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Xibeca

Damm
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🌍 Spain · Pale Lager · One of 101 Pale Lagers in hopIQ

Xibeca, Catalan for owl, has been the name of Damm's one-litre bottles since the 1930s, and the beer became a fixture of shared tables in Catalonia during the 1960s. It is brewed from water, barley malt, maize, rice and hops at 10.7 °P. The colour is a bright light amber with golden glints under a persistent pale head. A yeasty note and a subtle, layered hop aroma open the nose, and the palate is delicate and smooth, carrying a memory of lightly toasted cereal into a soft, refreshing finish.

ABV
4.6%
Bitterness
Lightly bitter18 IBU
Malt-forward bitterness
SRM
pale gold4
How it drinks· Its pace, balance and relationship to the style.
Pace
sessionsipper
Balance
malt-ledhop-led
Where this beer sits· Four axes, the same for every beer in hopIQ.
Body
Lean body.
lightfull-bodied
Sweetness
Dry finish.
drysweet
Bitterness
Soft bitterness.
mildbitter
Texture
Crisp mouthfeel.
crispcreamy

A sharp texture drives the beer — a clean, direct pour with room for the palate to fill in.

Character· What makes this beer itself — not just another Pale Lager.
Hop character
hoppy
Malt character
toasty
malty
Fermentation & yeast
yeasty
clean

FEATURED IN

Featured inThe Best Spanish Lagers

Tasting Notes

AI-generated sensory profile for Xibeca

Appearance

Xibeca presents a bright light amber colour with golden glints that catch the light elegantly. The head is pale and persistent, clinging to the glass with fine retention. The beer displays excellent clarity, characteristic of a well-crafted pale lager.

bright golden amberpersistent pale headcrystal clear

Aroma

The nose opens with a pronounced yeasty character, laying the foundation for subtle, layered hop aromatics beneath. Delicate noble hop notes emerge alongside a whisper of grain, creating an understated but inviting bouquet. The overall impression is restrained and balanced, avoiding any aggressive or overpowering qualities.

yeasty, grainysubtle noble hopslayered, delicate

Taste

The palate is remarkably smooth and delicate, with a light touch of lightly toasted cereal providing gentle complexity without heaviness. The hop bitterness is soft and integrated, measured at 18 IBU, allowing the clean malt foundation to shine. The beer drinks refreshingly, with good body-to-carbonation balance that supports rather than overwhelms.

soft bitternesstoasted cerealclean, refreshing

Finish

The finish is soft and refreshing, with the toasted cereal notes lingering briefly before fading to a clean, dry conclusion. No harsh edges or cloying sweetness remain—just a pleasant memory of grain and restrained hops.

clean, drysoft fade
78
hopIQ score
Aroma
76
Taste
78
Appearance
82
Finish
77
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Serve & Enjoy

How to get the most out of Xibeca

Serve at 4–7°C
Refrigerate, then rest 2 min

Serve well-chilled at 4–6°C. Carbonation and crispness are the main event — cold preserves both.

Stein
Recommended for this style

The sturdy German stein maintains temperature and keeps carbonation intact. Built for long, convivial drinking.

Store cold and drink fresh. Lagers are at their crispest within 3–4 months.

Food Pairing

What to eat with Xibeca

About Pale Lager

Style guide · what to expect · how to find alternatives

What is a Pale Lager?

Euro Pale Lagers are clean, refreshing lagers with 4–5.5% ABV and IBU 10–25. Soft malt sweetness, light hop bitterness and high carbonation make them supremely drinkable.

Finding a similar Pale Lager

hopIQ matches by flavor profile — not just style label. A beer with the same refreshing, smooth, yeasty character as Xibeca will score highly even if brewed in a different country or under a different sub-style name.

Other Pale Lagers in hopIQ

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