Alcohol in Spain – Prices and laws
How much are alcoholic beverages in Spanish stores? How much will the glass of beer or wine cost in the bar? Where allowed and forbidden to drive alcohol? Read the answers in our article.
Alcohol prices in stores
Beer. Price – from 0.8 to 1.5 euros per bank (bottle) 0.5 liters.
The first option to save – buy large packages at 12, 24, and even 28 and 30 pieces. Then the beer can cost 0.6-0.8 euros for the bank.
The second option to save – go to a large supermarket and buy on stocks. For example, at the time of actualization of this article (January 2020) in Carrefour you can buy a car of beer "Carrefour Holland" 0.33l in just 0.25 euros or 0.5 liter of Mahou beer for 0.68 euros.
The main rule for buying beer cheap: Look for a big supermarket.
Third option – order delivery to hotel in online supermarkets. Of course, they do not have the Russian version, but there is English. Use the translator in the browser, and you can order without problems. Most Popular Online Supermarkets: Carrefour.es, supercostablanca.es, supermercado.Eroski.es.
Beer lovers will recommend the best local inedit brand. It is expensive beer – from 3 euros per bottle, but it is worth it. The taste is very unusual, added: coriander, laccant and orange peel. Other famous Spanish brands: Estrella Galicia 1906, Ambar Export, Mahou Maestra, San Miguel 1516.
Wine. Price – from 2 euros for a bottle of 0.75 liters.
And even for 2 euros in Spain to buy a good wine, even delicious. High Quality Wine (in Spanish Concepts) will cost 4 to 8 euros. Dear brands in gift wrapping: from 15 euros and above, above, above.
Drinking wine in Spain is more profitable than beer, however, as in almost all countries of the Mediterranean.
Most popular varieties: Tempranillo, Rioja Tempranillo, Rioja Garnacha Tinta, Rioja Graciano, Rioja Mazuelo, Garnacha, Albarino, Airen.
Vodka. Meets in Spanish stores in a very narrow assortment. Price – from 8 euros for a bottle of 0.5l.
Watch out for stocks. At the time of writing the article in Carrefour Bottle Smirnoff 1l – 11.95 euros, Absolut 1l – 17.35 euros.
Whiskey. Price – from 10 euros for a bottle of 0.75l.
Price examples: Jim Beam – 10-14 euros for 0.7 liters; Ballantine’s – 16-20 for 1l; Johnnie Walker Red – 17-22 for 1l; Jameson – 23-28 for 1l; Jack Daniel’s – 19-25 for 0.7l.
If prices in Spanish stores are not satisfied, then some of the alcohol can be brought with them. Read the details in our article "What can I bring to Spain and how much".
Prices in cafes and restaurants
A glass of beer in a cafe – from 2 to 4 euros, in restaurants – from 5 to 10.
Wine glass in a cafe – from 2 to 3 euros, in a restaurant – from 4 to 6.
Different volumes of alcoholic beverages in the Bars of Spain have their names. 0.33 liters – "Kanya", 0.5 liters – "Cop", 0.6 liters (Pinta) – "Herah". If you want to order a bottle of wine, remember the word "Botella" ("Bottle" in Spanish).
In some cafe price of drink can be different, depending on where you drink it. At the table more expensive, per bar counter cheaper. See the menu attentively.
Forbidden hours
Alcohol sale is prohibited from 22-00 to 07-00. The ban is valid throughout the country. The law applies to shops and cafes, and bars, and restaurants. However, the Spaniards do not like to comply with the laws, and it would be possible to buy beer after 22-00, it would be desire. Usually, the law neglected street snacks.
In the resort zones, the bars in hotels often violate the law. They are not exactly caught, because the police unnoticed to the hotel will not fall. From the hotel to the hotel, the situation is different – somewhere comply with the law, somewhere no.
Age limitations
Since 2010, the age limit on the purchase and public consumption of alcohol in Spain is 18 years old.
