Like an experienced pilot following a pre-flight checklist, the brewers at Carmen Beer Co. follow their checklist to ensure every batch of beer they brew is delicious!
When a co-worker arranged for a brewery tour of Carmen Beer Co., I jumped at the chance to go. Since moving to Mexico, I have developed a love of beer (let´s face it, margaritas get expensive after a while). We were met in the pub by Sam Jimenez, the Brewpub Manager. Sam loves to talk beer, especially with any of you homebrewers out there. He told me they do tours for anyone, but you just need to give them a heads up.
Sam walked us through the glass doors to the brewery where he explained they started out brewing three different classic styles of beer: Clara (a tropical light ale), an Irish stout (akin to a Guinness) and an IPA. We were joined by Jeff, the master brewer and director, and he walked us through the production process – the mixing of grains, hops, the sophisticated rapid cooling process the beer goes through. Once the pre-beer has cooled, it moves to the cool side of the brewery where they add oxygen, yeast and fermentation begins.
Jeff explained that most beers take two weeks to two months to ferment, and Carmen Beer Co. can ferment six different styles of beers at one time. Then, they can load the beers into kegs and ferment some more, so they can have up to 10 different styles at one time. They even have a small kitchen-size brewery set up using three tamale pots where, Jeff says, anyone who wants to brew beer can come on down!
Jeff likes beers that have a lot of flavor, but what’s most important is that you have a good beer to start with before you experiment with flavor. I asked Jeff if he ever worries about the brew not coming out good. He replied, “We haven’t had a bad batch yet. It’s pretty unlikely as long as you follow a checklist.” Like an experienced pilot following a pre-flight checklist before each and every flight, Carmen Beer Co. brewers follow a detailed checklist that includes everything from pre-brewing cleaning all the way to transferring the beer to kegs. If they follow the list exactly, it is very unlikely they will brew a bad batch.
We headed back into the pub to sample their most popular style of beers. First, we tried the Clara, a blonde ale. Light in flavor and delicious, it’s easy to taste why Clara is their most popular beer. Next up was, their Negra, an Irish stout with a hint of the flavor of cacao. We followed the Irish stout with their IPA. The IPA is a British-style that Sam describes as hoppy but well-balanced and a big hit with the hop heads. Finally, their Barley Wine, an old British-style beer.
If you haven´t stopped by Carmen Beer Co. to sample what they have on tap, you need to add it to your list. The beer is delicious, and they have something for everyone. The staff is incredibly welcoming and friendly, and they speak fluent beer! Salud!
Facebook: CarmenBeerCo
