It is a Thursday night and I'm walking in Downtown Tijuana. It had been a while since I was in this part of Tijuana, but something is quite clear, downtown is always changing, fortunately it is always for the better. The Rodriguez Passage, famous for it's independent art galleries, coffee, sounds and being most of all a focal point for Tijuana's independent culture, it now has a new member: Mamut Brewery.

Now, anyone who has read my articles in "The Real Baja" will know that when it comes to craft brews, I'm a fan who is on a mission to try everything the local production has to offer, and the word "Mamut" has been circulating a lot among those of us who enjoy micro-brews. This is a very important factor for Mamut" Juan Jose Quezada comments, the master brewer of Mamut, "The best publicity you can have is word of mouth and we are proud of the fact that this is how it happened".

Mamut Brewery, is not focused on becoming a bar, they are simply focused in making craft brews known to the people of the city and more importantly, making it accessible to all budgets, given that for a mere $20 pesos or $1.50 dlls, you can try any style of beer they have at there.

They don't have music, or tv screens, the tables are few, it is not a bar, Mamut is focused on bringing it's beers to the people and making this place a space for social gatherings.

Juan Jose commented that for a long time he worked in wine houses, learning the art of making fine wines and craft brewing always had his attention, which is why it was only a matter of time for him to finally take the leap with this project, which although it is pretty new, (they barely opened their doors this year), it has earned an excellent reputation among those lucky enough to have a taste of what they have to offer.

Among their variety of brews you can find a Black IPA, a Brown Ale, American Ale, and an Imperial Brown ale which they are still cooking and an excellent, if not one of the best, pumpkin ales I have ever had the pleasure of drinking, and seeing as it is a seasonal beer, you should definitely take the time to go and try one. They also offer a great variety of food to go along with their beers, ranging from hot wings, seasoned fries and burgers, which are a perfect companion for their brews.

Mamut Brewery is an original concept, of the people for the people, it's the craft brews for the average Joe but with excellent quality. Go ahead and try it, it is located at Pasaje Rodriguez # 29, Zona Centro , between 3rd and 4th street, and it's close to the border.

Jorge.Guevara@sandiegored.com

Daniel.Aguilar@sandiegored.com