Beer is one of the most prominent products at large festivals worldwide, events that draw enthusiasts together every year. You only have to look at Oktoberfest , which originated in Germany, or the Great British Beer Fest in London, to see the massive reach of these events. For decades, though, there was no equivalent celebration for Puerto Rico's beer.
That changed in 2020 for beer enthusiasts when the first Puerto Rico Beer Week (PRBW) was held. It now returns for its second edition, running Dec. 2–9, in every corner of the archipelago.
The week serves as a clear example of the brewing industry's growth over the past few decades. It is also a platform where local breweries present their new releases to the world.
"Beer weeks are very popular celebrations in the United States, and they have proven to be effective platforms for promoting breweries in their respective cities or states. With the PRBW, my goal is to create an event that showcases Puerto Rican breweries not only locally but also to a global audience," said Gustavo Franceschini, creator of the PRBW, in a press release.
The local craft beer industry currently has 23 breweries operating throughout Puerto Rico. In addition, more than 10 breweries offer their products through contract production.
Demand for local beer has been so high that Ocean Lab Brewing Company, one of the participating breweries, announced in August the purchase of the former Pfizer plant in Carolina in order to increase production of its craft beers.
Ocean Lab produces about 175,000 cases annually, distributed across the island, according to El Nuevo Día. The company has achieved enough local success that it plans to build a tap room at the recently opened Liberty Square, at San Patricio Plaza.
The first National Puerto Rican Beer Day is created
PRBW 2023 will include events and initiatives such as the first Ciudad Cerveza Beer Festival in Sabana Grande, organized by Reina Mora Brewing, educational programs, exclusive beer releases and musical performances. They may have saved the best for last, however.
The PRBW festivities will culminate with the celebration of the first National Puerto Rican Beer Day, a day intended to promote awareness and education about the history of beer culture on the Island. According to Franceschini, the intention is that, starting Dec. 9, 2023, it will be celebrated annually on the second Saturday of December.
"For many years we have celebrated 'National Days' related to the beer and spirits industry in the United States and the rest of the world, but we have not given Puerto Rican beer the space it deserves. That is why this day was proposed, and it has the support of a large part of the Puerto Rican brewing industry," added Franceschini, who is also the founder of Craft Beer Generation, a specialized publication that covers local beer culture.
Franceschini invited beer enthusiasts to celebrate by visiting local breweries, enjoying local beers or sharing their celebration online with hashtags such as #DíaNacionaldelaCervezaPuertoriqueña, #PuertoricanBeerDay or #NationalPuertoRicanBeerDay.
According to Craft Beer Generation, 15 of the local brewing companies can currently be visited. Some of them are Pura Vida Brewery, Rincón Beer Company, Papa Rupe Brewing Co., Boxlab Brewing Co. and FOK Brewing.
To find all PRBW 2023 events and see which corner of the Island you'll head to for the celebration, click here.
This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
