Put back that Modelo, it is time to celebrate a new taste sensation at Cervezalandia , the first beer event in Oldtown Salinas that showcases the talents and culture of Mexican and Chicano-owned breweries.
Dubbed a popup beer garden by the founder, Daniel Savala, the event takes place on Saturday, Sept. 28 in the 100 block of Main Street and will feature craft beer, local food trucks, vendor booths and for entertainment, live music by Los Gents, a DJ and mariachi performance.
The action starts at 12 p.m. and wraps up at 7 p.m.
Participating breweries include Salinas locals, La Cantina Brewing Company, Brew N Krew Ale House and XL Public House. From Santa Cruz, Hillside Brewing Company and Watsonville’s Buena Vista Brewing Company. There will also be Coatza Brewing Company from Elk Grove.
Attendees will also get to taste craft beer from Mexican breweries, including Cervecería Wendlandt in Ensenada, Cervecería Insurgente in Tijuana and Cerveza Loba in Guadalajara.
This will be the largest version of the event that Savala started in Sacramento after taking an inspirational tour of craft breweries in Mexico City.
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“They were brewing with Mexican-style ingredients and the vibe was really neat, you could have been in Portland or Seattle,” Savala said.
The experience inspired Savala to create a network of Mexican and Chicano breweries in Mexico and throughout California, in places like San Diego, Pico Rivera, Norwalk, Sacramento and down along the Central Coast into Salinas.
And the result? A craft beer festival like any other, but with one major difference.
“Cervezalandia is like any other beer festival you may have been to except we are dedicated 100% to beer produced by Mexican brewers from Mexico or Chicanos here in California,” Savala said.
For people who are still wondering what sets Mexican or Chicano-style brewing apart from your typical craft brew, Horacio Davila, owner of La Cantina Brewing Company says it is the flavor profile, and the culture.
“No one can do the things that we can do,” Davila said. “We got culture, we got heritage, we got flavors that they don’t have.” The local brewmaster said exotic flavors typical in Mexico like mango, guava, tamarind, cactus fruit, chocolate, chiles and even Mazapan are exciting to work with.
“It may even be as simple as brewing a Mexican lager but using an indigenous corn, it gives you another profile, taste, aroma,” Davila said.
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For the uninitiated in the world of craft brew, Savala said not to worry, while there may be an IPA or two, most of the beer showcased at Cervezalandia are brewed for light palettes, delicious beers that are exceedingly drinkable.
“We have made sure that we have beers ready for drinkers who are looking to explore craft beer,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Cervezalandia showcases Mexican and Chicano craft breweries at Salinas Oldtown event
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