Since opening its doors six years ago, La Doña Cervecería has been the only brewery in Minnesota known especially for honoring the Latino community. Co-owner Sergio Manancero created a space where craft beer, cultural heritage, and community engagement intersect.
Manancero’s family tree has roots in Colonia, Uruguay, but he was born and raised in Maple Grove. It was important to his parents that he understand his lineage and how they immigrated to America in 1980. “They taught me what it meant to be Latino in the U.S.,” he said.
Growing up enmeshed in a close-knit Latino community taught him the importance of ancestry. His parents instilled in him the value of understanding one’s background and a strong drive to succeed, fostering a sense of pride in his identity. He fondly recalled their motto: “Aim for the moon and land among the stars.”
Manancero took that to heart. After graduating from Ossio High School in 2009, he served four years in the Marine Corps, including two deployments to Afghanistan. Returning home, he pursued a degree in sociology at the University of Minnesota, where he developed an avid interest in the sociology of beer.
“I took a class on the sociology of alcohol in my sophomore year,” he said. “I learned how the industry advertises, how different people communicate in bars, and about the archeological evidence that exists suggesting civilizations farming barley to make beer.”
Craft beer was gaining popularity, so he’d often check out local craft breweries with his friends. Those experiences left much to be desired when it came to representation.
“I wasn’t seeing Latin people in those spaces, or any people of color really. It seemed to have been built for one type of person, and I didn’t fit the bill,” Manancero said.
Beyond the clear homogeneity of the craft beer scene, Manancero discerned an equally insular attitude among those enmeshed in that society.
“This industry was very opaque. I wanted to break in and make it more accessible and easily understandable,” he said. “A big theme for us at La Doña has been accessibility. We aim to give more people access to the brewery culture and aid our Latin customers in understanding what craft beer is.”
In 2016, he resolved to diversify the brewing industry and teamed up with a friend to launch La Doña as a stand-alone homebrew. He put his work ethic and determination to the test, juggling a full course load with launching a small business. A year later, he left the U of M with a B.S. in sociology with a focus on law, criminology and deviance.
Shortly after graduating, he signed a lease for the building on Fremont Avenue North, where La Doña currently resides.
La Doña Cervecería was founded with a determination to uplift the Latino community in Minnesota. From its inception, the brewery has served as a cultural hub, offering a space for celebrating Latin traditions. Programs like ¡Hablamos Pues!, a weekly Spanish conversation club, and events centered on Latin art and music showcase a clear commitment to commemorating Latino customs. Manancero was also the visionary behind La Doña’s three-on-three soccer field, hosting weekly soccer games throughout the summer and fall months. The next tournament is scheduled to coincide with Day of the Dead on Nov. 2.
La Doña will host a Día de Muertos party. Various craft vendors will offer traditional Latin wares. A line-up of three bands will perform Latin Rock and Cumbia. A team of Mexican dancers will perform traditional dances. Alongside the festivity and entertainment will be a sculpture, “La Doña,” by artist Kordula Coleman, surrounded by candles and serving as an altar dedicated to tributing the community’s lost loved ones.
“The Latinx community is very cognizant of the people who came before us and the impact they had. We celebrate our ancestors and we call on the people in our community to recall our loved ones together,” Manancero said.
With all that La Doña offers, community engagement is clearly at the heart of its operations. Manancero emphasizes the importance of creating a welcoming environment for underrepresented groups and hosting various community events and fundraisers for local nonprofits. He has partnered with Save the Boundary Waters, various Spanish immersion schools, and a few animal-centered organizations.
This brewery is just as dedicated to uplifting its community as it is to delivering high-quality beer. La Doña offers a diverse selection of signature beers on tap, showcasing unique flavors inspired by Latin American cuisine. Among its standout drafts is the Enmolada stout, the brainchild of head brewer Dicky Lopez, which incorporates serrano peppers and chocolate that gives it a flavor similar to mole.
La Doña Cervecería has been molded into a vibrant cultural celebration with an open invitation to anyone interested in experiencing the richness of Latin heritage. As part of their commitment to their patrons, La Doña offers the La Familia Membership, providing members exclusive benefits, such as a free beer upon every visit and a deeper connection to the brewery’s mission.
To learn more about memberships visit their membership site >
La Doña Cervecería is located at 241 Fremont Ave N, in Minneapolis, Call 612-315-4613 or visit dameladona.com.
Alexzia Shobe welcomes reader responses to ashobe@spokesman-recorder.com.