Minerva Imperial Stout

Minerva Imperial Stout

6%ABV

3 out of 5

When I think of Imperial Stouts, I think of beers that could substitute for a meal. They are thick, creamy, and full of flavor. Minerva's Imperial Stout has a decent flavor, but it is so watery that I would hesitate to even call this a regular stout. Maybe a black lager instead? It isn't a bad beer by any means, there are nice aromas of chocolate and coffee, and you can really taste the toasted malts. It is actually a fairly drinkable beer that I wouldn't mind having again, but if people buy this and think this is what an imperial stout should be like, that is really unfortunate.

You can find this beer just about anywhere that sells craft brews. My local Superama usually has this and the pale ale available for about 18 pesos a bottle. You can also get it at La Belga, El Deposito, The Beer Box, Beer and Fashion, The Beer Company, etc etc.

Cerveza Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo Pilsner

4.6%ABV

3 out of 5

This is a decent pilsner. It is pretty boring, nothing really interesting to say about this beer. Its slightly bready and malty, easy to drink, pretty much what one expects from a pilsner. The Rio Bravo beers are certainly preferable over the national beers, but what they do is so close to the macro-brews that their beers just end up being kind of dull.














Rio Bravo Special Dark Beer Brown Ale

5.5%ABV

2 out of 5

This brown ale is light-bodied with slight caramel flavors, and is fairly easy to drink. But, it is just another boring brown ale that is only a step above the dark, vienna-style lagers from Bohemia, Negra Modelo, etc.
















Both beers are produced by Cervecería Rio Bravo out of Tecate, B.C. Or is it Cervecería Mexicana? The bottle includes both names, so I'm guessing that both companies are the same. These beers cost around 25 pesos/bottle, and you can find them at La Belga and La Gran Vía. Last time I was at La Belga they only had the brown ale. I picked up the pilsner at La Gran Vía. I've also seem the brown ale at Liverpool before.

Delicatessen La Gran Vía (Beer and Fashion)

 Beer and Fashion is primarily an online store where people can order cervezas artesanales and have them delivered to their door. While it is called Beer and Fashion, there is, as of yet,  no fashion to be found on their website. However, they have recently partnered with a small delicatessen near the center of Coyoacán to sell some of their beers. In addition to the partnership with La Gran Vía, Beer and Fashion also has another brick and mortar location in Colonía Prado Churobusco in Coyoacán which I have not yet visited.


La Gran Vía primarily sells cheese and pork products, plus a small selection of other foods like amaranth and chocolate. The beer selection is decent, with beers from Cucapá, Minerva, Rio Bravo, Ed Hardy, and Brew Dog, plus other imported beers from Germany, Belgium, Japan, and Canada.  To get a better idea of what is available, check out the Beer and Fashion online store. You should be able to find just about anything listed on the website at La Gran Vía. In addition to beer and food, you can also find glasses from national and international breweries, if you are looking to build up a collection or need a gift for a fellow cervecer@.

La Gran Vía is located at Higuera 48, a few blocks east of the Cathedral in downtown Coyoacán. From the plaza, look for La Guadalupana and just walk down the street next to it, which happens to be Higuera. The owner was very friendly so if you happen to be in Coyoacán and need to pick up some beers, I highly recommend checking this place out.