Veza Sur Partners With Chifles Plantain Chips to Make the Most Miami Beer Ever

Veza Sur cofounder Marshall Hendrickson and his brewers have experimented with making beers before. But they really had no idea what the results would be when they tossed 100 pounds of plantain chips into their brewing vat.

Hendrickson and his team were longtime fans of Chifles, the Miami-based plantain chip company, so they explored the possibility of a collaboration.

"Chifles is a bit of a Miami institution. We see Chifles everywhere. It's a very traditional Cuban snack and it happens to go great with beer," Hendrickson reasons.

The first order was to contact Chifles president Antonio Rivas, Jr. "They were super down with the idea," says Hendrickson, adding that Rivas himself was on-site to pour the first bag of unsalted green plantain chips into the brewing vat.

Seeking to create a beer that would be drinkable but nuanced, the brewers at Veza Sur decided to infuse a blonde ale with the plantain chips.

"We have a really good blonde ale recipe, and we thought it would have a good chance of working with the plantain chip flavor. We really didn't want anything too bitter," says Hendrickson. 

They weren't sure what they were going to get, though. "This isn't like brewing a beer with fruit. If you're brewing a wheat ale with mango, you have a good idea how it's going to taste," Hendrickson says. "We had no idea how this was going to turn out."

Another wild card: Plantain chips contain oil. "The oil is tough on the fermenters, and you don't know how the yeast is going to react," explains Hendrickson.
There was only one way to find out. The brewers poured hot wort — the pre-fermented grain-and-water mixture that's the beginning of the beer-making process — over the chips and left the vat alone for a few days. The natural starches in the plantain chips broke down into sugars, which bumped up the alcohol content. And the oil rose to the top, making it easy for the team to skim and discard it.

The finished product surprised everyone. Hendrickson says the 4.9 percent ABV Chifles Blonde Ale has a mellow taste with bread notes and a touch of plantain.

"The result is not a profound plantain flavor, but it is the perfect pairing for plantain chips."

Today, August 31, Veza Sur will unveil the Chifles Blonde Ale at its Wynwood taproom. The pints ($6.50) will come with a free bag of Chifles, while supplies last, so everyone can pair their beer with its suggested accompaniment. Special crowlers, branded to look like a Chifles chips bag, will be available for take-home.

Chifles Blonde Ale will be available until the kegs run out — at least a few weeks, Hendrickson estimates.

Hendrickson says making a plantain chip beer might seem like an odd endeavor, but it was mostly about collaborating with another Miami company that's passionate about its product and the city it calls home.

"The Chifles people care so much. It's a family business. The initial impetus was to team up with an iconic Miami brand. They are just fantastic people and were down to get creative."

So creative, Hendrickson says, that he's up for trying it again.

"Next time maybe we'll add sweet plantain chips to a porter," he says.

Veza Sur Brewing Co. 55 NW 25th St., Miami; 786-362-6300; vezasur.com.