The Buzz of Automation

When I found out we were visiting a brewing factory in Burgos, Mahou-San Miguel, my imagination ran wild. I pictured a bustling hive of activity, with hundreds of people bustling around, pouring hops and fighting over the last donut in the break room. Spoiler alert: it was nothing like that.

As we strolled into the packaging section, I was left scratching my head and asking, where have all the people gone? Just a handful of humans were present, while the rest of the heavy lifting was done by robots. Yes, you heard me right—machines! It was a scene out of a sci-fi film, featuring shiny machines whizzing about, effortlessly washing dirty and used bottles from the bars, filling bottles and cans with freshly brewed beer, labeling, and finally dispatching for storage and distribution to the consumer.

This brewing experience got me thinking: what happens to all those skilled workers whose jobs are now being done by these clever machines? It seems the future belongs to those who can train, install, and instruct our metallic friends. As automation advances, it’s clear the brewing industry in Spain embraces variety without monopolies. Ther are four major brewers Mahou-San Miguel, Heineken España, Damm and Estrella Galicia and other 279 brewers. In my home country Kenya, i have known of only one brewer dominating the market and producing the lionshare of the alchoholic beverages consumed. But here in Spain, consumers are spoiled for choice, a vital part of the local beer culture. Who needs a single giant brewery when you can have craft beer from every corner?

So here’s to the robots: may they continue to churn out delightful brews while we lay back and enjoy a cold one en la Terraza!