The Casa Humilde brewery in Chicago isn’t your run-of-the-mill cervecería. Owners and brothers José and Javier López say it’s their mission to make artisan beer that showcases flavors that hold a special place in their hearts as Latines.
The López brothers opened the brewery in late 2019. Since then, they have introduced beers like Maizal, an ale with “just the right amount of corn for a pleasant touch of sweetness;” Nopalli, an ale with prickly pear flavors (“think agua frescas meets beer”); and Cantarito, a hard seltzer with grapefruit, lime, and salt brewed into the ingredients.
Other products that patrons can order at Casa Humilde include Media Naranja, a pale ale brewed with orange peel; La Doble, a double IPA brewed with notes of mango, papaya and pineapple; and Cafecito, a coffee-flavored porter with hints of black raspberry, hibiscus, and honey.
“There’s trends and there’s things breweries do, but even from the get-go, we decided to just come in and make the beers we like and make them well…and then slowly branch into other styles,” José López told the Good Beer Hunting podcast. “It’s always been about flavor for us.”
The brewery also has a beer called Pilon where they brew Mexican piloncillo sugar and coriander into the mix; one called Tempestad, an imperial stout brewed with Mexican vanilla, Ecuadorian chocolate and caramel; and another called Michelandia, a spicy tamarindo-flavored michelada with a traditional flavor.
And you thought putting a lime in your Dos XX was adventurous enough.
Earlier this month, the López brothers introduced a new beer that they will brew for a limited time only – Viva La Frida, a hibiscus and lime lager they created in honor of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, in collaboration with the Chicago Brewseum and the National Museum of Mexican Art.
