Brewery starts own kind of Revolución
Independence creates pale ale designed to pair well with tacos
Mando Rayo grew up in El Paso enjoying carnitas his uncle prepared in the Michoacan style, slowcooked in a spicy and citrusy marinade. It was always “a feast.”
“You never make carnitas for two,” says Rayo, co-author of “The Tacos of Texas” (University of Texas Press, $19.95), a comprehensive guide to the beloved staple of all three daily meals.
“Tacos definitely bring people together,” he adds, “whether they have a restaurant or a taco truck or they’re making them at home.”
I bet I know what you’re thinking right now. Amy Cartwright had the same reaction.
“Beer brings people together,” she said last week.
After hearing a radio interview with Rayo and co-writer Jarod Neece last fall, Cartwright got in touch with them about doing something with Independence Brewing Co. She co-founded the Austin craft brewery with her husband in 2004, back when a lot of people still had to be convinced to set down that Bud or Shiner and try something new.
Now she saw an opportunity to prove tacos pair well with more than just Mexican lagers.
She found kindred spirits in the self-described “taco journalists.”
“We both like the idea of breaking down barriers,” she said.
After some joint events and a thorough sampling of everything on the Independence tap wall, the group reached consensus on a beer they could market as a complement to tacos.
Rayo, whose carnitas recipe includes two navel oranges in addition to cinnamon, garlic and a host of other spices, tasted some familiar notes in the saison, a refreshing style often known for fruity esters and flavors.
Head brewer Brannon Radicke developed a fairly simple recipe, starting with pale malt and a French saison yeast, then adding Strisselspalt hops that he was eager to try out.
The result is Revolucíon, a quaffable beer that can take the edge off a Texas summer — or wash down a plate of tacos al pastor.
Revolucíon is available now in bold red cans at 20 or so retail locations, primarily Spec’s and H-E-B, across the Houston area. It’s part of a 4,000-case special release, so the beer won’t be around forever.
The collaborators hosted a couple of popular kickoff events in Austin and San Antonio, and they are making plans for something in Houston early next month.