I wasn't sure exactly what to expect when I showed up at WHYBeers, but I wasn't expecting it to be so tiny. As I approached from across the street everything appeared normal enough, but as soon as I stepped inside I found myself in room smaller than my living room. I was quickly greeted by the guy working there and after a brief explanation of my lack of Spanish speaking skills he quickly switched to English. He was helpful and was quick to point out that most of the bottles could also be found cold in the cooler at the back.
I scanned the shelves looking over the inventory. There were ample but common selections of Belgian, German, and UK beers and a smaller variety of beers from countries like Spain and the Netherlands. I was mainly interested in Spanish beers, because I've never seen them available anywhere else I've traveled. I selected the DouGall's 942 IPA and Tres Mares. They were reasonably priced coming in at about 3 euro each. I would have liked to have bought a few more, but I've found that I often don't have enough time to drink more than a few beers outside of the occasional evening trip to a bar.
The main drawback for this bottle shop is lack of size. There just isn't enough space to hold the large varied selection that most beer lovers are searching for. Another negative would be the amount of light pouring through the window in the front of the store. Dark bottle shops aren't always the most inviting but keeping the precious cargo in the best condition is important. Despite these drawbacks the man working there did seem very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about beer. I think this makes a huge difference in the quality of a store. He was also quick to point out that you can drink in the store, but I'm not sure how comfortable the few stools at the front window would be. There was one available draft beer while we were there, Brewdog Punk IPA, which would be another option if you wanted to drink or sample beer while in the store.
If you lived in Malaga or Costa del Sol I could see stopping in here to pick up a few bottles. That being said there isn't much of a reason for someone on vacation to stop by unless you are hoping to find a few bottles of Spanish craft beer. Compared to other bottles shops I've been to around the US and Europe it just lacks the size needed to really excel. I think they will do well in Malaga, but if I find myself in the area again I doubt I will stop back in.
Overall: 6/10
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