| The most ubiquitous symbol in Baja California
is undoubtedly that of Tecate Beer, the "cerveza" that is a source of pride
to Bajacalifornios. The familiar red and gold symbol with a stylized eagle
is seemingly everywhere, huge signs above every bar, restaurant and market
where the product is sold.
Card tables, umbrellas and white plastic chairs are emblazoned with the logo and provide a sometimes obtrusive backdrop for many functions, even weddings, graduations and quinceneras (a girl's 15th birthday coming-out celebration). Unless you use tablecloths, when you rent party equipment, the Tecate logo is almost always visible. But most of party attendees could care less, in fact many love it. They grew up with Baja California's most popular product and consider Tecate to be Mexico's best beer, if not the world's. It started in 1944 when Alberto Aldrete took over an old brick building that had been producing vegetable oil since it was built in 1929. Aldrete was operating a small malt factory in Tecate and had been brewing a beer as a sideline for over a year. He named his new brew after the town and it became the first maquiladora in Baja California. In 1954 the brewery was sold to Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc, a major brewer in Monterrey, Mexico that had been producing Bohemia and Carta Blanca beers. Today, the Cuauhtemoc brewery also produces Superior, Sol and Dos Equis along with the others in several different locations. Today only Tecate and Carta Blanca are produced in the Tecate Brewery. Carta Blanca is a lighter pilsner beer, and most Baja beerdrinkers feel it doesn't have the full rich flavor of Tecate. The Tecate Beer that is exported is of a slightly lesser alcohol content, but that doesn't make it any less popular north of the border. Tecate has the highest canned beverage sales of any import to the U.S. Tecate's international acceptance goes beyond North America. It has garnered prizes in competitions in Madrid, Rome and Paris. The mother brewery Cuauhtemoc is the only Mexican company to earn the distinguished ISO 9002 international designation based on the consistent high quality at its seven production plants. Tecate Beer is one of the major sponsors of the SCORE Tecate Baja 1,000 off-road race and the Rosarito-Ensenada 50 Mile Bike Ride, and many other promotions throughout Baja California. It's also sold at Padre's games in San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium and has become a tradition at many other Southern California sporting events. Tours are Offered The brewery tours feature 24 large 900,000 liter tanks which produce 20 million liters of beer each month. The product takes 25 days from start to final packaging. Once in the canning facility, 4,000 cans per minute can be processed. The cans themselves are manufactured by a subsidiary company, Ensenada's Fabrica Famosa, and shipped the 70 miles to Tecate. Every effort is made to recycle (cardboard boxes, etc.) or reuse (bottles are sterilized and reprocessed) materials generated by the company. In 1994, to celebrate its 50th anniversary, Tecate Brewery opened a beer garden at the side of the brewery. On a recent visit, I stopped by. I quit drinking about 20 years ago, so was unable to indulge in their offered product. Numerous chairs and tables (guess what logo is on them?) are scattered in a pleasant garden setting where a bartender pours samples. Locals on their way home from work stop by as would those who took the tour. In one corner of the garden is a shop where you can purchase caps, shirts and anything else you might want with the Tecate logo. I chuckled, reflecting how whenever you drive the Transpeninsular highway and come across a stalled truck, or an accident, or construction, that the shiny bright red and glimmering gold Tecate can is so often used as a highway flare. The strong malt smell of the brewery was pleasing to me. It brought back memories of many brewery visits, in many countries. But those visits and my earlier preoccupation with beer are chapters from my past long ago, so I left the legendary brewery in the hills. Greg Niemann, is the author of Baja Fever (BajaFever.com)and has a home in Cantamar, Baja California. The accompanying story is excerpted from his new book Baja Legends to be released soon. |