According to the latest data by Food & Wine (October 2021), a data set collected from 500 randomly selected breweries, 93.5% of breweries across the U.S. are white-owned. While this is a drastic number, more and more individuals are pushing to diversify the brewing industry. In fact, this cultural expansion may be happening closer than you think. 

Here in Eugene, on the first level of Amazon Corner apartments located on 32nd Avenue, Xicha Brewing will be opening up their second location very soon. As the only Latinx-owned brewery in the Pacific Northwest, it’s almost certain that once you walk through their doors, you’ll find something quite memorable.

Xicha derives from the word “Chicha,” which is a fermented drink from the Andes and Amazonia regions. Just like their name signifies, the brewery is a melting pot of Latin American culture. A commitment to profound representation was set in stone in the very beginning when a chef, brewer, operations expert and business strategist all walked into a bar… just kidding. But, these four passionate individuals really did get together and embark on a two year plan that resulted in their first location set in Salem, Oregon. 

With empanadas from Venezuela, gallo pinto from Costa Rica, tacos de barbacoa from a family recipe and aguas frescas, Xicha is a place you’ll definitely want to grub at after long study sessions in the library. And it doesn’t stop there; if you’re looking for a party, they regularly host Loteria and dance nights featuring cumbia, bachata and salsa. The best thing about this spot is that it is family-friendly, so everyone can join the fiesta. 

Now I’ll get to what you really came here for: the beer. Melissa Sanchez, the marketing coordinator, met with me and explained that IPA beer (India Pale Ale) is a popular beer style in Oregon that is sort of “hoppy and bitter.” You may ask what makes Xicha Brewing so different from all the other bars in town. Well, they love to add their twist and experiment with flavor. For example, their Passiflora beer holds a hazy passion fruit IPA, and their Colibri contains a sweet hibiscus IPA. 

This brewery’s impact goes beyond the industry as well. Xicha is passionate about connecting with the community and participates in Latinx-based causes such as the one in support of the Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center. Similarly, UO’s broad Latinx program has caught their attention, and Xicha hopes to find ways to support them as well as the rest of the Latinx community present in Eugene.

Those at Xicha are immensely stoked to share their traditions with the Eugene community, and I know we’re ready to take it all in. With over the counter service, lively music and a mural installation, Sanchez said it will house a “Buenas vibras type of feel. If you’re in college, you will want to come here after midterms to celebrate.”