Beer of the Week: Fiesta Lager

Cinco de Mayo is just days away. Not only does this holiday give us a reason to celebrate a culture that, thanks to our proximity to Mexico, is integrated into our city in many wonderful ways. It also provides an excuse to enjoy a cerveza or two. Looking to offer guests a beer specifically for the occasion, the family running local restaurant institution, Puesto, set the dynamic duo behind their Mission Valley brewpub, Doug Hasker and Jacob Bauch, to work developing something that would fit the bill. That assignment was a bit more challenging than one might at first think, even for two of the county’s foremost lager experts. That’s because they already produce a nicely fortified family of Mexican-style lagers, ranging from clara to negra, a number of which have earned medals at prestigious brewing competitions. After putting in some thought, Hasker and Bauch decided to use one of their existing beers, a pale Mexican-style lager, as the foundational base for a new recipe taking that flagship workhorse into bock territory. The result is this week’s featured beer, Fiesta Lager. An easy-drinking celebratory brew that’s stronger than its liquid muse at 6.2% alcohol-by-volume, it further differentiates itself with subtle, earthy sweetness and cereal notes. Salud!

Puesto Fiesta Lager is our nod to the celebration of Cinco de Mayo. A slightly more substantial version our Puesto Clara which leans a little toward a bock style, Fiesta Lager’s drinkability blends a rich, malty character with a light golden hue. Its subtle notes of toast and honey biscuit are balanced by a hint of hop bitterness, which pairs perfectly with our Cinco de Mayo special, taco de pulpo (octopus taco). Actually, it pairs perfectly with all of our tacos.”

Doug Hasker, Master Brewer, Puesto Cervecería

Puesto Cervecería is located at 5010 Mission Center Road in Mission Valley, and Puesto’s other San Diego County restaurants are located at 789 West Harbor Drive in the Marina District, 1026 Wall Street in La Jolla, and inside Petco Park in the East Village neighborhood