Until 2010, the restriction was softer – 16 years, but the authorities were encountered with the problem of a large number of offenses by teenagers in a drunk. The minimum age was raised.
The law establishes a fine for shops and food institutions, if they sell a minor alcohol – from 30,000 to 600,000 euros. However, in practice, these fines are prescribed very rarely, the police tried to be limited to warnings.
Passport when buying alcohol is rarely asked, only if you look forward to my years. But still recommend to have a passport with yourself if you gathered behind the alcohol in the store and look young.
In 2018, an attempt was attempt to adopt a law, which generally forbidden to drink juvenile alcohol. For example, if a minor to discovered the smell of alcohol, parents fined or sent the whole family to a psychologist. The law did not adopt. But perhaps the Spaniards will come back to him.
Where you can, where you can not drink
There is no unified law on this issue in Spain. Theoretically, you can connect everywhere. However, local authorities have the right to establish their prohibitions and charge penalties in favor of local budgets.
Almost all major cities are prohibited from drinking on the streets, in parks, in squares and other public places. Speaking easier, you can connect or at home, or in bars, cafes and restaurants. In Madrid and Barcelona, a penalty for public drinking – from 30 to 600 euros. In the overwhelming majority, the police imposes a minimum penalty – 30 euros.
There are no restrictions in the resort towns. Just be calm, because for antisocial behavior they can pick up in a police station. Then no longer finish the thirty euros fine.
In Spain, there is a phenomenon that here is called "Botayon" ("Botellon"), translated "Big Bottle". This is when a group of people, most often young people, are going to a large company and drink out on the street, then follow the disco, to the club, to the stadium or somewhere else. Often such companies behave defiantly, engaged in vandalism. Measures on the prohibition of drinking in public places are mainly against this phenomenon.
Behind the wheel
Alcohol rate for drivers – no more than 0.5 g / l in blood. For drivers with experience up to 2 years and for drivers at work (buses, taxis, trucks) – no more than 0.3 g / l in blood.
Responsibility for exceeding up to 1.2 g / l: fine up to 600 euros and deprivation of driving rights up to 6 months. Failure to go through the test for alcohol in the blood is punishable by a fine of 1000 euros.
With a content of more than 1.2 g / l: imprisonment for a period of 3 to 6 months or from 1 to 3 months of public works, deprivation of driving rights from 1 to 4 years.
Whether they drink the Spaniards?
The average Spaniard consumes about 11.5 liters of pure alcohol per year. For comparison, the average Russian – 15 liters. In the world and European ratings of the most drinking countries, Spain Strong middling.
But in the 80s, the average was 17.5 liters! And the point here in the active consumption of wine, which the Spaniards drank during each meal. This tradition is now lost, hence the reduction of alcohol consumption. By the way, a similar situation in Italy and some other countries of the Mediterranean.
But another interesting figure. In Spain, about 280,000 bars, it is 1 bar for 165 people of the population, which is a record indicator in Europe. This figure of alcohol opponents often lead as evidence of heavy alcohol problems in Spanish society.
On the other hand, in Spain, the largest life expectancy in Europe – 83 years. This fact indicates that there are no serious problems in the country. In the "alcoholic" countries, people do not live so much.
31% of the Spaniards claim that they do not use alcohol at all. 0.4% of the Spaniards are registered as alcoholics.
50% Drown in Spain Alcohol – Beer, 20% – Wine, 28% – Strong Drinks.
Important and interesting about alcohol in Spain
– In Spain there are some interesting national alcoholic beverages: Jerez, Oburgh, Jean from Mallorca. We talked about these drinks in detail in the article "What to bring from Spain";
– That the Spaniards prefer to drink for the new year, read our article "Holidays in Spain". New Year’s traditions they have very interesting;
– If you decide to bring Spanish alcohol home, remember the limitations. Read our detailed article "What can be removed from Spain and how much".
Have a good holiday in Spain, and read our interesting articles about this country (List of articles below).
