Text by Anabel Manzano “Lupulina”. Anabel has always loved telling stories and one day she discovered that being a journalist was the best job in the world. Along the way, she found a pint of craft beer and merged her two passions at Desde la Barra.
The brewery is called Heisenberg, is from Ensenada in Mexico and began brewing Belgian, English, Scottish, and German beers, in a market dominated by American styles. It combines experimentation, with finely tuned recipes, and since 2020, its online store has positioned the brand in 7 cities in the country.
Founded by Oscar Lencioni, it has received more than 30 awards in competitions and has brewed more than 30 styles of beer, including the Mike (Belgian IPA), the Fumata Negra (Sweet Stout), and the Suavecita (Munich Helles).
“We didn’t start making Californian craft beer, like most breweries in Baja (due to proximity to San Diego), it was only about three years ago that we brewed American Pale Ale or Blonde,” he says.
Currently, 40% of their sales are made online, and their main customers are located in Mexico, Guadalajara, Michoacán, Monterrey, Mérida, Sonora, Puebla and Baja California Sur.
“We hadn’t planned this commercial modality, but it presented itself and worked for us, and thanks to this, we invested in green energy that we now use to keep our beer cool,” Oscar says.
Each season, they offer new promotions, ranging from free delivery for 24 beers or more, to discount codes for distributors, bars, and restaurants. “By 2023, we plan to send our beer to the main cities in South America, through the online store.”
From beer hunter to brewer
More than twelve years ago, Oscar discovered the taste of brewed beer in Europe, in a pub in Edinburgh, Scotland. This experience marked him, and two years later, he ventured into the world of artisanal brewing.
“At that time, I was a beer explorer, looking for new flavors. I remember that in Ensenada, you practically couldn’t find artisanal beer, there was only one bar, ‘El Pelícano’, but it was smuggled beer, as it was forbidden to sell it,” he remembers.
He started cursing it in his kitchen, at home, in a 19-liter aluminum pot that he won in an auction. First for fun, for parties and meetings, and to share with friends. In 2013, he participated in the Ensenada beer festival, and realized that he could make something more out of his hobby. Although Oscar is enthusiastic about experimenting with styles, flavors, and nuances, as well as learning permanently to continue innovating, he maintains that it is best to focus on perfecting the basics before tackling new styles.
Heisenberg produces 10,000 litres of beer per month in its brewery located in the Pasillo Central, a collective of the city center of Ensenada, which also houses its drawing room with 12 lines and a dining room under expansion, for the comfort of its customers.
“Each year, our goal is to continue to increase the production and quality of our beers, and to seek new opportunities to make ourselves more recognized. We have seen many breweries win medals, but in the end, they do not know how to manage their finances and end up going bankrupt. We must sell, and work to reduce the tax rate, because without this, things will not take off,” he concludes.
Follow Heisenberg on Facebook and Instagram.
*Images reproduced with the kind permission of Heisenberg.
