Chicago’s Latino-owned breweries combine their culture with craft beer for a unique take.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, CBS News Chicago visited a couple of them.
Victor Santoyo is the founder and owner of SomosMonos Cervecería. It started in his house, but is now headquartered at The Plant at 1400 W. 46th St. in the Back of the Yards neighborhood — a shared space for business and research.
“I grew up in Back of the Yards, and I didn’t want to leave Back of the Yards,” Santoyo said. “I wanted a space here because I wanted to give back.”
SomosMonos Cerveceria, which translates to “We Are Monkeys Brewery,” puts its own Mexican spin on craft beer — from the ingredients to the names.
“One of the beers that people have been really liking is our Chica Fresa, which is our strawberry blonde ale,” said Santoyo.
As SomosMonos grows, Santoyo said there are plans to offer space to others.
“One of the main goals for SomosMonos is to have a space to, you know, help other artists and have a place for them to showcase,” he said.
Santoyo said creating space for his community’s culture is par to the brewery’s mission.
“That’s what matters. That’s what makes me happy. That’s what makes me want to be here. That’s what makes me want to have and keep going with this business, you know?” he said. “It’s not about the money at all.”
Meanwhile in the west Chicago suburb of Forest Park, Jose Lopez is marking one year since establishing a permanent home for Casa Humilde Cervecería. That permanent home is located at 7700 Madison St. in Forest Park.
“Just incorporating our culture with those ingredients — that’s the fun part,” said Lopez.
The space houses a restaurant, bar, patio, live music stage, and brewery. At its core is the beer inspired by Lopez’s heritage.
“We can kind of give it a little twist, a little Mexican twist, more for our culture,” he said.
Lopez started brewing in 2015. In the decade since, he has worked to come up with beers that reflect the flavors with which he grew up.
“Our Viva la Frida, hibiscus and lime — you know, a lot of us grew up drinking agua de jamaica, you know, all these things,” he said. “We ‘ve done beers with prickly pear, you know, our Nopales, our farmhouse style ale.”
Lopez said the name of the brewery, Casa Humilde — or “humble home” — highlights hjow he wants people to feel welcome.
“Casa Humilde just kind of represents our up bringing, you know?” he said. “Our parents, our grandmother, great-grandmother raised us, and just how we want to be treated.”
That includes Latino customers who may typically stick to traditional macrobreweries to try something new.
“They see themselves here — in the music, in the food, and everything, and they get into the beer and we’re explaining it to them,” Lopez said.