Small Brewery Beers from Latin America Can Spice Up Your Menu
By Ed Avis
Pink Taco serves the usual line-up of Mexican beers, such as Corona and Dos Equis, that people can get at just about any Mexican restaurant. But Brad Robinson, the beverage director at Pink Taco, isn’t content to serve only the basics. He serves Mexican craft beers, too.
“Whenever I talk to a patrons at a table who are drinking Corona, I say, ‘Let me talk to you about something we carry that’s exciting.’ They always order one, and usually two or three,” Robinson says.
Pink Taco, which has locations in Los Angeles and West Hollywood, is on the leading edge of an important new trend: Craft beer coming from south of the border. Serving this kind of beer can make a Latin restaurant stand apart from its competitors, and can inject new life into beer sales.
“Whenever I put together a draft beer campaign, it’s about discovery,” says Robinson, who began serving Day of the Dead Beer from Cerveceria Mexicana, located in Tecate, Mexico, about six months ago. “I like it when customers leave with knowledge they didn’t have, and using Day of Dead is really great way to educate them about Mexican beers.”
Mexican Brewing Talent
Beer has been crafted in Mexico for centuries, and the hot, dry weather has propelled creation of the light, crisp lagers that are now mainstays of U.S. Mexican restaurant menus. But those beers are so prevalent today that restaurateurs like Robinson realize they need something special to stand out—fortunately, some small Mexican brewers are filling the void.
“The craft brewing scene in Mexico is young, maybe similar to what it was in the United States 30 years ago,” says Jordan Gardenhire, co-owner and brewmaster of Baja Brewing Company in Cabo San Lucas, in the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. “We opened in 2007, and now there are 10 times more breweries than in those days. I would say you should expect a lot more craft brews com- ing out of Mexico—many are local in small towns.”
Baja Brewing Company recently started selling one of its brews, Cabotella—a blond ale made with 100 percent malted, two-row barley—in the United States. It is available through distributors in California, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and Colorado.
“We tried to create a beer that was easy drinking, as any Mexican beer should be, and good for hot weather, but also [tried to] add some character to it,” says Gardenhire, who began brewing as a college student at the University of Colorado about 15 years ago. “Other Mexican beers are lagers, so we wanted to create something new.” Cerveceria Mexicana, known for its Mexicali lager beer, launched the Day of the Dead line of craft brews in May 2013. The line includes Blond Ale, Hefeweizen, Amber Ale, Pale Ale, DOA IPA, Porter, Chili Devil Beer, and Crazy Pig Mexican Ale.
“People who love beer love Day of the Dead beer,” Robinson says. “The Hefeweizen is probably the most drinkable Hefewei- zen in a bottle, and the IPA holds up to any of the IPAs we have here in San Diego.”
The newest entry to the Day of the Dead line is Chocolatl Stout, made with a touch of Mexican chocolate to add a rich flavor. The Day of the Dead beers are imported to the United States by Worldwide Beverage Imports LLC and are now distributed throughout the country.
Cerveceria de Baja California SA de CV, located in Mexicali, Mexico, also specializes in craft beers. The brewery, launched in 2002, markets its line under the Cerveza Cucapa brand. Its line includes Lookout Blonde Ale, Chupacabras Pale Ale, and Runaway IPA India Pale, and some seasonal brews. Its U.S. distribution is limited to California.
Other Latin American Beers
Naturally, other Latin American countries brew beer, and adding a few brews from Central America would definitely add in- terest to your beer list. These beers may not be classified as “craft” brews because they are generally lagers, but they are in- teresting enough to capture beer drinking customers’ attention.
U.S. distribution for these Latin beers is growing. For example, Central Beer (www. centralbeer.com) distributes beers from Cervecería Centro Americana, a Guatema- lan company that brews Famosa and Cabro, across the United States. Famosa (called Gallo in Guatemala) is a light lager with a 5 percent alcohol content. Cabro, introduced in 1895, is considered a “masculine” beer, and features a goat on the label.
Ben E. Keith Co., a large Texas distributor, also distributes craft brews from Latin America, including Barena from Honduras, Canguama from El Salvador, and Famosa. Barena is a pilsner from Cerveceria Hondu- renas in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, that has an alcohol content of 4.6 percent. Caguama is a light lager brewed by Indus- trias La Constancia in El Salvador.
Craft Brews with Latin Leanings
Another line of craft brews suitable for Mexican restaurants comes from 5 Rabbit Cerveceria in Chicago, which opened its doors in 2011. This brewery offers a line of seven craft beers with Latin-inspired fla- vors, including 5 Rabbit, a classic golden ale; 5 Vulture, an amber ale spiked with roasted ancho chile; and Vida y Muerte, an Oktoberfest-style beer with a touch of dulce de leche.
Introducing New Brews
Your customers are probably unfamiliar with all of the exciting Latin brews available, so making a special effort to introduce the new beers might be a profitable marketing approach. For example, pairing new beers with appropriate food is a fun way to get people to try new beers. You can hold a special event for the pairing, or just note the appropriate beers in your menu next to the items they go best with.
“Beer pairings and tastings are becoming more and more popular,” Gardenhire says. “For example, we’ve worked with restaurants that paired ceviche with Cabotella at happy hour. We always support restaurants that are interested in trying those kinds of things.”
However you get the new Latin beers flowing, your customers will appreciate it, and that means more business for you and a stronger beer industry south of the border.
“I’m excited about the artistry and the level of talent down there,” Robinson says. “Beer drinkers are turning their eyes down to Mexico. I want to see it bloom, and I think Day of the Dead beer is just the tip of the iceberg. I’m excited to learn about more.”
Click here for a recipe for Carnitas de Puerco con Salsa Borracha: Pork tacos with drunken Salsa