Part of the rich gastronomy of Spain is the diverse array of beverages available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. As I mentioned in my post about breakfast, strong, espresso-like coffee is a common morning beverage, as well as hot chocolate and fresh orange juice. One thing that surprised me about living in Spain is that water is not complimentary, and often is more expensive than wine, beer, and soda.
Sevilla is particularly famous for Cruzcampo, a local beer that can be found on tap at every bar and restaurant in the city. A few years ago, Cruzcampo was bought by the Heineken corporation, but production of the light, crisp pilsner continues in Sevilla.
Spain also produces a lot of wine, with a huge assortment of local varietals available. Although Spain is famous for sangria, locals prefer a drink called tinto de verano, which is a red wine mixed with a lemon soda, similar to Sprite of 7-Up. During the fería in April and May, a famous Sevilla drink is rebujita, a similar drink to tinto de verano, but made with manzanilla, a fortified wine from Cadiz (a coastal province in Andalusia). Finally, sherry or jerez is another kind of fortified wine originating in Spain, often consumed as an aperitif or digestif.
Although Spaniards drink wine, beer, sherry, cognac, and other alcohol on a daily basis, they are always consumed in small, healthy portions. Although there are so many available beverages in Spain, these are the most common ones that I encountered in my time there.
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