Exploring Microbreweries and Craft Beer in Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is the second most popular tourist destination in Mexico after Cancún. Many of those tourists come from beer loving countries such as Canada and the United States and quickly find themselves trying to uncover the local craft beer scene once they arrive. Like most other cities in Mexico, the craft beer movement in Puerto Vallarta was slow to take off but has been gaining momentum as support and interest from both tourists and locals has increased. While the majority of these establishments are owned by foreigners, they are making way for locals to learn about commercial brewing too and allowing the community to get involved in ways that still make each brewery uniquely Puerto Vallarta.
Monzón Brewing
Located in La Zona Romantica, Monzon Brewing first opened its doors in 2017. The brewery is owned and operated by a couple of adventurous world travelers from the US, who after visiting Puerto Vallarta several years prior, decided to plant their roots there for good. Owner and brewmaster Reid, keeps a steady flow of creative beers on tap that are brewed onsite. The tap list often features beers created with local and international collaboration. Their Lupita IPA is their flagship IPA and for the craft beer loving traveling in Mexico, it is exactly what your taste buds have been missing. Other noteworthy beers on tap include their Verano Sin Fin (Never Ending Summer) Saison, Hazy Bay NEIPA, White Noise Hefeweizen, and Vaquero Eléctrico double IPA.
One of the best things about this brewery in Puerto Vallarta is that you can also get cans of their beer to-go. That means you can finally have quality craft beer on the beach in Mexico! Not only does Monzón Brewing have a great taproom with a full list of great beers, but their kitchen also has some of the best made from scratch food in town. Grab yourself a tasty pint and some tacos then hit the beach with some cold cans of IPA! Monzón Brewing is a mandatory stop for any craft beer enthusiast visiting Puerto Vallarta.
Los Muertos Brewery
Los Muertos Brewery has two locations. One is in Old Town Puerto Vallarta in La Zona Romantica, and the other is in Francisco Villa. The brewery was founded in 2012, making it the city’s first official microbrewery. They first opened their doors on Mexican Day of the Dead, thus the name. The head brewer gets points with us for having learned commercial brewing in our home town of Fort Collins, CO. The Los Muertos Brewery location in La Zona Romantica is conveniently located just a few blocks from Monzón Brewing if you want to take yourself on a tasting tour.
Los Muertos has a number of long standing local favorites, such as their Agave Maria Amber Ale and their Hop On American Strong Ale. The taproom is a great place to have a pint and watch a game but one of the best parts about this brewpub is definitely their pizza. Los Muertos Brewery makes the best pizza in town and you can tell locals agree as it can be seen being delivered all over the city by food delivery motos. The brewery has a great happy hour (4-6 daily) where a pint is only $65 pesos ($3 USD) so be sure to stop by for a flight and some great pizza.
Los Cuentos Brewery
Los Cuentos Brewery was officially founded in 2013, but did not start selling beer to the public until a few years later. Alis Weber is the Swiss co-founder behind the concept, who like the other expat brewery owners on this list, noticed the craft beer void in the Jalisco area and decided to do something about it. The Los Cuentos taproom is surprisingly small and not in a super popular part of town. The bar only had seating for maybe 15-20 people max. They do have guest taps on the menu as well as cocktails, in addition to their standard line that can be found in bottles at bars around town, including their Tropical IPA and Chocolate stout.
Unlike Monzon and Los Muertos, Los Cuentos beer can be found in bottles for sale in liquor stores and bars around Jalisco. However, one issue I noticed with this was that everywhere I found them, they were past their expiration date. Presumably retail stores just don’t sell them quick enough. That ended with me opening a number of flat and stale bottles after buying them. This is probably one of the reasons the other breweries aren’t pushing too hard for bottle production and retail distribution.
Cervecería YamBak
Cervecería YamBak is one of the newest additions to the craft beer scene in Puerto Vallarta, but their first location was actually in the surf town to the north, Sayulita. If you are visiting Sayulita, the brewery is hard to miss, as it is right downtown in the central plaza. The taproom in Sayulita has a full menu of modern craft beers, including their Sayulita Pale Ale, Monkey Mountain Black IPA, and Stoner’s Point IPA. The microbrewery is also owned by foreigners/expats to Puerto Vallarta.
Cervecería YamBak recently opened a second taproom in Puerto Vallarta, with three floors and all of their beers on tap. They serve food, including thin crust pizza and provide a nice ambiance and convenient location to the rest of Old Town PV.
YamBak bottles can also be found in coolers around town as well. The ones we bought were bottle bombs though, and exploded like shook up champagne, even after letting them sit overnight. There seems to be a learning curve with bottling and packaging beer in Puerto Vallarta.
El Terrible Brewing
The first time we visited Puerto Vallarta, I was told that El Terrible did not have a tap room, but they were just local homebrewers that brewed for festivals and events. The next time we visited, I did see some of their beers in cans at some of the local pubs and the word on the street was that they did in-fact now have taproom. However, the reviews on their Google Business Profile still have remarks about the listed location not existing and their website doesn’t exactly clear that up. Regardless, El Terrible has a number of quality beers available in bottles and cans, including their Vallarta Pilsen and Selva Negra Stout. This brewery is locally owned and operated and is part of the growing local interest in the craft beer industry.
Cervecería Chapultepec
Chapultepec is not technically a microbrewery as they are actually owned by a large multi-national restaurant corporation, with locations in Mexico, El Salvador, and the US. However, they have two taprooms in Puerto Vallarta and their location in the Marina in Puerto Vallarta is definitely worth a visit. Their entire menu is meant to be one big dollar menu, which is cool for the budget travel. Their Red Ale isn’t half bad either, but every time I have been that is the only beer of theirs they actually have.
Mama Caguamas Taco’s & Beer
Mama Caguamas is not a brewery but a great little restaurant in the 5 de Deciembre part of town where you can find bottles and cans of craft beer from all over the region as well as many international beers. It is a great “safe haven” for craft beer lovers in Vallarta that want an escape from the commercial Mexican beers that are typically all that are served in small eateries like this one. They have a draft system with some rotating beers from locals like El Terrible and the brewery in Bucerías, as well as several coolers filled with bottles from across Mexico. The prices were reasonable and they are more than happy to sell you bottles to-go. Their food menu is also very good, with a variety of fusion/style Mexican cuisine.
Pulque Chinga Quedito
Pulque is not technically beer, but it is a fascinating fermented beverage that is brewed locally. Pulque is a traditional Mexican beverage that has been produced in the region since the pre-colonial era. While beer is produced by fermenting grains with yeast, pulque is produced by harvesting agave nectar and letting it ferment naturally. Pulque Chinga Quedito is a really unique place to visit while traveling in Puerto Vallarta. The local owners are passionate about the history of pulque and the process and have put their own twist on the concept to create a local pulque bar where patrons can sample (often in excess) many different flavored libations with the drink.