Credit: Nuestro Stories
Though beer is not traditionally associated with one of the major exports of Mexico, the history of beer in the Americas dates back to the 1500s. Don Alonso de Herrera built the first European-style brewery in the “new world.”
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De Herrera, born in Seville, was a Spanish conquistador who also once acted as the temporary governor of the Province of Paria. He sailed under the leadership of the conquistador, Diego de Ordaz, during Cortez’s bloody conquest of Mexico. As part of the hueste, or armed forces, Alonso de Herrera fought against Maya warriors during the Battle of Cintla, and took part in the overtaking of Tenochtitlan. Described as “sinister and solitary” Alonso de Herrera was known throughout his career for his shrewd brutality.
His brutality, of course, worked in his favor during the colonization period. It continued to favor him in 1541.
On August 23rd, the application de Herrera filed for royal authorization to establish a commercial brewery was brought to debate in Madrid by the Council of the Andes. Less than a year later, Alonso de Herrera signed a contract that gave him a license to brew beer in the new world for a period of 20 years. On top of the ability to open and run the brewery, de Herrera was also made a district governor in the area now known as Mexico City. His status as district governor allowed him a variety of additional privileges – one of which was the ability to avoid excise duty on imports.
There are very few records that indicate what happened during the brief time the brewery was open, but it appears that it maintained status for at least 10 years before it closed. Its founder outlived the business.
Though the brewery seemed to get off to a rocky start, with many of its initial workers leaving for better employment opportunities, it appears that production increased consistently until the last record of it was found, in 1552. It is unclear what caused the brewery to close.
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