Craft Beer for Beginners: Your First Visit to a Tenerife Craft Beer Bar

You're on holiday in Tenerife South, someone told you about a craft beer bar in La Tejita, and now you're staring at a menu with 286 beers and names like "Grodziskie" and "Quadrupel". Don't panic. This guide will turn you from confused tourist into confident beer explorer in about six minutes.

First things first: what IS craft beer?

Craft beer is beer made by small, independent breweries that prioritize flavor and quality over mass production. Think of it as the difference between a chain coffee shop and a specialty roaster — same basic product, completely different experience.

The beers you know — Heineken, Budweiser, Estrella — are industrial lagers. They're designed to be inoffensive and consistent. Craft beer goes the opposite direction: bold flavors, unique recipes, seasonal ingredients, and brewers who actually care about what's in your glass.

The main styles you'll see on any craft beer menu

Lager / Pilsner — The familiar one

Light, crisp, refreshing. If you drink Estrella or San Miguel, you already know what a lager tastes like. Craft lagers are the same family but with more character — cleaner, more hop aroma, better ingredients. Start here if you're nervous.

IPA (India Pale Ale) — The popular one

Hoppy, aromatic, sometimes bitter. IPAs are the bestseller of craft beer worldwide. They come in many subtypes: Hazy/NEIPA (juicy, fruity, low bitterness — great for beginners), West Coast (classic, bitter, piney), and Session (low alcohol, easy drinking).

Wheat Beer / Witbier — The summer one

Smooth, slightly sweet, often with orange peel and coriander. Belgian witbiers and German hefeweizens are perfect for hot Tenerife afternoons. If you like Corona with lime, you'll love a good wheat beer.

Stout / Porter — The dark one

Don't let the color scare you. Dark beers aren't necessarily strong or bitter. A milk stout can taste like chocolate milkshake. A coffee porter tastes exactly like what the name says. Some are even lighter in body than a regular lager.

Sour / Gose — The adventurous one

Tart, fruity, sometimes salty. Sour beers are like the natural wine of beer — they're polarizing, but if you click with them, nothing else compares. Many are fruit-forward: raspberry, cherry, passionfruit.

Belgian — The complex one

Belgian ales are their own universe. Tripels are strong and golden. Dubbels are dark and caramel-sweet. Lambics are wild-fermented and funky. At Rock N Hopz we have 61 Belgian references — one of the largest selections in the Canary Islands.

How to order when you don't know what you want

Here's a secret: the staff at good craft beer bars love helping beginners. That's literally the fun part of the job. At Rock N Hopz, just walk up to the bar and say:

• "I usually drink [whatever you normally drink]" — and we'll find something in that flavor family
• "I want something fruity / something bitter / something light" — flavor descriptions work great
• "What's good on tap right now?" — we always have fresh recommendations
• "Can I try before I buy?" — yes, always. We'll pour you a small taste of anything on draft

You can also use our online beer catalog to browse all 286 beers before you visit. Filter by style, country, ABV, or use the flavor wheel to find beers that match your taste profile.

Draft vs. bottle: what's the difference?

Draft (grifo) — Beer served fresh from the tap. Usually the freshest option, especially for hop-forward styles like IPAs. We have 14 rotating draft lines, meaning there's always something new.

Bottle/can — Our 270+ bottled beers include styles and breweries you won't find on tap. Specialty beers, barrel-aged releases, and rare imports live here.

Pro tip: If it's your first time, start with a draft beer. The staff can describe exactly what each tap is pouring right now, and you can taste before committing.

How to read a beer label

The key numbers:

• ABV (Alcohol By Volume) — The strength. A session beer is 3-5%. A standard craft beer is 5-7%. Anything above 8% is strong — pace yourself.
• IBU (International Bitterness Units) — How bitter it is. Under 25 is mild. 40-60 is moderate. Above 70 is bitter. Note: some very bitter beers don't taste bitter because sweetness balances it out.
• Style — The category (IPA, Stout, Lager, etc.). This tells you what to broadly expect.

What to eat with craft beer

Our food menu is designed to pair with beer. Some classic combos:

• IPA + burger — The bitterness cuts through the fat. Our Pampa Negra smash burger with a fresh IPA from the tap is the most popular combo in the house.
• Wheat beer + lighter food — Salads, fish, our bites menu
• Stout + cheese board — The roasted malt flavors complement aged cheeses perfectly
• Sour + anything spicy — The acidity cleanses your palate between bites

Your first visit to Rock N Hopz

We're at C. Hernán Cortés 2, La Tejita — two minutes walk from the beach. No TVs, no football, just good music (rock and roll, obviously), great beer, and people who genuinely enjoy helping you discover something new.

Open Monday, Thursday through Sunday. Kitchen serves food all day. Full hours and directions here.

Don't worry about not knowing anything. That's exactly what we're here for.