The Brewery Project: Aztec

 

The most fascinating part of my visit to Aztec Brewing Co. was learning about the history of this brewery brand.  Way back in 1921, shortly after the start of Prohibition, Cervecera Azteca, SA was founded by a group of San Diego businessmen in Mexicali, Mexico.  When Prohibition was repealed in 1933, the brewery moved to the Barrio Logan area of San Diego and became known as Aztec Brewing Co.  At one time it was the third largest brewery west of the Rocky Mountains.  Its flagship beer was called A.B.C. Beer, and an original can is on display at the brewery, which can be seen in the photo below.  It was purchased in 1948 by Altes Brewing Co. of Detroit, Michigan who retired the Aztec Brewing Co. brand a few years later.  The original brewer then moved back to Mexico and helped found Tecate Brewing Co.  In the summer of 2011 Aztec Brewing Co. was revived, and the rest, as they say, is history.  I had a sample of the Chipotle IPA, which was quite good.  It packed a warming heat, but the heat didn't overpower the hops.  Chipotle flavor was definitely present, making for a nice, complex IPA.  I also had their Sacrifice Red IPA.  I had tried this one before, the first Red IPA I had ever had, and was just as happy with it this time.  Full bodied, thick, and rich, combining what I like best of both styles, this is a beer I could enjoy on a regular basis.  Now that they bottle a few of their selections, including this one, I can!  I would like to make another visit to this brewery to try some of their other selections.  If they keep doing what they're doing, I foresee a future for Aztec Brewing Co. as rich as its past.