OGDEN, Utah — Ogden, Utah-based Cerveza Zólupez Beer Company has begun distribution of its first-of-a-kind craft lager, which was brewed in Mexico and imported to the U.S. market. Zólupez, an independent Latino-owned craft beer company, brews Mexican-Style artisan cervezas in Utah.
Now available, the beer Zólupez Lager Mexicano is a passion project of Zólupez Founder/Brewer Javier Chávez, Jr., whose parents were born in Mexico. Chávez, born and raised in Utah, dreamed of brewing a beer infused with his family’s Mexican heritage. Frequent trips to visit relatives in Mexico exposed Chávez to cultural experiences first-hand. Now as a brewer, Chávez’s time came.
Refusing to follow trends, Zólupez sought to reimagine the ubiquitous Mexican Lager. “I wanted to brew a Mexican-Style craft lager. But I thought, ‘why not brew one in Mexico?’ Make it authentic, legit,” said Chávez. “I’m not interested in doing what’s been done before. I want to blaze trails, but in a way that genuinely honors my Mexican family, and the types of beers we drink,” added Chávez.
In making this dream a reality, Zólupez contracted with Cerveza Cabrito, a brewery in Monterrey, Mexico. As a sign of cross-border friendship, Cabrito gladly opened its facility to support this project. Jumping at the chance, Chávez trekked to northern Mexico this past February (pre-travel restrictions), to brew his own proprietary lager recipe in his ancestral homeland. This new international beverage is a traditional lager beer: a crisp, clean taste, easy drinking with balanced noble hop aromas and subtle malt notes. A licensed lawyer turned brewer, Chávez ensured that Zólupez followed all governmental rules for brewing abroad and importing into the U.S.
Fate smiled as Zólupez was able to package and transport its new beer to America before Mexico’s government closed “non-essential” businesses, including breweries. Mexico’s closure mandate was intended to implement strict social distancing rules due to Covid-19 concerns sweeping the globe. Surprisingly, Zólupez Lager Mexicano may well have been one of a few new craft beers made in Mexico for some time due to brewery closures. Mexico’s beer supply is scarce. So enjoy. ¡Salud!
About Cerveza Zólupez
Cerveza Zólupez is one of America’s first Latino family-owned, independent production craft breweries dedicated to Mexican-Style cerveza artesanal (craft beer). Founded in 2017, with a passion for cerveza, Zólupez craft beers are infused with ingredients and flavors found in Mexican traditions. Zólupez brews in Utah, selling its beers in Utah and Idaho, with plans to expand.
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