Region & History

Monterrey lies in northeastern Mexico, is the capital of the state of Nuevo León, and is framed by the cliffs of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The Cerro de la Silla, a mountain shaped like a saddle, is part of every view of the city. As a beer city, Monterrey is known chiefly for a single company.

When was the Cervecería Cuauhtémoc founded? In November 1890, the Fábrica de Hielo y Cerveza Cuauhtémoc, an ice and beer factory, began operations in Monterrey. Mexican capital stood behind it: Isaac Garza and José Calderón founded it, supported by José A. Muguerza, Joseph M. Schnaider, and Francisco Sada Gómez. The name recalls Cuauhtémoc, the last ruler of the Aztecs.

The ice came first. In a city where summer days above 35 degrees Celsius are no rarity, cold was a prized commodity, and it was what first made a consistent lager possible. The first brand was called Carta Blanca. Because the brewery needed bottles, a glass factory soon sprang up around it, and from the circle of founding families grew an industrial conglomerate that later became known as FEMSA.

In 1985, the brands of Cervecería Moctezuma from Orizaba in the state of Veracruz joined in: Dos Equis, Superior, Sol, and Noche Buena. Since then, they have stood alongside Carta Blanca, Tecate, Bohemia, and Indio under the same roof.

In January 2010, the brewing business moved from FEMSA to Heineken, with FEMSA receiving a 20 percent stake in the Dutch group in return. Today, Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma operates as part of Heineken México, with the old names remaining on the labels.

There is no protected designation of origin for beer from Monterrey, unlike Kölsch. The brands carry the city's reputation, but no seal carries it officially.