they founded their own bar, La Osita, right on one of Madrid’s most beloved bar-hopping streets, Calle Cava Baja.
When you walk in you’ll see their daily beer selection listed on the chalkboard. The first two options are their homemade brews – citrus cream ale and cerveza de mesa (table beer) – which they make at a local brewery in Alcobendas, Cervecera Península.
Here’s what was listed on the chalkboard the day we went!
The day we went, they were also serving beer from A&H (UK) and Augustiner (Munich), as well as several types of Peninsula beers on tap – supporting and working with industry neighbors is important to them. They also offer a hand-picked selection of whiskeys, gins and wine. We didn’t get to try any of them, since we were busy sampling all the great beers, so we’ll have to go back!
What we had
When we went to La Osita on a Saturday afternoon, we grabbed a seat at the bar so Patrick and David could tell us about Oso Brew’s story and all the beers they have on offer, as well as the exciting plans for the near future. As we were there, parties of Spaniards and foreigners alike were trickling in off La Cava Baja.
We sampled several different types of beers they had on tap that night. We started off with their home brews. My favorite was the citrus one – it was light and really refreshing, and had the perfect touch of citrus. And James’ favorite was the table beer, because it was clean, balanced and “so easy to drink.”
We also tried the Galactic Sunrise from Peninsula, which had an intense burst of flavor that came from “double dry hopping” (you can ask the guys what that means!). And we finished off with a delicious dark beer, Three Threads Porter from Anspach & Hobday. It had chocolate and coffee flavors that derive primarily from the malts used and how they’re roasted. Fun fact: apparently, this is a favorite among the elderly Spanish women.
The front area is small enough that you’ll likely strike up a conversation with the party next to you. And that’s perfectly fine. There are also a few tables in the back where you can sit down with your friends. David said it can be used for birthday parties and the like (just call ahead to book).
Although they don’t currently offer a menu, they make it a point to maintain the (wonderful) tradition of offering complementary tapas with every round of drinks. And not just potato chips, but good chorizo and cheese.
What’s in store: a restaurant and brew pub!
They have a kitchen downstairs where they’re planning on inviting up-and-coming chefs to work for three to four months at a time. They’re also planning on opening a “brew pub” in the near future (a hybrid between a brewery and a pub). There’s no set location yet but they want it to be within the “M-30.”
So for now, come check out La Osita on Cava Baja and grab yourself a drink (or two, or three). If you’re not sure what kind of beer to order, Patrick and David will be happy to tell you all about the different options and even let you taste them before you make your final decision. And if you’re not in the mood for beer, they’ll fix you a G&T, a glass of whiskey, or a copa de vino. Cheers!
Photography by Matthew Curtis (pelliclemag.com & totalales.co.uk)
La Osita
- Website, Facebook & Instagram: @laositamadrid & @osobrewco
- Address: Cava Baja 10
- Metro: La Latina