Cerveza Zolupez Beer Company

Utah Beer News

Cerveza Zólupez Beer Company sold its first bottle of beer in late 2018. And when it did, the Ogden brewery epitomized the term “small-batch beer.” Javier Chávez Jr., a brewer with a law degree, brewed his beer five gallons at a time with recipes and ingredients that paid homage to his Mexican heritage. As much as he tried, Chávez just couldn’t find a lineup of craft beers that not only paired well with Mexican food but that also honored Mexican culture and tradition.

And so started Zólupez Beer Company.

In the beginning, Chávez struggled to keep his beer store stocked. And at festivals, he would usually pour his last sample long before the last call. “It was frustrating to everybody involved, including myself,” Chávez remembers.

But now, thanks to an agreement with Uinta Brewing Company, Zólupez beers are readily available (in Utah and Idaho, at least). Even more, Chávez says plans are in the works to build a brewpub of its own — complete with Zólupez beers and the authentic Mexican food that helped to put Chávez’s professional brewing ambitions in motion.

As social distancing continues, Utah Beer News visited with Chávez via telephone in mid-June. Our conversation took place not long after Zólupez released its newest beer: Lager Mexicano. We talked about a range of topics, including:

• Chávez’s fascinating background, which includes a law degree from Boston College and brewer training at Ballast Point in San Diego
• What it took to open Zólupez — as well as why the name holds special meaning for the owner and brewer
• A rundown of tasting notes and origin stories for Zólupez’s most-popular brews
• How Chávez orchestrated the brewing of Lager Mexicano in Mexico days before cross-border commerce came to a standstill
• And, as one of the country’s few Latino brewery owners, Chávez shares his thoughts on diversity and inclusiveness in the beer world

Thank you to Javier for taking the time to talk with Utah Beer News. And thank you for listening.

For an accompanying article about Cerveza Zólupez Beer Company, please visit UtahBeerNews.com.

Enjoy the episode!

Episode 36 | June 29, 2020