Valley culinary powerhouses to open a brewery in downtown Mesa

When Dave Valencia announced plans to close Oro Brewing & Vice Co. after nine years along Mesa’s Main Street, he also assured patrons and fans that “although our story may be ending, another story will begin.”

That next story involves a trio of Mesa restaurateurs, the popular cidery Cider Corps and a brewer with panache for crafting Mexican-style lagers. 

“It’s always been one of those dream scenarios where I get to manufacture the beer for all of my concepts,” says Armando Herndanez, who, with his wife Nadia Holguin, has become a culinary force in the Valley.

The duo founded the popular Chihuahuan-style eatery Tacos Chiwas in 2016. Now, Tacos Chiwas has three locations, in Phoenix, at the airport and in downtown Mesa. The couple is also behind Cocina Chiwas and Aruma Cafe in Tempe. And, with business partner Roberto Centeno, they run downtown Mesa hotspot Espiritu and the casual counter-service joint, Main Burger.

“Mesa has been a great home to us for the last five years,” Hernandez says. “(We’re) really excited to continue to push for better things down here.”

Next up is the Oro Brewing space, which Valencia will close on Jan. 25. To make Hernandez’s dream a reality, the owners have partnered with neighboring brewers, Cider Corps, and tapped one of their team, Drew Ortega, to lead brewing operations. 

“These guys know what they’re doing already,” Hernandez says of the partnership for the forthcoming brewery. “For us, it’s more about being able to have a say in how we make all of our product.”

The new brewery, Mesa Brewing Co., is anticipated to open by mid-February or March, Hernandez says. 

Meet Mesa Brewing Co.

In addition to the taproom, Mesa Brewing Co. beer will be served exclusively at all the restaurants Hernandez and Holguin are involved with.

Hernandez will hand the reins to Cider Corps and Ortega, formerly of Uncle Bear’s Brewery.  The owner says the brewery will start with four core beers, with an emphasis on Mexican-style lagers. 

“In Mexico, lagers are kind of the reigning champs, and that’s what we sell the most of,” Hernandez says. 

The team will continue Oro’s legacy of “excellence and great ingredients,” Hernandez adds. They plan to source ingredients locally and from Mexico, including blue and pink heirloom corn. 

“It will be very unique and very new, and hopefully people will love what we do,” he adds. 

In addition to lagers, patrons can expect “some other fun stuff,” collaboration brews and pours from Cider Corps, Hernandez says. The team is still discussing how they will refresh the shotgun-style taproom, but Hernandez says TVs airing sports will be part of the vibe.

Though the Chiwas owners are adding a brewery to their growing list of businesses, Hernandez says they’ll still serve other beers at their restaurants. Mesa Brewing Co. will also can its beers.

With this latest move, he, Holguin and Centeno are “continuing our expansion and involvement here in downtown,” Hernandez says. He sees launching a brewery as akin to when he and his wife built a tortilleria to make tortillas for all of their restaurants.

“I’m always looking for ways to improve in all the stuff that we have already,” Hernandez says. “I think this is just a continuing evolution of where we are.”

Mesa Brewing Co.

Opening this spring
210 W. Main St., Mesa