HIJOS DE RIVERA: THE FIRST GENERATION

1906

1919

1906:  José María Rivera Corral begins his entrepreneurial activity with the founding of the Estrella de Galicia brewery and ice factory, operating in two complementary areas – beer production and the sale of ice and water, which in the company’s early days was its principal activity. Our first beer, La Estrella de Galicia, began life as a Pilsen-style beer – unpasteurised in the barrel and pasteurised in bottle format.

1910: the first ‘La Estrella de Galicia’ logo is registered on 9th March 1910.

1919: work begins on the extension of the brewery in order to increase production and improve the quality of our beers. The work is completed in 1921.

HIJOS DE RIVERA: THE SECOND GENERATION

1920

1942

1920: there is a sharp drop in the number of breweries. Building work begins on the new brewery.  Ramón Rivera, son of José María Rivera Corral, receives his master brewer’s diploma in Nancy, becoming one of Spain’s first qualified master brewers.

1921: in addition to the alterations to the brewery, new beers are launched, including a Munich, a Bock and a Double Bock.

1925: the plot adjacent to the brewery is turned into a picnic area where the public can enjoy our freshly brewed beers.

1930: the brewery continues to grow following the acquisition of four new tanks, a filling machine and a bottle washing machine.

1936: José María Rivera Corral passes away, and shortly after the Spanish Civil War breaks out. By now, La Estrella de Galicia had become a highly profitable business with a wide range of business activities, including the supply of water and ice, etc.  Ramón Rivera Illade, the eldest son of José María Rivera Corral, takes over the helm of the company.  

1941: the limited company “Hijos de José María Rivera, Limitada” is founded in order to face the financial hardships caused by the Civil War. Production was halted due to the lack of raw materials, although the factory remained open despite the difficult times.

1942: activity is halted at the factory for the first time ever and Ramón Rivera considers the option of a complete overhaul of the machinery.

HIJOS DE RIVERA: THE THIRD GENERATION

1950

1982

1950: there is an upturn in beer consumption and the brewery is once again back in profit. The management considers the possibility of further alterations in order to boost production.

1951: things get back to normal following the lifting of price controls on barley, and beer production returns to its previous levels.

1959: work gets underway on the remodelling of the Cuatro Caminos brewery in order to triple production. The management team invests in new technologies and the creation of industrial spaces that will boost the efficiency of the production processes.

1962: remodelling work on the building is completed and the former canteen is turned into La Estrella beer hall.

1964: Following the death of Ramón Riguera, and faced with increasingly cramped production facilities, José María Rivera Riguera and Ramón Rivera Riguera consider introducing cutting-edge technologies in order to meet demand.

1968: the third generation of the Rivera family is behind the plan drawn up to open a new brewery in A Grela, equipped with state-of-the-art technology. In order to do this, José María Rivera and Ramón Rivera commissioned a project by the architect Antonio Nolasco.

1972: work is completed on the brewery in A Grela and La Especial Rivera is launched, a new initiative from the Rivera brothers intended to consolidate the local market in the city of A Coruña and penetrate the rest of the Galician region.

1977: investments are made in research and development, including the creation of a sample analysis lab in order to guarantee outstanding quality at all times.

1980: the business becomes a public limited company and our first alcohol-free beer is launched.

1982: production starts on the first Hijos de Rivera Extra beer: the Especial Extra (La Colorada).

HIJOS DE RIVERA: THE FOURTH GENERATION

1990

2020

1990:  beer consumption plummets as a result of the crisis. An international expansion strategy is launched based on the premium beer concept.

1993:  1906 beer is developed and launched onto the market. Named as a tribute to the year our first brewery opened, this is the firm’s finest product and could well be classified as a “signature” beer. Diversification gets underway the following year, following the acquisition of a stake in   “Aguas de Cabreiroá”.

1997:  the HR trademark is launched in reference to Hijos de Rivera, one of Spain’s first modern unpasteurised beers, targeting the younger market and featuring a coloured label silk-screen printed directly onto the glass.

2006:  new products are added to the company’s portfolio, including grape juice, sangria, cider, wine and liqueurs.

2011: the current Estrella Galicia 0,0 alcohol-free beer goes on sale, and a nationwide campaign is launched under the slogan “We should get to know one another”, with investments in worldwide sponsorships such as Moto GP.

2013: we launch 1906 Red Vintage, a take on the recipe of the 1980s beer “La Colorada”. The following year, the 1906 Black Coupage goes on sale.

2017: we launch La Estrella de Galicia using the original recipe – that German Pils created in our early brewery more than 110 years ago.

2019: MEGA: the Estrella Galicia Museum opens, a space in which to enjoy a unique beer experience.

2020: New launches this year include the 1906 Galician Irish Red Ale, Estrella Galicia 0,0 Negra and Estrella Galicia 0,0 Tostada. 

HIJOS DE RIVERA: THE FIFTH GENERATION

2020

The fifth generation has now joined the company. Who can tell what lies ahead for our beer industry and the recipes we will craft in the coming years.

So watch this space, because this has only just begun.  We will continue to brew beers in keeping with our Big Craft principles: unique, sustainable recipes prepared with loving care and crafted with a single idea in mind – that of enjoying our passion to the full.

We love beer above all things.  Cheers!