Delightful Twists and Unexpected Turns, at Cerveceria Del Pueblo

-by Brewhead Ted

I had wanted to visit Cerveceria Del Pueblo, in Pasadena, for some time. I finally got there recently, on a beautiful February day, and it was an adventure to remember.

I set out that afternoon, eager to celebrate having finished my taxes. (I suppose I was in an especially celebratory mood, as I usually procrastinate until about April 14 or thereabouts.). With a smile and with taste buds primed to sample some delicious brews, I rolled up to the Metro station, for the train ride from South Pasadena into Pasadena proper.

Upon nearing the station, I saw a huge crane looming over the station. My mood darkened slightly upon seeing this, as worry set in that my beer quest might be cut short. But as I got closer, I saw that the trains seemed to be running, and soon enough, the train heading to Pasadena arrived, and I boarded – with no small amount of relief. I was on my way, and it would be smooth sailing from here on out! (Or would it…? More on that later, dear reader.)

Blue Dot, Red Flag

I arrived at the Del Mar station, and made my way along the familiar streets, eagerly looking between the Map app on my phone and the buildings around me to find the brewery. Finally, that moving (and occasionally errant) blue dot on my screen arrived at the red flag denoting my destination, and I was ready to drink!

It took me a while to browse the tap list for my first selection, and I mentally stored up the names of some beers that I might not necessarily try that day, but that I’d have to try later – such as the Isla Stout. The warm weather on the day of my visit meant, to me, that it wasn’t a “stout day.” (Fingers crossed that I’ll be able to go back to Del Pueblo on such a day, before summer comes roaring in….) For my first pint, I settled on Lumina Winter Ale. This was a much more fitting way to enjoy the season, I thought. And I was intrigued by the flavor – Lumina is brewed with star anise and panela, a raw sugar from Colombia, which happens to be the owner, Martin Quinones’, homeland.

While there was plenty of seating inside, I wanted to enjoy my beer at one of the many picnic tables set outside in their beer garden, since it was such a beautiful day. The standard configuration of a picnic table – with those darned crossed legs supporting it, often with a horizontal bar connecting the legs – are always difficult for me to sit at in my wheelchair, as I can’t get the front of my chair under the table, and thus get myself sufficiently close to my beer. Paraplegic beer blogger problems, amiright? But I was determined to make it work, as I was eager to get to sipping my pint of Lumina.

Room for Scooching and … on to the beer!

But the staff at Del Pueblo were way ahead of me! They asked if I wanted to sit at a table they had for folks in wheelchairs. It had four straight legs, no damn horizontal bars, with lots of room for me to scooch my chair under the tabletop. I’m normally not one to make a fuss, but hell, if I’m gonna enjoy my beer, I thought, I might was well enjoy it in comfort! And so, the table was lugged outside and set down, and I got to tasting my beer.

Yes – on to the beer!

I was concerned, given the addition of star anise and panela, that I might be overpowered by a cloying sweetness, but the flavor profile of Lumina was, to my relief, distinct yet subtle. It turned out to be a light, refreshing brew, perfect for a sunny winter day. In fact, Cervecería del Pueblo “specializes in refreshing, easy-drinking lagers and light-bodied ales brewed with locally sourced South American herbs, sweets, and grains,” according to Melissa Mora Hidalgo, writing for L.A. Taco. This beer adventure was off to a great start, and surely it would end that way… (Or would it…? Read on, dear reader!)

I sat with my pint of Lumina for a while, savoring every sip, while trying to decide what my second pint would be. Finally, with a tinge of sadness, I took my last sip of Lumina, and rolled back inside to order another pint.

Yuza that Yuzu that you do so well…

I had a couple beers in mind for this second pint, but I was torn. So I got a couple samples – one of Yerbatera Pale Ale, and one of Yuza Blonde. I enjoyed both, but I was sold on the Yuza. Somewhat surprisingly, I have to say, as I am normally not a blonde ale fan at all. I find it refreshing in warmer weather, sure, but most of the blonde ales I have had have been decidedly “meh,” as far as their flavor profile goes.

But Yuza Blonde? With this beer, “Meh” became “Wowza!” The addition of yuzu gave it a welcome boost. This beer was, again, a lovely one to have on a sunny day: Refreshing, light, but with some wonderfully tangy citrus. At this point, I was 2 for 2, and I knew for a fact that I would be making a return visit, for that Isla Stout, or perhaps another beer with a surprising new flavor profile to enjoy.

Eventually, I finished my Yuza, and made my way out of the brewery, thanking the staff, and assuring them that I would be back soon. Upon my exit, I noticed a food truck parked out front, and I made another mental note, to pair something to eat with my beer, when I next visited the brewery.

Powered by Beer … all the way home

I made my way back to the Metro station with a smile and with my taste buds thoroughly satisfied. Life was good. I’d had a nigh perfect afternoon; my return mailed off to Uncle Sam, and two delicious beers consumed under the sunshine. And just as it happened on my way to the brewery, a train arrived shortly after I got to the platform, and I was on may way, thinking pleasant thoughts of the wonderful day I’d had, and-

<<<ATTENTION!
This is our last stop.
Everyone must exit the train.>>>

L.A. Metro Announcement

Wh-wh-wh-what??? We had only progressed one stop, and we had one more to go before I was home! My buzz, such as it was, was seriously killed. What the heck was I gonna do? Call family or friends to pick me up? Call an Uber? Go back to Del Pueblo to wait things out??? The latter seemed like the most appealing option, but after some back-and-forth with myself, I decided I’d done enough “research” for this post. I sighed to myself, and decided that, on such a beautiful day, I might as well get some exercise, and work off that Lumina and Yuza.

And so it was, that I rolled my chair, powered by beer, all the way home. It was, by my calculations, just over a mile or so. Not bad at all. Did my resentment towards my local transportation system make it seem longer? Perhaps. (Okay, yeah, it totally did.) But I found, after all, that this unfortunate little twist to my day had not killed that buzz all the way, and I soon arrived home. A little more sweaty and out of breath than I’d anticipated, sure, but I was still on a high after my successful first visit to Cerveceria Del Pueblo.

I can’t wait to return, to get another taste of Lumina or Yuza, or to try something new and different, with a tasty snack to enjoy with my beer. And hopefully, next time, there will be a smooth ride home…provided by Metro, not my arms!

Until next time, cheers!

-Brewhead Ted
Instagram: @tedc79
Email: YippeeKiIPA@gmail.com

Editor’s Note: Cervecería Del Pueblo owner Martin Quinones was featured in an April 16, 2020 Los Angeles Times article, “Amid coronavirus, L.A. craft beer scene struggles to survive.” Turns out, Cervecería Del Pueblo was scheduled to open right around the time the pandemic hit. “I was literally ready to open the doors, then this happened,” said Quinones, a motion picture sound editor turned brewer. “It’s painful, for sure.”

According to the Times article, Quinones–who invested his life savings to build the brewery–spent the first weeks of the pandemic brewing and delivering his beer himself! “Obviously, there is nothing that replaces a taproom for introducing your beers and meeting customers, but right now I’m just trying to get a foothold and sell to the community,” he said.

As we mark the fourth anniversary of the painful coronavirus shutdown, we raise a glass to Cerveceria del Pueblo and the other breweries that survived–¡Salud!