Diari de Girona, August 2021.
Local producers reflect the landscape of the region in their beers, ciders, gins, or ratafias, and they organize visits and tastings to showcase their creations.
New Zealand and the Empordà converge at a point along the Parlavà road near Rupià, where the brewery DosKiwis is located. Judit Piñol, from Llofriu, and Michael Jones, a New Zealander, combine elements from their places of origin to produce their craft beer. “Our drinks are modern and internationally influenced,” explains Michael. Next to the brewing area, they have a tasting zone where customers can try any of the eight varieties on tap.
“When someone comes, we try to find the beer that suits them best,” highlights Judit. Outside, there is a kitchen and an outdoor table area serving casual dishes.
Judit and Michael met in 2010 in London. She had found work as a model, and he worked in fashion. They were soon united by a passion for artisanal products, including beer. During a trip to Australia, they saw friends set up a microbrewery. “I was impressed, not just by the craft process of making beer, but by the community it created around it,” recalls Judit. During holidays, they also took the opportunity to visit the Empordà. “I always said we had to come live here,” says Michael, “it’s a place full of opportunities.”
In 2014, they started brewing at home, and the DosKiwis brand was born. “The kiwi is an endemic bird of New Zealand and also the demonym for its inhabitants,” explains Judit. At the end of 2017, they found the site in Rupià, and by early 2019, they made their first batch and opened the tasting area. They themselves have furnished the terrace with second-hand furniture and even built a barbecue from a stove and a gas drum.
“We are very proud of our Rupianum, made entirely with local ingredients,” emphasizes Michael. The hops come from Cassà de la Selva and Crespià, and they buy malt from Sant Pere Sallavinera, in Anoia, one of the few small-scale Catalan malt producers. “Craft beer in Catalonia is just beginning. Gradually, more local ingredient producers will emerge,” predicts Judit.
Judit illustrates the integration of DosKiwis into the local circular economy. A farmer from Parlavà takes the spent grains—the leftover plant matter from brewing—to feed the calves he raises, and later, the restaurant serves Wagyu burgers made from the meat they buy from him.
“In the future, we want to increase our production,” says Michael. DosKiwis has already made its mark on the craft beer map, attracting curious locals as well as beer-loving tourists from afar to discover the Rupià brewery.
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