"Suave Fest" Gathers 40 Hispanic Brewers from Across the EE.UU.

SUAVE FEST CO-FOUNDERS | Tamil Maldonado and José Betata, co-owners of Raíces Brewing, are finalizing details for the third edition of the event. (Photo/El Comercio de Colorado)

EVENT SHOWCASES HISPANIC BUSINESS INITIATIVE

Newsroom El Comercio de Colorado

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Suave Fest is back in Denver, Colorado, for its third edition, promising to be an event filled with flavor, culture, and excellent beer. This festival, which will take place at the Raices Brewing grounds, is much more than a simple beer celebration. It is a tribute to Latin American and Caribbean culture, highlighting Hispanic beer producers from the United States.

José Beteta, co-owner of Raíces and co-founder of Suave Fest, states that the festival aims to recognize and celebrate Latino brewery owners nationwide. “The low representation of Hispanic brewers in the U.S. brewing industry motivated us to organize this event. When we started in 2019, only 0.5 percent of the country’s breweries were Latino-owned,” said Beteta.

This Hispanic brewer has observed a positive change since then. Beteta affirms that “currently, 0.7 percent of all beer producers in the U.S. have Hispanic origins. It’s a small but significant change, considering the economic challenges arising from the pandemic. This festival contributes to boosting this new generation of Latino brewers seeking to diversify the brewing industry.”

“Suave Fest” congrega en Denver cerveceros hispanos de EEUU

Collaboration with Local Breweries

In it 2023 edition, Suave Fest will feature the participation of 18 breweries owned by Hispanics from across the United States. “We are particularly excited about the inclusion of brewers from different states, which shows the event’s growth. To make it possible for breweries from outside of Colorado to participate, we established collaborations with local breweries,” explains Beteta.

Carlos Ayala, owner of Reina Mora Brewery in Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico, is one of the Suave Fest guests who has already produced two of his beers with Strange Craft Beer Company in Denver. “I brought my recipes, and here we managed to produce them in the same way we create them in Sabana Grande. They are well-preserved there, and they will arrive at Suave Fest in great condition,” Ayala said.

Another Puerto Rican brewer, José Ortíz, has already produced his two beers at Launch Pad Brewery in Aurora, Colorado. “We found very friendly people who understood our way of brewing beer. With them, we produced our ‘Nativa,’ a Pilsner-style beer, and our ‘Safira,’ a Belgian-style beer. We will offer these two beers at Suave Fest,” Ortíz shared.

Taste 50 Varieties of Beer

Each ticket for Suave Fest includes a glass that allows attendees to taste the creations of the 18 participating breweries. In total, each attendee will be able to sample around 50 beer styles. Additionally, there will be six hours of live music, a variety of Latin American and Caribbean food options, as well as crafts, art, and dancing to enjoy. This festival offers a complete experience that goes beyond beer.