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When I first started researching Puerto Escondido, Mexico, on the Oaxacan coast, I got excited. There were a lot of potential craft beer bars and cocktail bars to check out for a pretty small city.
Well, that didn’t exactly end up being true, at least as far as beer goes. Several of the beer bars and breweries I’d bookmarked in Puerto Escondido had closed, but hadn’t yet been updated on Google Maps.
Still, I had an enjoyable weekend checking out the craft beer in Puerto Escondido, including a great local brewery and a fun bar with something good for everyone, no matter their drink preferences.
The Best Craft Beer Bars in Puerto Escondido, Mexico
La Bruja Olvidada
La Bruja Olvidada is the best bar in Puerto Escondido if you like quality drinks. While most of the area’s other bars serve up cheap drinks to some combination of tourists and locals, La Bruja Olvidada is different.
The bar and bottle shop offers not just craft beer, but also natural wine, mezcal, spirits, and cocktails. It’s got a nice selection of all of them.
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The beer selection includes a mix from all over the world, including Mexico, the United States, Belgium, the UK, and Germany. There’s also Pilsner Urquell. Local beers include selections from Oaxaca Brewing Company and Utopía Microcervecería.
La Bruja Olvidada is a great hangout. They host special events and other gatherings. When I visited, there was a botanero brunch which offered some cocktails and small bites. The couple who were running the event were experienced bartenders in Atlanta, Baja, and Mexico City.
If the fantastic selection of drinks and friendly staff hasn’t convinced you to visit, maybe this will. La Bruja Olvidada has phenomenal air conditioning.
Address: Benito Juárez 5, Rinconada, 71983 Puerto Escondido, Oax., Mexico (map)
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The Best Breweries in Puerto Escondido, Mexico
ZICATALE beer tasting by Utopía Microcervecería
Oaxacan brewery Utopía Microcervecería runs a taproom in Puerto Escondido called Zicatale Beer Tasting.
We were greeted by a dog as soon as we arrived, which is always a good sign.
The taproom space isn’t huge, but there are a few tables, some bar seats, and most importantly, in hot, humid Puerto Escondido, plenty of fans. There are also some games to play.
I chatted with the bartender while I worked my way through the beer list. There are a few taps of Utopía Microcervecería beers, plus a few more in bottles.
Pura Frescura, an Australian Sparkling Ale, is their flagship beer, while their other beers are sold primarily at this Puerto Escondido taproom, which offers “hoppy hour” specials. They also have wine and mezcal.
I also enjoyed the Puerto IPA. My favorite Utopía beer was Seré esa yo?, a refreshing sour cherry beer (cereza, the Spanish word for cherry, provides a pun in the beer’s name).
It turned out that the bartender’s sister runs the excellent Oaxaca Brewing Company in Oaxaca City, which I had just visited a couple of days before. Utopía Microcervecería is also woman-owned, which is impressive considering the overall lack of representation in the beer industry.
I got a little bit more background on the local craft beer scene, which made the recent closures make more sense.
He said it’s tough for craft breweries, since most tourists want either cheap beer or mezcal. Although there are some good beer bars like La Bruja Olvidada and Zicatale that emphasize quality, the demand doesn’t support much more than that. It’s understandable, but it’s unfortunate.
Despite this, Utopía and Zicatale will keep fighting the good fight to introduce craft beer to more people through their taproom and special events, including beer festivals and even collaborations with La Bruja Olvidada.
Address: Bajada de las Brisas. Zicatela. Entre la Olita y Spirulina, Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca 70934 (map)
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Biercito
Biercito (website) can be found all over Puerto Escondido and the surrounding area.
The brewery doesn’t have a taproom, but it was founded in 2014 by the German-Mexican owners of Villa Lili Hotel.
I had a bottle of Biercito Mexican Pale Ale at Cezontle, a burger place in Mazunte.
As I mentioned earlier, several Puerto Escondido beer bars and breweries are gone, including Puerto Escondido Brewing Company, an Oaxaca Brewing Company taproom, Nodo Brewhaus, and Jaal Jao.
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There are also several good cocktail bars in Puerto Escondido.
Do you love craft beer? Check out more of my recommendations for the best craft beer around the world!
