On the road
Cervezas Con Mi Padre
My trip to Montevideo, Uruguay with my father is something I will never forget — a once in a lifetime trip. We visited my father’s old neighborhoods and stomping grounds. I was able to get a glimpse into what life was like for him and the influence his country had on him — the way it molded and shaped him into the person he is today.
Along the way, we filled our stomachs with some of the best grilled meats I’ve ever eaten and explored the country’s craft beer scene. In fact, we decided to dedicate one full day to doing so.
We started our day by visiting the Choperia Mastra MAM, located in the Mercado Agricola de Montevideo, where they serve Mastra Cerveza Artesenal beers. We ordered several flights of everything on tap including La Del Meracdo, Honey Amber Ale, IPA, Golden Ale, Strong Golden Ale, Belgian Blond Ale, Passion Witbier, Scottish Ale, Brown Ale, American Stout, APA, and Verano Passion Weisse. The La Del Meracdo and Honey Amber Ale were our favorites.
From there it was on to the Montevideo Brew House. The Montevideo Brew House makes their own in-house beers. Unfortunately, they only had two of them on tap that day — Kolsch and Belgian Strong Ale. They made up for it with their selection of local beers from around the country, including those made by Davok, Bimba, Bizzara, and Volcanica. Volcanica’s Tremenda IPA was my favorite beer of the trip.
We concluded our day with a night out at Burlesque Bar. I was impressed by their extensive menu of spirits and beer, with a variety of national, international, and locally-produced Uruguayan beer including Cabesas Bier, which was on all eight of their taps. By this time, my father was beer’d out. He opted for his go to drink — a scotch on the rocks. I went with Cabesa’s Cabutina, Trigo, Brown Porter, Sabotaje and IPA Atomica, which was my favorite of the night.
The craft beer movement in Uruguay is still very much in its infancy. I would love to see how the scene develops over the next few years and beyond. It’s not a matter of whether or not I will revisit Uruguay, but more so a matter of when. Until then, I have my memories and a lasting impression similar to the one left on my father.
