Casa Humble the Chicago brewery created by two BIZ Experiencess of Mexican origin The López brothers created craft beers inspired by the flavors and colors of Mexico. They started the business experimenting in their parents' house.
By Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki Edited by Eduardo Scheffler Zawadzki
This article was translated from our Spanish edition.
In 2015, Javier and José López , two brothers who are sons of immigrants in the Hermosa neighborhood in Chicago, began testing to brew beer. In his mind was the idea of creating a drink that could honor the flavors of Mexico and evoke his memory. According to an interview they gave to Telemundo , the two brothers began experimenting at their parents' house; José López comments: "We started at home, to see how things are going, and little by little, making beer after beer; some came out well, others more or less, some very rich".
In 2019 they decided to try their luck and open their brewery at District Brew Yards , a beer collective in Chicago where it is possible to taste all kinds of beers. Under the name Casa Humilde they created a series of different flavors, using typical ingredients of Mexican gastronomy: nopal, vanilla, horchata, jamaica and Veracruz coffee.
Perhaps because of the ability of flavors to evoke memories, the López brothers' beer has been embraced by consumers of Mexican origin living in Chicago, which allowed them to produce more than 100,000 liters of beer last year. Now they are looking for ways to reach other markets within the United States (California and Texas) and have just launched a line of coffee to make known the flavors of the beans from Oaxaca, Veracruz and Nayarit.
Among the beers that Casa Humilde has produced are Maizal (a lager with a sweet touch of corn), Nopalli (ale with nopal and pear), Media Naranja (with citrus and made to celebrate José's wedding), Pilon (with a touch piloncillo) and Cafecito (with notes of raspberry, hibiscus and honey). All the names of the beers enchant and sound like Mexico, as well as their colors and designs.
Its most recent creation, Viva La Frida , is a beer that pays tribute to the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, is flavored with hibiscus and lime, and was created in collaboration with The Chicago Brew Museum and the National Museum of Mexican Art (in Chicago). : "This special drink celebrates the life and legacy of an incredible woman who created a community with everyone around her. This drink was also made in honor of the museum's new exhibition: Frida Kahlo: Her Photos on display through August 7, 2022."
The history of the López brothers enchants with their vision, their humility and their ability to create magical flavors capable of evoking memories.
