Best drinks for your self-catering holiday to Lanzarote

If you want to sample the authentic flavours of Lanzarote, there are some well-loved local drinks you simply must try. The most satisfying part about a self-catering trip is that you’re in charge of your own menu, all day, every day. You’re not limited to whatever’s on offer in a hotel bar, and to top it off you’ll get more drinks for less money!

Whether you want to cool down with some beer on the terrace of your Canarian villa, or mix up cocktails to sip in your seafront garden, Lanzarote has some delicious drinks to choose from. Here are a few to add to your list:

Image by Vvillamon, used under Creative Commons license (CC BY SA 2.0)

Carajillo

This Spanish specialty is served widely in Lanzarote, and is simply to recreate in your rental apartment kitchen. A carajillo is a black coffee with a dash of spirit in it. Brandy is the usual choice, but you’ll also find varieties with whiskey and rum, so take your pick when making your own!

Rum

Rum is the Canary Islands’ favourite spirit, and there are lots of ways you can enjoy it even if you don’t want to add it to coffee in your carajillo. Arehucos Oro is a golden-coloured rum made in Gran Canaria. Whether you’re drinking it neat, or mixing it into a cocktail, look out for this one in local supermarkets.

Ron Miel is another popular drink in Lanzarote. This rum mixed with honey is easy to drink and perfect if you have a bit of a sweet tooth.

Wine in Lanzarote

Oenophiles will love experiencing something a little different while learning about Lanzarote. Winemaking has a long history in the Canaries, but you won’t find any traditional vineyards here. To protect the grapes from strong winds, they’re grown in small craters called ‘zocos.’

Image by edwin.hoek, used under Creative Commons license (CC BY SA 2.0)

The volcanic earth on Lanzarote allows wine producers to cultivate grapes using a special method called ‘enarenado.’ Since everything is done carefully by hand in this process, you know you’re getting top quality wine.

For a real taste of Lanzarote, try some of the wines produced from the Malvasia grape. These sweet dessert wines are an alternative way to finish a meal in your Lanzarote villa. Bodegas, small shops owned by local wine producers, are the best place to purchase the island’s finest wines.

Beer in Lanzarote

The island might not have any big breweries of its own, but Lanzarote is certainly not short on beer. Due to the hot weather here, a chilled pint won’t stay cold for long, so the most suitable way to buy beer is in ‘botellines’ – little bottles. This is definitely something to remember if you’re planning to sit with a beer on your sun-soaked balcony!

Tropical and Dorada are two popular brands of beer on the island, and both are brewed on neighbouring Gran Canaria, which means you won’t be missing out on Canary Island flavour. Dorada is refreshing and sweet, and Tropical is light with just a hint of citrus. Both are an ideal way to wet your whistle in the Lanzarote heat.

By Shaun Fraser, a former drinks rep, who now focuses on writing about his favourite tipples from Europe and beyond. He credits his good nose to a previous life as a sommelier.