In a new series focusing on craft beer in Bogotá, we look at the latest addition to the 45, Madriguera
Francisco Herrera, Oscar Cortés and Teddy Acuña all went to school together at Colegio De La Salle, in Bogota’s north. Teddy went off to Portland, Oregon after high school and upon his return, the boys reunited and started brewing. Five years ago they started Madriguera, selling kegs of craft beer to a few bars and pubs around the city. A couple of years later, they decided to cut out the middleman and open up their own bars.
Starting with an upstairs terrace bar in Quinta Camacho, they soon opened a second location on the Septima and 59, only to have it bought out by BBC shortly after. They were about to open a new second location on Calle 45’s craft beer strip this year, only for a certain pandemic to set their plans awry. As we move into post-pandemic planning pleasures, the 45 location is ready to open on Calle 45 #19-58 from 2pm today (September 17). The Quinta Camacho location remains closed, unfortunately.
Madriguera have taken 2020 as an opportunity to evolve, however, and have released all their beers in slickly designed cans this year. Each of the beers has its own animal character on the can, originally one for each partner in the company, though now more of a marketing signature.
These furry friends aren’t the only things that set Madriguera apart though – the brewery is now one of the most prolific of its kind in the city and many other brewers use their impressive set-up for their own beers. Madriguera aim to produce beers that aren’t overly abundant in the current market – their Suricate Rampante is one of the very few NEIPAs available in Colombia and they’re one of the only brewers to offer a cider. They also have a passionfruit and strawberry sour available in cans. Once the pandemic is over, they also intend to restart their initial plan to make around six collaborations a year with brewers from different parts of the country.
The beers
Madriguera’s core range includes the Rey Mapache Golden Ale, Suricata Rampante, Oso Sempiterno American Brown Ale, Conde Cortés American IPA and Liebre Rebelde New World Cider. They also offer seasonal beers, which right now are the Wild Rum Stout and Ugly Sour. They did manage to knock out one inter-city collaboration before the pandemic hit, which is worth going into a little more detail on here…
Brewed with Cali’s Cervecería Antaño, the Nanay Cucas Baltic Porter is a beer like nothing that could ever exist outside of Colombia. There are two main ideas behind it; one is to make a porter that’s lighter than normal and easy to drink. The second idea is what makes this beer so unique – Oscar adds actual cucas from Cali (small brown cookies made with panela and spices) and liberales from Bogota (sweet, sugary cake rolled into scrolls) to the beer during fermentation. The result is an easy-drinking porter that manages to avoid being sickly sweet and hides its 7.4% abv remarkably well. As Madriguera’s Peruvian GM Eric Marcelo says, ‘the idea is to not just have one pint, but maybe a couple.’ Job well done.
How to get ‘em
The bar is open from the 17th September, 2-9pm. The location is Calle 45 #19-58, easily reachable from Transmilenio station Calle 45.
Madriguera offer four-packs at $36,000 COP, as well as 1L growlers for $26,000 and various combos. They also sell reheat-at-home barbecue fare, including brisket and wings. Delivery in Bogota is $8,000 and to Cundinamarca it’s $20,000. You can also save yourself the fee and pick it up yourself from their brewery in 7 de Agosto, at Carrera 17 #70A-56. They offer same day delivery if you order before 11:59am.
You can order everything online at madriguera.com.co and payment is online through PayU.
