Corazón de Maguey is a great mescalería located on the plaza in Coyoacán. In addition to a large selection of mezcal, they brew their own beer, and offer a few beers from Minerva and TJ Beer. They also have excellent food, offering interesting versions of traditional Oaxacan cuisine. On my recent visit, they had a special insect menu offering various dishes with gusanos de maguey, chapulines, escamoles, and hormigas chicatanas. Their own craft beers are excellent as well, making this one of favorite places to visit whenever I am in Coyoacán.
Blond Ale
4 out of 5
This blond ale has a nice bready flavor and is very easy to drink. It is slightly watery, but still a very solid beer.
Imperial Stout w/cacao
5 out of 5
The imperial stout is one of the best stouts I have tasted made by a Mexican brewer. It is full bodied as an imperial stout should be, with great flavors of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla. There is a slight alcohol flavor to it, but it isn't that off-putting.
Red Ale w/Agave
2 out of 5
This red ale is extremely disappointing. Not only is it the most expensive of their craft beers, but it is also the worst. Both times that I have tried this beer, it has been sour without much flavor. The agave gives it a slight vegetable flavor, but overall this beer is pretty bland.
Porter
4 out of 5
This medium-bodied porter has a nice toasted malt flavor, as one should expect from a porter, and is also slightly hoppy. It is also very easy to drink. The one complaint is that it is slightly watery. Nevertheless, I will keep coming back to this beer.
The beers at Corazón de Maguey are fairly consistent over time, although occasionally I will get a beer that is not as good as it was on my previous visit. The first time I had the Blond Ale, it was not as bready as it was on my most recent visit. The Imperial Stout is also sometimes a little flat and sometimes tastes more like alcohol than on other visits. However, these are minor quibbles and I almost always enjoy the beer here (except the Red Ale).
The prices at Corazón de Maguey are fairly high, with the craft beers running anywhere from 60-85 pesos. Beers from Minerva and TJ Beer are about 60 pesos. But, the atmosphere is great and the quality of the food and drink is high.
Corazón de Maguey is located at
Plaza Jardín Centenario 9-A, right in the center of Coyoacán. You can also visit them on
facebook or check out their
website to peak at their menu. If you do not know how to get to the center of Coyoacán, the easiest way is to exit the Metro at Viveros or Coyoacán stops, and catch a cab. It is also walkable. Check out the
map to find the best route. Finally, there are buses that leave from the Coyoacán metro stop that head towards the plaza (opposite the mall).
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@.
