Beer of the Week: Hasta la Raíz

When venturing out to start one’s own business – often resigning from jobs they’ve held for quite some time – entrepreneurs consistently cite one reason above all others for making such a substantially risky career change: the freedom and ability to do things their way. This adheres to all facets of their professional lives and livelihood, from processes and methodologies to branding and tenets. The latter often goes well beyond business and workplace ethics, especially in the craft-beer industry, where brewery owners regularly throw their support behind causes they find meaningful, using their beers to raise increased awareness and funding for organizations and causes they connect with. Such is the case with Brewjería Company, a Pico Rivera-based operation that joined the San Diego suds scene when opening a downtown Chula Vista kitchen and tap last year. Since launching in 2019, the brewing concern’s owners have regularly lent a hand to numerous charities, causes and community-driven efforts. Such is the case with this week’s featured beer, Hasta la Raíz. A reissue of a snappy session blonde ale that’s been missing from Brewjería’s lineup for a while, the beer is now back and packaged in cans adorned with turquoise-colored labels detailing the Hasta la Raíz campaign created by a West Coast-based beer industry veteran to support a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization assisting incarcerated immigrants throughout the country. So far, more than 60 breweries have signed on to produce beers bearing the name of the initiative, including locals such as Normal Heights’ BLAH Brewing and North Park’s TapRoom Beer Co. Like Brewjería’s founders, the owners of those businesses revel in the opportunity to be of assistance to people they believe are doing good, important work. And because they are the ones ultimately responsible for their businesses, they get to make the call.

Hasta La Raíz marks the return of our popular 4.5% (alcohol-by-volume) light blonde ale, Rubia Light. This time around, it’s being released under a different name as a collaboration benefiting the nonprofit organization Freedom for Immigrants. This collaboration was created by industry veteran Jessica Salas and represents what we’re all about: making beers for a good cause. It is our seventh community collaboration this year, and one that hits home as some of our founders are immigrants. We’ve celebrated immigrants since opening our brick-and-mortar in Pico Rivera six years ago, and have continued to do so with our second location on Third Avenue in Chula Vista.”

Agustin Ruelas, Co-founder & President, Brewjería Co.

Brewjería Taproom & Kitchen is located at 241 Third Avenue in Chula Vista