Major project underway in Spain: Steinecker is building for Estrella Galicia

A greenfield brewery project that is currently underway in Galicia, in northwestern Spain, may well be Europe’s biggest at the moment. The client is Estrella Galicia, whose wildly popular premium beer is driving surging growth in Spain.

The family-owned and operated company Hijos de Rivera announced in November 2022 at the ground-breaking for the new Estrella Galicia production plant that it is designed to be one of the most technologically advanced and sustainable breweries in the world. The firm has invested 400 million euros in the Morás industrial zone just outside its home town of La Coruña. Estrella Galicia’s long-term plans include brewing as much as 10 million hectoliters of beer there per year. This is the brewery’s second production site, and it is located very close to the company’s main plant and headquarters so that it can use the same crystal-clear water from the nearby nature reserve. In the first phase, the brewhouse facilities will have a production capacity of four million hectoliters.

In keeping with its commitment to excellence, Estrella Galicia has chosen Steinecker to plan and build the new brewery, just like it did for the two existing brewhouses. “Our beers are characterized by the fact that we are true to our craft origins, that we have the highest quality standards and that our always unconventional spirit has a positive influence on our work. We achieve this best with Steinecker and its innovative brewing technology with the lowest possible energy consumption. We have been working with Steinecker for a long time and appreciate the quality and reliability of the machines and systems, as well as the service and technical support,” says Miguel Calvo, director of engineering at Hijos de Rivera.

*The family-owned and operated brewery Estrella Galicia was established in 1906 in La Coruña. Now, it is building a second plant near the original one.*

Steep rise

The history of the family-owned and operated company Hijos de Rivera began almost 120 years ago, with the establishment of the Estrella Galicia brewery in La Coruña. The fifth generation is now leading the company, whose portfolio has grown to include not only beer but also soft drinks, water, wine and cider. Hijos de Rivera employs a team of more than 1,500 people and produced 700 million liters of beverages in 2021.

Estrella Galicia’s beer business has experienced spectacular growth over the last ten years or so. A meteoric rise brought beer sales to the three-million-hectoliter mark in 2018, and exceeded five million in 2023. In its final stage of expansion, the new brewery site will even be capable of delivering another 10 million hectoliters. Estrella Galicia brews eight different beers plus three non-alcoholic varieties. The wildly popular Spanish beer is now available in more than 60 countries.

Two breweries under construction at once

Estrella Galicia is also fast-tracking completion of its new site, fully concentrating on its expansion in Spain. As a result of strategic decisions, two breweries are now being built in Morás at the same time. For Steinecker, it is one of its biggest construction projects the company has ever carried out. “The whole project was characterized by numerous changes and a challenging dynamic. Both sides had to be very well coordinated and work together as a team,” explains Karl Stamm from Steinecker Sales team. Miguel Calvo is satisfied: „Steinecker was a great partner throughout all the various changes in this project. We have always managed to find an agile solution that has moved the project forward.“

Steinecker was a great partner throughout all the various changes in this project. We have always managed to find an agile solution that has moved the project forward. Miguel CalvoDirector of Engineering at Hijos de Rivera

Project:	Two greenfield breweries for Estrella Galicia
Customer:	Hijos de Rivera
Commissioning:	Spring/Summer 2024
Location:	Morás (Arteixo), Galicia, Spain
Scope:	Process technology for two greenfield breweries Subproject 1: output of up to 2 million hectoliters per year at 720 hl per brew Subproject 2: output of up to 1.5 million hl per year at 500 hl per brew
Scope of supply for both projects:	Complete malt handling plant, including malt silo and malt cleaning Mash filter brewhouse with energy recovery facility, for 12 brews per day incl. Steinecker mash filter Turnkey yeast cellar with propagation and storage as well as yeast beer recovery Fully automated fermentation and maturation cellar with Evoguard valves Complete filtration lines Fully automated bright-beer cellar with Evoguard valves Fully automated controls using the latest generation ofo the Botec F1 process control system