When the boom of cooperatives began, my brothers encouraged me to form one, exclusively to make our craft beer. This is how Procerveza was born. We also do a lot of research about the current Law on liquors and alcoholic beverages and we learn about all the limitations, which do not allow that in Venezuela, as in almost all countries of the world, a quality craft beer: no, no ! that is forbidden. The culture that our country's beer monopoly has imposed on us is that of drinking for drinking, but it is not the taste or taste of an exquisite craft beer, with flavors other than commercial and more similar or equal to European. According to the Law, beers have to be crystalline and filtered, the only thing they lacked was to clearly state that only the Polar, the Regional and the Brahma, were the only companies that could manufacture them. Oh my God!
After having created the cooperative, very enthusiastic, I went to Argentina where I did a course on craft brewing. It is also telling you that not only in Argentina, but also in Peru, Chile, Uruguay and Colombia, home-made and artisanal brewing is being widely spread and supported, where there are even annual contests among members of different organizations. A success
But when I arrived in Venezuela, I began with the pilgrimage to seek financial support from the State. In all the entities that requested the help, the result and the answer were the same: We do not finance projects for liquors and cigarettes. So, I went and consulted with the private entities, and according to the calculations, it was impossible for me to be able to fulfill the commitments of the monthly installments. Therefore, the cooperative is inert and we are discouraged and without even remotely mentioning that in Venezuela we can make craft beer commercially, as in the whole world. However, I tell you, yes, we can make homemade and craft beer in many styles, golden, brown, black, with fruity flavors: We have even made craft beer from mango.
It is also true that raw materials are very expensive and are imported, since in Venezuela neither barley nor hops are harvested, ingredients without which we can not make delicious beer. I am always, thinking and dreaming that your proposal becomes a reality, we also have the technical knowledge to set up a craft brewery and to give the necessary courses to make this millenary and healthy drink, as is craft beer.