CHICAGO — Born and raised in Chicago, José and Javier López said they carry the Mexican state of Durango in their blood: Since they were kids, they have been in constant contact with their parents' culture and traditions.
When they decided to enter the craft beer business, the most natural thing was to incorporate ingredients they grew up with and loved.
"Our beers taste like Mexico because we use corn, nopal, horchata, vanilla, hibiscus and coffee from Veracruz; everything comes from there," José López, 33, said.
The brothers said they remember their car trips to Mexico, listening to the music of Los Tigres del Norte or Chalino Sánchez and stopping to buy nopales, or prickly pears.
"They are those flavors and that culture that identifies us," he said.
The brothers' sensory interest in the taste and smell of Mexican ingredients has borne fruit in their craft brewery, Casa Humilde Cervecería, located in Chicago's District Brew Yards. The Latino brothers offer 13 craft beers that combine Mexican traditions with the high standards of craft beer making and manufacturing.
López, who worked at a food distributor while also leading a regional Mexican music band, said while many Latinos and others are used to drinking Mexican beers like Modelo, Victoria and Pacífico, "we want them to get to know different styles and try our more balanced products."
Maizal, Nopalli, Cafecito, Campesino, Alba, Media Naranja and Firme are the names of some of their beers. The ingredients include corn, nopales, coffee, citrus, coriander and a variety of hops, with flavors described as "agua fresca meets beer" or a "Belgian ale with a Mexican twist."
Growing up in Chicago's Hermosa neighborhood, they learned Spanish and English at the same time, taking the best of each country and educating their palates with the flavors of Mexico.
José López explained how they decided on the brewery's name, Casa Humilde, which means "humble house."
"We were taught to be humble and help people. We wanted a name that represented us, because in our parents’ house, we accepted everyone. They were always fed, and they stayed as long as they wanted," he said. "The same goes for the brewery: Everyone is welcome, and we want them to feel at home."
Latinos make up the fastest-growing segment of U.S. small businesses. According to the Stanford Graduate School of Business’ 2020 "State of Latino Entrepreneurship" report, "The number of Latino business owners has grown 34% over the last 10 years compared to just 1% for all others, making LOBs the fastest growing segment of the small business ecosystem."
The brothers' project is a reflection of the potential of Hispanic entrepreneurs willing to innovate in fields as competitive as the U.S. beer industry, which, in 2021 alone, sold 208.6 million barrels of beer, the National Beer Wholesalers Association reported, citing data from the Commerce Department.
"In 2015, we started experimenting with manufacturing on the second floor of our parents’ house, and we were only making about 600 gallons a year. But people have liked it, and we’ve grown so much that last year we sold almost 900 barrels," Javier López said, citing a figure that’s approximately equivalent to 27,900 gallons.
For now, Casa Humilde has a solid presence in Illinois, where its beers are sold in more than 150 stores. The brewers are hoping to enter other markets, such as California and Texas. In addition, they have already received proposals to market their products in Mexico City.
"We want to continue growing, but maintaining quality and not stopping experimenting," José López said.
They're also not stopping at beers.
"We even have our own brand of Veracruz coffee," he said, "and in July we are going to hold a festival with 14 musical groups from Chicago to celebrate our traditions."
An earlier version of this article was first published in Noticias Telemundo.
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