An Unexpected Surprise: Baja Brewing Co.

By Kellie Jordan

Strolling through the historic Art District in San José is one of my "must do's" every time I visit Baja. On my most recent trip I had just purchased an amber necklace, then continuing down the street I almost walked right into what turned out to be Los Cabos' only microbrewery.

It wasn't the smell of the fresh milled grain or the huge silver vats that tipped me off; rather, a nice young man from Colorado waving to me saying, "You look like you need a beer." It turns out he was reading my mind, so I stepped inside and was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of the usual Corona, there were eight different locally brewed beers on tap. Being from Oregon myself, I enjoy a microbrew, but had never imagined a real brewery right here at the tip of the Baja Peninsula. I ordered the first beer on the list, the Baja Blond Ale, and asked the young man how this place came to be. As it turns out, he's one of three friends from Colorado who came down here to start a business.

It started as a crazy idea with no way to make it happen, explained the young proprietor. The lack of experience and funds turned out to be the least of their problems; the real challenge was the fact that no one around here had ever heard of a microbrewery. They went to the municipal and state offices to inquire about permits, but they simply didn't exist. The partners had to educate the government about the process of making beer and eventually a new class of permit was created.

The other really scary obstacle was getting the brewery equipment itself down the 1,000-mile perilous Baja road. They had to load and reload three flatbed semis with all the tanks and then cross their fingers as they made the two-day journey. The day everything arrived, the roads got closed and with 10 guys, 16 hours, 100 degrees and no crane, they brought the tanks inside the building and placed them upright. It was a nail-biting experience, but in the end they cracked open a beer and toasted the beginning of their new lives in Baja.

Maybe it was the fact that I was on my second beer as he finished the story, but I couldn't help imagining this entire area as it must have been in times before and then opening my eyes to see how it transformed into what it is today. Just as this thought left me, my food arrived and helped me justify ordering just one more beer. The food is American style with some local dishes as well. The shrimp skewers hit the spot, and I plan to stop in again to try the beer-pizza that was recommended by my host.

As I wandered back into the colorful streets, another art gallery called my name and thanks in part to the Baja Blond Cerveza, I was a willing customer once again.

The Baja Brewing Company has two locations, one in the historic Art District of San José and the other in Cabo San Lucas on the rooftop of Cabo Villas Resort on Médano Beach.

Click here for a quick list of bars and restaurants in Los Cabos to help you plan where to eat, dine, party and drink.