Craft Brewing in Brazil with Cervejaria Colorado

“It's a trench war down here,” da Rocha said. “It's not that we're against inequality, it’s just that we're for free enterprise and we cannot survive those giants going against us with the government doing nothing. I respect them, but I demand respect in return.”

And he’s not ashamed to get crafty. In fact, Colorado’s labels proudly proclaim it is “Brazil’s Craftiest Brewery”.

According to Mosher, the label for Colorado's Vixnu (pronounced vish-nu) is a "poke in the eye of AmBev," referencing its ubiquitous pilsner brand Brahma. (The story goes that Vishnu cares for the world abandoned by Brahma.) Vixnu is a bold double IPA boasting an initial flash of piney hops tempered by a roasty rapadura cane sugar backbone. The finish is crisp and satisfyingly bitter, more from Brazilian rapadura sugar than hops.

De Rocha contacted graphic designer and beer expert Randy Mosher for help in Cervejaria Colorado's rebranding effort.

Mosher also cites the story of Guanabara, a Russian imperial stout known in Brazil as Ithaca. The Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, which approves all beer titles, revoked the name of Vintage after an initial approval, so da Rocha jokingly went with Ithaca in reference to the ancient story of The Odyssey. The beer itself is an odyssey of flavor. Black rapadura cane sugar stamps a simultaneously savory and sweet imprint on the palate, before a hearty finish of chocolate and coffee malt notes.

Also available in the U.S. is Bertho, a sweet and creamy ale made with Brazil nuts, from the Bertholletia excelsia tree.

Known sometimes as the “Bespectacled Bear,” da Rocha projects a lack of concern about the competition from the country’s major brewers.

When asked why, he cites a fundamental difference between his company and brewing behemoths. "Colorado has always identified with the homebrewer's values: education and beer culture," he said. He then recites his slogan: "Bebe menos, bebe melhor," or "Drink less, drink better."

It’s a slogan that fits nicely with the conservation of the endangered spectacled bear and the preservation of Brazil’s craft brewing culture.